Good marketing is good story telling

GOOD MARKETING – GOOD STORYTELLING
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Based on a Presentation
by Dave Buenviaje
Stratmark 2011
Philippines

WHAT DOES STORYTELLING HAVE TO DO WITH MARKETING?

In developing this presentation, I was struggling to fuse two opposing forces: the structured, precise
nature of marketing and the ethereal nature of literature and the arts (a personal interest).

My initial idea was to go back to the two concepts’

Good Storytelling
most basic yet common ground: the crafting of the
main idea. However, I was concerned about Good marketing
presenting abstract concepts – competition as
tension, and character as brand framework – to a
crowd that expected something more specific and
measurable.

But sustaining the attention of a crowd of 4000
college students using hard technicalities of
marketing (e.g. statistical terminologies) would be a
tall order. My presentation’s effectiveness
depended on delivering a compelling proposition based on practical – and actual – marketing situations.

In attempting to merge the two notions (art and marketing), I realized that the process I was undergoing
could itself be my main topic: adjusting an idea and its message to suit specific audiences. It was how
the storytellers of old managed to address a variety of listeners.

STORYTELLING IS INGRAINED IN OUR CULTURAL GENES

The relationship between
storyteller and audience has
persisted throughout human
history. Using stories about the
gods controlling the cycles of
seasons, shamans of old
reassured their communities of
continuous bountiful harvests.

In more modern times, leaders have used stories laced with ideas of courage and patriotism to persuade
people to hurl themselves into the chaos of war. Religious leaders have latched on to stories found in
sacred texts to spread the idea of faith, and thereby fortify their ever-growing flock of believers.

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Good Marketing – Good Storytelling
twitter: @jardinedavies

For the part of the audience, the stories are taken in and then interpreted in the context of their
individual experiences. And in most cases, the members of the audience become the storytellers
themselves, spreading their interpretation of the original message to whoever would be willing to listen.

In this present age, the global community has become one where commercial aggression and product
dominance has grown louder and more prominent. In these times, brands have become the key
storytellers; the audience is the modern day consumer, and the message now revolves around the
promise of a unique experience – a relationship – that can be developed between brand and consumer.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD STORYTELLER?

The key to delivering a good story does not depend on the
details of the narrative, but on the spreading of an experience
that the audience will latch on to, and afterwards share with
others.

Consider, for instance, the Harry Potter saga.

The experience of the series was most powerful not because
of the finer details. Instead, it captured the audience with concepts that were universally relatable and
emotionally arresting.

Harry’s first encounter with a wand was not punctuated by how much the wand cost, or the first spell he
cast with it. Instead, the essence and highlight of that moment was the amazement and wonder that
readers and audience perceived.

With Harry, they were introduced to a world where wizards existed, and magic was real.

The same is true for other key moments: it was not where Professor Dumbledore was killed; it was
about the loss and anger we felt when he was murdered. In the same way, it is not about how Harry,
Ron and Hermione first met: it is about the endurance of their friendship amidst trying times.

It is not about Professor Severus Snape’s true allegiance, but his enduring love for Lilly Potter, the
danger in his sacrifice, and the agony that consumed him as he cradled the lifeless body of the one
woman he had ever loved.

For our part, it was not about when we first picked up a Harry Potter book, or watched our first Harry
Potter movie. It was our experience of Harry – on the page or on the screen – as a brave, loyal and
trustworthy friend who emerged as a hero as the story progressed.

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And as storytelling goes, our personal experience of the series insists
that no one could have delivered Harry’s story better than J.K. Rowling
herself.

FEELING: THE ONLY TAKEAWAY

One of the main characteristics of a good storyteller is the
ability to make themselves disappear.

A measure of their effectiveness in relaying a story is if their presence as the storyteller
eventually falls secondary to the story/experience they give the audience.

The audience remembers the story – the experience – above all else.

And a significant factor to the experience is the feeling that the audience is left with. It is this feeling
that helps create the emotional connection (or disconnection) between the audience and the
experience itself.

