What is emotional storytelling?
Stories force us to see through the eyes of a specific character, be it Winnie the Pooh, Harry Potter, or Elmer the Patchwork Elephant. Reading, watching, or listening to their tales encourages us to think about the situations they’re in, the way they feel, and the motivations behind their actions.
For as long as marketing has existed, creatives and copywriters have written stories to appeal to the masses. But, why does slotting a product or service into a story encourage viewers of an ad that they, too, need that product or service?
On a long journey, what do you do to pass the time? Most of us reach for a book, a movie or even a podcast to while away the hours. But why? The answer is great storytelling. So, it’s no surprise that when many marketers want to capture the attention of their audience, they turn to that age-old medium. We want our ads to provoke a reaction, whether that’s excitement about a product, empathy for a character, or even just a change in opinion. Using storytelling to drive emotion is an excellent tool.
Why is emotional storytelling so effective?
It seems simple on the surface. But, when it comes down to it, why is emotional storytelling so effective?
Credibility
First of all, adding emotion to a story gives it more gravitas/credibility. If you’re offering a product or service, telling a story allows you to show, rather than tell, your audience why they should covet it. TikTok ads are currently doing this very well; selling everything from razors to sunset lamps to makeup. Likewise, if you’re promoting a certain behaviour or belief, emotional storytelling helps to accelerate that behaviour change in the audience.
Promote empathy
As Keith Oatley PhD has found; stories promote empathy in listeners and readers, and it’s that emotional appeal that drives a person to take action. In this case, storytelling for marketing is extremely valuable, not just in selling products but in promoting real and lasting changes to societal behaviours. For example, if we look at charities like UNICEF and Children in Need, they’ve been using emotional storytelling for years to appeal to people’s generosity. The behaviour change that they’re seeking is to donate money monthly, or even yearly, to further their cause.
Similarly, rising on Instagram rapidly in the last couple of years have been infographics and accounts which focus solely on telling the stories of the underrepresented, to bring their struggles into the mainstream. Again, accounts of discrimination are being told in this very public way to inform those who might not be aware and to encourage people to put themselves in the shoes of others.
More memorable
Messages infused with emotion are certainly more memorable too. As we all know, in both digital and traditional marketing mixes, there is often a period of consideration before someone buys a product — particularly a more expensive one. By using storytelling to appeal to your audience, you make the product or service more memorable, thus increasing the likelihood that they choose to buy it upon their second or third interaction with that product. The same would be true for someone promoting an ideal or behavioural change, the more memorable the audience’s first encounter with the information, the more likely they will be convinced if they encounter it again.
Travel further
Stories can have higher potential reach and we’ve all seen them; viral ads on Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok; they are so successful due to their ability to pull on the heartstrings of viewers. A corner of TikTok, commonly known as BookTok, employs storytelling well to advertise and recommend different books, giving a glimpse into the narrative and hooking any potential readers. It’s meta, but also an effective use of storytelling to promote something. The further these videos and stories reach, the more likely they are to have a positive effect for the creators — whether that’s in selling products or changing the audience’s mind about an issue.
The long and short of it is that emotional storytelling is such an important tool in a marketer's belt, for its ability to make people feel and the effect that this has on their attitudes and behaviours. Stories are engaging, memorable and emotive. Any marketer worth their salt should be considering employing a form of storytelling to further their business or cause.
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