Story based vs. positioning based . . . The rise of narrative marketing
9 Inch Axiom – Narrative Marketing
‘Nobody cares about the features and benefits of your product. Tell a story that your target can relate to and be emotionally engaged with’
I attended the Bulldog Reporter Media Relations Summit back in May. One speaker that stood out was Larry Thomas of Medialink. Larry discussed the prevalence of video and the concept of narrative marketing. Larry encouraged PR practitioners to consider creating video and placing it through paid and earned media.
PAID as in advertising?
Yes . . . advertising. It turns out that ads which tell a branding story work better than ads that focus on product positioning. According to an intensive three-year study conducted by ARF and AAAA the report contends that advertising is stuck in the 20th century, dominated by a one-way transactional focus. Today’s consumer wants to interact with ads to “co-create” meaning that is powered by emotion and rich narrative.
So . . .what are the 5 key elements of narrative marketing using video?
- Authentic – your story can not feel manufactured. Use real people and situations where possible.
- Engaging – is your story sticky? It needs to catch and hold the attention of your audience.
- Relevant – why should your audience care? The story needs to resonate and rate on a personal level.
- Positive – leave negative to the politicians. Accentuate the positive.
- Conversation material – does your story have legs? Don’t force it, but figure out ways to make the story memorable
Today’s Lagniappe (a little something extra) - Cankles, a blog reco, David Arquette and a piece of trivia:
When the calf blends into the ankle . . . you got yourself a cankle. Check out this new integrated campaign by Gold’s Gym. Very clever. Check out the microsite. High marks . . . very clever.
Blog reco – check out Bridge Worldwide’s ‘Marketing with Meaning’, penned by their Chief Marketing Strategist Bob Gilbreath. Here is a primer in Bob’s words, “In a world where consumers can choose to avoid our interruptions, in order to survive and thrive, we must create marketing they actually choose to engage with. We call it Marketing with Meaning“.
Speaking of a marketing program with meaning, take a moment to check out Snickers latest effort. David Arquette is living in a plexi box on top of the Madison Square Garden marquee. The program is called ‘Bar Hunger’. Check it out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/snickers. Snickers will be donating 3 million meals between now and the end of the year. Way to make a chomptribution.
Trivia – How did the brand Snickers get its name? Answer in the first comment.
The goal of marketing is to capture the mind and ultimately conquer the heart of your target audience.
The aim of 9 INCH MARKETING is to examine that journey. We'll explore 'how to' bridge the gap between traditional and social media by taking a sensory approach to integrated marketing.
The Mars family had many horses. Their hands down favorite was named SNICKERS. The horse died in 1929 and the family would name their second candy bar in honor of and to the memory of their beloved horse SNICKERS in 1930.
Who said positioning and storytelling are mutually exclusive? The entire idea of postioning is to creative a compelling narrative for why your product can be trusted to deliver on it’s promises. You can dole out all the group hugs you want but in less the brand offer a real reason to be trusted (and no, being really, really, really awesome is not one of those reasons) the consumer will just give a nod to your pandering and buy elsewhere.
P.S. Nobody thinks Snickers satisfies because they give away stuff. They need a real reason beyond manufactured good will.