Creative Corporate and Marketing Communication: January 2015

Problem Based Learning (PBL). Trigger 1.

Storytelling

We watched a commercial by Google called Google Search: Reunion
Using storytelling Google subtly delivers us a message that a human spirit transcends artificial, political and cultural barriers.

Problem definition:

How can companies use storytelling in corporate communication?

Learning Objectives:

1. What is an effective corporate story?

· Any examples of corporate stories that were good in your opinion?

· Are there some key elements? If yes, what are they?

2. What are the effective communication channels for storytelling?

· What communication channels are there?

· Do communication channels depend on the audience or the product and if so, how?

3. How to reach the audience?

· Media strategies?

· Do the methods vary according to the channel and if so, how?

· How to acquire feedback from the audience?

STORYTELLING

Storytelling- is the interactive art of using words and actions to reveal the elements and images of a story while encouraging the listener’s imagination. (by National Storytelling Network)

Content marketing- a marketing technique of creating and distributing valuable, relevant and consistent content to attract and acquire a clearly defined audience – with the objective of driving profitable customer action. (by Content Marketing Institute)

The 5 questions to ask yourself before starting to use Storytelling:

Who is my target audience
Which topics – despite my brand/product/service – are equally interesting for my audience?
How can I best turn these topics into informative, helpful, or entertaining stories?
How can I integrate my company philosophy and/or emotions into my content?
What kind of “story” fits my business the best?

The core elements of a good story:

1.the sequence ( sequence of events)

2. the suspense (some drama, that make the viewer ask How? Why? what will happen next?)

3.the roller coaster (bad times change to god times/ happy end)

4. charismatic character

Top storytelling areas ( by the OpePoll survey):retail, food and soft drinks, FMCGs, restaurants, telecoms/tech, airlines,alcohol; automotive- or mostly those areas which are related to consumers interests and provoke positive emotions: shopping, eating, looking good, eating out, gadgets, holidays, parties etc.

Examples of storytelling used in brands marketing:

Coca-Cola is one of the most recognised brands in the world, which is emphasised on their successful brand storytelling.
Have you ever thought how appeared the image of Santa Claus that we now today? Exactly, from Coca-Cola advertising!
In 1931 artist Haddon Sundblom to draw advertising images of Santa and Coke:

Since then Coca-Cola and other companies kept on using Santa's image and story considering him to be a perfect product endorser at Christmas time.

Telling the Cristmas story of families and friends gathering together in a magical atmosphere, expecting the miracle from above, helped Coca-Cola to boost the consumer involvement with the ad and boost his Christmas mood. The story made consumers associate the brand with their beloved holiday.

In late 20th century, Coca-Cola departed from Santa Claus story for ethical reasons, turning to holiday" tree in Rockefeller Center (as a symbol of magic and family without connection to Christmas or Santa) and later on involving new characters such as Polar bears.

For more Coca-Cola Christmas Commercials go here.

Share a Coke campaign:

In 2013 Coca-Cola claimed about their new Content 2020 Stategy. You can watch related video:

Based on the video content :

1. serial storytelling

2. multi-faceted storytelling

3. spreadable storytelling

4. immresion& discovery storytelling

5. engagement through storytelling

Airbnb: repeating Google's success

Airbnb's storytelling campaign to mark the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. (based on a true story)

Luxury brand storytelling: Coco Chanel case
1st commercial tells us the story about the strong character (Coco Chanel), who overcame difficulties (poverty and society biases) and as a resolution- succeeds and keeps on going. The story is engaging and inspiring.
2nd and the 3rd commercials are distinguished by the fact that people keep speechless. Elegance, style and passion in combination turn out to tell breathtaking stories...

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Nike:

Budweiser Super Bowl Commercial: Puppy Love
"The story teaches us how to build tension, how to use the “rule of threes,” how to find narrow focus and how to build to the big explosion at the end of the piece — the payoff."

Summing up, I made a conclusion for myself that a good storytelling in video is:

Inspirational (The viewer is inspired by the character or by what he does)
Problem-solving (In the story the problem, that bothers the viewer, is solved)
Emotions-and-thoughts provoking (The view becomes emotionally and imaginary engaged with the story: e.g. compassion, Christmas spirit, happiness etc. )

Communication channels

Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC)- a term used to explain the process concerned with the consistent development and coordinated delivery of company's messages with its target audience.

Media- channels of communication that convey or deliver messages to taregt audiences. Media offer variety of entertainment, the communication of nes and information, and the display of advertising messages.

Media Planning- the selsction and choice of media vehicles that fir the target audience's preferred media mix. It is also concerned with determining when and how often the message should be exposed to the target audience, in each of the selected vehicles.

(Definitions are based on Chris Fill, Marketing Communications: Interactivity, communities, and content. 5th edition 2009)