In the case of brands and marketing, a consumer’s
attachment (and perhaps loyalty) to a brand is
significantly determined by the feeling attributed to
the brand, generated by the experience of that
brand’s products.

For instance, a consumer’s connection with the
coffee chain Starbucks may be rooted in a feeling of
relaxation and pleasure. While the consumer may
appreciate the coffee’s taste, the memories of
Starbucks may be largely linked to calm, tranquil afternoons with a book to read, a pack of cigarettes,
and good conversations with friends.

Similarly, a consumer’s attachment to Apple products is not determined
solely by the look and feel of a specific device. Taking the iPod as an
example, the attachment is defined by, say, moments of lounging around
and blocking off the noise from your surroundings with songs from your
favourite band.

And as you are immersed in that personal feeling, other details like the
product’s price fall to the backdrop.

In the end, it is just you (the consumer) and your personal encounter with
the product. If the experience of the product is good enough, consumers
will gladly pay for it, sometimes whatever the price may be.

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A STORY OF BEER COMMERCIALS

When I was eight or nine, I was reasonably excluded from the drinking circle
that included my father and his friends. Should I attempt to join them, I was
promptly shooed away and told to go watch TV instead.

Years later, when I finally had my own set of drinking buddies, I encountered a
TV ad that I had encountered as a youngster: San Miguel Beer’s “Sabay Tayo”
from 1985.

What struck me was how this ad, which I could not relate to as a kid, now spoke to me quite well of how
San Miguel is the beer that remained constant throughout the various stages of one’s life.

In the same way, I easily related to Guinness Beer
TVCs, which spoke of drinking as a ritual that could
strengthen bonds between people, if not create new
ones.

The reason why the messages of these commercials
were of no significance to me as a kid was simple: back
then, they were talking to my father. But now, they
are talking to me: a grown-up who understands the
significance of having beer between good friends.
“Sabay Tayo”
San Miguel Beer (TVC)
I could not relate to the ad as a kid because I was not
1985
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmRPLgp0Bmc the target market.

It was a simple realization that now forms part of my
thesis: part of telling a story well is knowing who to tell it to, and who are most likely to listen.

The notion of “knowing your audience,” albeit a cliché, is a
fundamental guideline that must not be underestimated. Take a
cue from successful stand-up comedians: they adjust their jokes
and punchlines to suite specific types of audiences.

STAYING TRUE TO YOUR STORY

A good cautionary tale is the Coca-Cola marketing disaster
involving their attempt to launch what they called the “new” Coke.

Page 4 of 8


Their major move in their introduction of the New Coke was changing the taste – a strategy based on a
conclusion that, based on pre-launch market tests, consumers preferred the new taste over the old one.

The initial mistake was assuming that, in a market of increasing competition with the emergence of
other beverages, the apparent decline in their sales was because of consumers’ growing demand for
new and different tastes.

In reality, however, people’s attachment to Coke was grounded not on taste
but on availability: Coke’s success in controlling the distribution networks
early in the game made the drink readily available to many.

With the emergence of other beverage options, the decline in sales was in
fact a natural occurrence.

Additionally, Coke failed to realize that the earlier advertising of their
product as something that brought refreshment to the busy and tired consumers integrated the
beverage into American culture. The “ice cold Coca-Cola” had become part of daily Americana.

The experience of drinking Coke was no longer rooted
solely on its taste; people have attached a certain feeling of
being refreshed every time they consumed it.

Upon changing the taste and in effect the identity of this
treasured beverage, Coca-Cola unknowingly changed a
story that people had already accepted and embraced.
Because of this, the market felt betrayed, and consequently
revolted.

Coca-Cola learned from this damaging misstep, and eventually chose to revert to the old Coke recipe.
This story teaches us that brands too must be genuine. Although marketers must remain creative, they
must execute this creativity to communicate messages that the market will understand and connect
with. Otherwise, the market will see right through the façade.

REKINDLING THE ROMANCE

In some cases, the challenge is to remind
audiences of a story that has over time grown old
and insignificant.

