Choose a Narrative Genre and Conquer the Market

Under the heavens, there is probably no award or recognition that the renowned Apple has not won due to its brilliant branding strategy. The latest British research on the best storytellers among brands is no exception.

Approximately one thousand five hundred consumers who participated in the OnePoll survey placed this technology brand at the top of those who, among other things, ‘have a clear purpose of existence’, ‘have created their own world’, and whose ‘next moves are considered intriguing’.

Researchers and British media agree that hundreds of brands, both global ones like the aforementioned Apple, Coca-Cola, and Ikea, and British ones like Marks & Spencer and Cadbury, should be happy to be on the ‘brand new’ list because the skill of storytelling is the new big thing in the world of brand strategies. Good storytelling, or the creation of consistent and irresistible content through which consumers form an image of the brand, they explain at OnePoll, is becoming increasingly important in a world where users dissect and criticize every corporate move. Interestingly, good storytellers do not have to present concrete marketing campaigns; rather, they are an integral part of their brand: stories about origins, tradition, consumer approach, values they stand for, their past, present, and future.

The Advantages of Romance

Getstoried.com has also written about this diversity of storytelling in the world of brands, a portal where different strategies are categorized according to the narrative genres of literary critic Northrop Frye: romance, tragedy, comedy, and irony. They are particularly interesting to companies searching for their story or wanting to solidify and improve their market position. The inevitable Apple falls into the romance category, which in this context refers to brands that return to their origins, core values, and reinterpret the past in their stories. Recently, it was declared the strongest technology brand in the world, dethroning Microsoft. Sixteen years ago, when Steve Jobs returned to the company, the situation was completely different: it was threatened with bankruptcy due to debts.

Although he was advised to sell it, Jobs decided to roll up his sleeves and visit consumers at their core DNA, the story that they were founded to be different from others. Shortly after his arrival, the ‘Think Different’ campaign was launched, which truly was a turning point in Apple’s business. In other words, had it not been for that romance, it is questionable whether that brand would exist today. This genre, they claim at Getstoried.com, also belongs to Barack Obama’s brand, which during the elections spoke of change, but one based on American heritage or the tradition of the American dream.

Redemption through Tragedy

Highlighting what the brand was or wanted to be at the beginning of its business is the basis for romantic storytelling, but not for tragic. This is used by brands that have seriously messed up in business, and this genre helps them on their path to redemption. Examples? There are hundreds – from Martha Stewart, Tiger Woods to Toyota. The American brand Domino’s Pizza was also forced to listen to consumer demands after two of its employees posted disgusting videos on YouTube about what they do with food before serving it. Due to the scandal, Domino’s reputation was severely damaged, so it decided to heal its angry wounds with a marketing campaign in which it admits its sins. More precisely, in a series of television spots, its managers admitted that they had lost touch with the quality and taste of food in their restaurants and that they had focused more on numbers than on consumer satisfaction.

To correct this, they asked consumers to provide feedback and suggestions and to help them design a new menu for mutual joy. This act of contrition and promotional pizza prices saved Domino’s from a concrete tragedy, one related to financial results. If a brand does not have a ‘Golden Bartl moment’ or, fortunately, has not been in a situation to confess its sins and sad story, it can turn to comedy. In this case, it does not mean something funny, but rather playful, retro, and nostalgic. Mini Cooper and Volkswagen Beetle are typical representatives of this genre that use retro lifestyle in contemporary communication, reinterpreting it in a fun way. However, the authors at Getstoried.com warn that one should be smart with comedy. The Oldsmobile brand, for example, failed in this, getting lost in trying to bring the values enjoyed by the old to new generations, and in that chaos, it lost old clients without gaining new ones.

Change through Irony

However, this genre is not as complicated as the last one, irony. Like in comedy, irony in storytelling has a different meaning than in real life. In the branding world, these are companies that transform into advocates of values or ways of doing business completely opposite to those they had before. Walmart, for example, has been criticized for years for its aggressive business policies, from advertising to children to (not) caring for the environment. A few years ago, it decided to completely turn the story around and became almost an activist in the world of retail chains. In the ‘Save money, live better’ campaign, it tells stories about sustainable development and teaches consumers about the importance of ecology to position itself as a fully-fledged green brand. It is truly ironic that the agency BBMG conducted a survey in the American market asking which American brand is the most responsible in the market and which is not.

Walmart was declared the most responsible. And the most irresponsible? Walmart! The team at Getstoried.com believes that such a thing should not scare Walmart’s leaders, who have clearly attracted attention with their story. Nevertheless, every brand should insist on gathering more believers than non-believers around an authentic and convincing story. Storytelling then makes sense regardless of whether it concerns new brands or old players wanting to capture larger market shares.