How to make your marketing campaigns more alive with inspirational stories

People are a bundle of stories, each one recounting an experience that has formulated them and the way they say it or pack it, that is a story. More and more, everyone wants to feel that the goods and services they are utilizing or can relate themselves to the advertising campaigns of particulars. Brands have found multiple ways of humanizing themselves for the people to connect with their target audience. Some brands with active social media have settled for the ever so trendy way of marketing themselves through memes, gifs, and viral movie quotes. Whereas, some have found more interesting and engaging ways of connecting and interacting, namely international brands like Wendy’s, Merriam Webster, and Netflix. However, there’s an old-age way of marketing that has stayed evergreen as the trends come and go through the revolving door- ‘The visual advertising campaigns consisting an inspirational storyline.’

According to cognitive psychology, facts are more likely to be remembered by 22% when packaged as stories. It’s simple, we find ways to relate to stories, connect on an emotional level and relate to them which helps it stay in our minds for a much longer time.

Storytelling marketing uses a message that is relatable to help us connect on an emotional level to the message of the brand. Inspirational storytelling, in a similar manner, is one that inspires the onlooker to take action and pushes one to do something. A very popular example of inspirational marketing is Nike, whose ads and even logo are ones that tell us to “Just do It” Nike, through their stories that boast equal representation and inspiring stories of athletes who have braved all odds in order to achieve their goal, have been lauded by marketing peers as the ones who have consistently created some of the most effective inspirational campaigns.

When telling a story, often people’s participation shifts from that of a viewer to an active listener. When people tell stories, the listener has an urge to become a participant and tell a story of their own, which is where a brand needs to separate itself. When people see an inspirational story, they must be inspired to take action or engage with the brand, not respond with a question. This is known as Neural Coupling- a phenomenon where a listener or viewer is able to turn the story into their own experience. At the forefront of every good story is a character that the masses can relate to. One of the examples of an Inspirational ad is the latest ad of Surf Excel having Bhavani Devi as its brand ambassador with a strong thought of “Kya Aapne Kabhi Sona Dekar Sona Kharida hai”, that ad instinctively depicts her magnificent success story from belonging to a small background to achieving Gold Medal in Olympics.

A good inspirational tale will always leave a significant impact on viewers’ mindsets. By bringing special success star moments of human experiences into the brand story, and relate ourselves with the campaign. As we all know that in 2018, Hima Das AKA Dhing Express had set a National Record by completing a 400m race in just 50.79s. After this incredible achievement, “Adidas” had signed her as the brand ambassador and launched its unique campaign “Impossible is Nothing”. They used her inspirational story to represent the whole brand in the market to gain public attention.

Trends are always going to crop up, especially with how quickly technology evolves. But storytelling and stories are a true and tested way of earning a person’s attention and keeping it. People, values, experiences will always stay with people, and using those to connect to one’s emotions will always be the way to not just grab a person’s attention, but also find a way to stick to their core. It is easy to look up to the current trends and be swept up in the viral trends when it comes to marketing, but the foundation of the inspirational story will always touch base with people due to emotions staying true to the time.

About the author:

Anurag Mehta, Co-Founder at Option Designs