Why We Love Brand Storytelling
Nike has been successfully telling emotional stories for years. Nike's advertisements are still my favourites: I always watch them when I need a little inspiration. "Rise and shine" is a favourite of mine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjqYut-pyDU
Nike often uses the classical archetype of the hero to convey its emotional message. However, as emotional advertising expert Graeme Newell points out in "Nike Brand Strategy: Emotional Branding using the story of Heroism," rather than using a classic villain, the consumer is both the hero and the villain, and the conflicting battle of internal voices about whether or not to exercise is the central point of conflict in the ad.
Emotional marketing, when used properly, connects with consumers at a subconscious level, and it stays with them long after the advertisement has ended. The product is not the main character of the story, the consumer is. The story inspires the average person at home to get up and move. Nike sticks to its brand values, and uses memorable phrases like: "Just Do It," "Find Your Greatness," and "Twice the Guts. Double the Glory." Throughout the years, Nike has stayed true to its brand messaging -- be your own hero.
It is important that a brand tells the story its market wants to hear. For example, Nike knows that its viewers want to hear about getting active, and that they are not alone in the struggle to do so.
On the other hand, if a brand does not understand who its market is or what it wants, and the brand can create a larger disconnect to its audience. For example, the UK National Lottery with the 2012 Olympic Games coming to London, released an ad campaign showing the drive and passion that got British 800m runner Jenny Meadows to the Olympics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvOKp0NsNIM
This ad does little to connect with its target market. As brandstories.net writer Omar Kattan says in National Lottery Funding: Does Storytelling Work? [Fail], those who buy lottery tickets are usually desperate for money and do not need these stories to keep them buying. This advertisement may be an interesting story, showcasing the charity that the National Lottery provides, but it is insignificant to its market. Therefore, it has no impact on sales, or on building brand loyalty.
Proctor & Gamble (P&G) uses a similar storytelling strategy to that of the National Lottery.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQ3k6BFX2uw
This advertisement showcases P&G as an international Olympic sponsor. However, unlike the UK National Lottery, it leverages the Olympic movement in a way that connects to its target market. Read more about P&G marketing here: Adjacent Storytelling from P&G for the 2012 Olympics.
I know that P&G's advertisement connects with me--and I cannot help but get a little teary--whereas I do not feel the same emotional connection with the National Lottery ad. Did you have an emotional response to this video? If so, why do you think this advertisement works? How does it differentiate from the UK National Lottery advertisement?
Now I am going to go for a run. Thank you, Nike.