Marketing on Sofa

We live in a world overloaded with all kinds of content. Everyone is telling us how to live: what mattress will keep our backs healthier, which toothpaste will whiten our teeth, and what camera will take the best photos we remember forever. Making people buy a product is not an easy task. How to convince a spoiled user with an abundance of all possible goods and services to choose us? Tell an unforgettable story. Then build a dialogue. 

How does it work?

It’s easy. People learn and remember about 70% of information through storytelling. Scientists say that stories activate brain zones responsible for the experience. While reading a book or watching a movie, we live with the main characters, empathizing with the heroes we sympathize with. That is why we always worry about Harry Potter’s fight with evil or Indiana Jones’ never-ending adventures. 

Generating an emotional response is an excellent chance to “make” a person remember the brand. A story is a proven way to convey a memorable message to the consumer – a fundamental fact about storytelling and a perfect marketing tool. 

Joe Pulizzi, a founder of the Content Marketing Institute, explains how to use storytelling to solve the main task of marketing – to attract and retain the audience’s attention. Online tactics, including SEO, lead generation, branding, and social media, must be centred around compelling stories to engage and intrigue the client. 

Today digital storytelling is blossoming in full. Countries, large corporations and smaller businesses communicate through stories. Storytelling has never been as important or impactful as it is today, especially after the pandemic. 

Enough of talks, let’s look at examples 

When I started looking for the most exciting brand stories, I decided to pick up less trivial, perhaps not globally known names. I find their ads and campaigns genuinely inspiring and unique. So, let’s start. 

GREAT Britain Campaign

About the brand: Well, we all know the country, right? 

Industry: Public Sector 

Concept: The UK’s government decided to stimulate growth and jobs in the country in 2012. How? By showing the world how GREAT it is to do business, study and explore culture in the UK. The idea was to engage with stakeholders across the state and abroad, promoting British heritage and supporting the aim of raising global awareness about the country. 

Why it worked: Telling the GREAT story at the right moment. In 2012 UK was hosting the world’s largest sporting event – the Olympic and Paralympic Games – and was preparing to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. 2012 was a perfect opportunity for Britain to present the very best of what it has to offer to up to four billion people around the globe. 

I could not think of a more successful government campaign than this one, and I am confident that state leaders should borrow some of the tips to promote the image of their countries. 

Sister’s Aroma

About the brand: Two sisters from Ukraine create beauty products from natural components. The brand’s main idea is to use eco-ingredients to produce fragrances, lotions and candles, preserve the planet’s biodiversity and environment, recycle packaging after use, and reject animal testing. 

Industry: Beauty 

Concept: It is about the most comfortable and hedonistic lifestyle that most people want. Sisters keep their stories clean and minimalistic. If you scroll their website or social media, you will notice calm colours, laconic photos and a glimpse of educational material. 

Why it works: Because sisters know trends well. The world is puzzled by overconsumption, air pollution, and lack of resources. We cannot resist all the buzzwords like sustainability or circular economy, so we turn to these brands to fulfil our wish to save the planet. Personally, I have never tried Sisters Aroma, but I am longing for their launch in Europe and will definitely buy a candle for my home. 

Mercedes-Benz “Chicken” Magic Body Control 

About the brand: The name Mercedes-Benz speaks for itself. I doubted whether I should mention world-known brands in general, but I just love their history, and the ads they make are just wow. 

Industry: Automotive

Concept: Driver’s comfort is above all, and Mercedes knows it. Who doesn’t want to have a perfect driving position? But how can you show a relatively standard feature entertainingly? Just watch the ad. It’s a masterpiece.

Why it worked: It’s different. Other car manufacturers hire top models wearing luxury furs and red lipstick to demonstrate the car’s unique features. Mercedes takes an unexpected path by holding a chicken in front of the camera for almost a minute without losing the viewer’s attention. And that’s a tricky one, especially now, because we are too impatient and usually do not stay long on the ad. Bravo to the creative team! And even after 9 years, the commercial still looks fresh and funny. 

While writing this piece, I realized I couldn’t recall any notable B2B ad. It is because “dull” products are harder to sell. But that’s what makes the job of marketing and communications more exciting.