A Romanian chocolate bar, aptly named Rom, was facing a seemingly insurmountable challenge. The
younger consumers – their target market – were beginning to gravitate towards American chocolates.
Aside from this, the increasing cynicism amongst the youth was eating into their sense of patriotism.

Everything that represented Romania was perceived as flat-out wrong; this fact meant that Rom,
supposedly bannering everything good about Romania, was fighting a rapidly losing battle.

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In a drastic marketing move, Rom mounted a widespread effort that involved exchanging the Romanian
national colors on the packaging for those of the American flag.

They augmented this move with huge billboards and in-store gondolas brandishing statements like
“Patriotism won’t feed you,” and “The American Dream now in the Romanian chocolate”.

Digging into a growing, gaping wound, TVCs showed
an English-speaking man telling the Romanians “We
replaced the Romanian flag with the American one,
so Romanians can shine on too!”

These efforts effectively ignited public outrage that
flooded online social media platforms to dizzying
lengths. Debates, deliberately fed by specially-
created teams, reached primetime media coverage.
As a result, national pride experienced a sudden
resurgence that sent shockwaves nationwide.

After a certain amount of time, Rom came out to reveal the ultimate punchline: it was all a joke. TVCs
showed the same seemingly American man saying “Rom stays Rom no matter what,” national colors and
all.

By the time the campaign concluded, the market
harboured a renewed sense of national ego. And Rom
chocolate had reminded the people of what it stood for
– a proud symbol of what it was to be a Romanian.

A striking difference between Rom’s effort and those of
Coca-Cola was that in the case of Rom, efforts were
made not to change the story, but to remind people of
it. There were no artificial
statements, no gimmicky
“The American Rom”
efforts, and no betrayal to Campaign Presentation
the original story. 2011
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt9NBtW4sbA
Instead, there was only a
creative, radical move to
rekindle the love that once burned fiercely in the hearts of the market.

A DIFFERENT VOICE

In the case of Bayan Telecommunications, the challenge was to put out a message that was unique
enough to cut through the louder marketing efforts of the competition in the broadband market.

The decision was to communicate to Internet users a message that at the end of the day they could
relate to and understand. While the competition touted messages of price, speed and product features,
Bayan opted to stick with prevailing opinion that the entire brand experience – from service installation
to customer service assistance – was simple and easy.

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To reinforce this point, Bayan portrayed the experience of a particular consumer – a grandmother,
better known as Lola Techie.

From the get-go, the striking characteristic with this campaign was its uniqueness. The idea of using a
60-something year old grandmother as an active Internet user was a significantly
new and thereby attention-grabbing concept.

Through a series of offline and online advertising, Lola Techie was shown using
the Bayan DSL service with ease and without hassle. Ultimately, the entire
campaign hammered on the idea that the service is so easy, even a grandmother
could use it.

Another significant move by Bayan was to portray Lola Techie as a
representation of every type of Internet user: the gamer, the web surfer, even the irreverent social
media enthusiast. In doing so, they effectively communicated to a wide range of Internet users using a
style and language to which they easily related.

As a result, Bayan generated a successful integrated campaign that reached viral levels, at under10% of
the competition’s advertising budget.

The Lola Techie campaign illustrates
the importance and effectiveness of
telling a story in a language that the
market understands. The
competition’s dependence on claims of
product superiority and (paid) celebrity
endorsements came across as forced
and ultimately fake. To the market,
Lola Techie appeared as a genuine
representative of the everyday
Internet user – just like them.

A lesson to be taken from Bayan’s
campaign is that telling a story in a “Lola Techie Integrated Campaign”
unique, innovative and engaging Bayan Telecommunications, BBDO Guerrero
manner is inarguably effective. A 2009
brand need not be the loudest voice in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVNohEBxvE0
the room. By merely using the correct
language and a distinct manner of
telling its story, a brand will eventually create an appealing impression that will draw in audiences
without fail.

Page 7 of 8


CONCLUSION

There is more to being a good storyteller than having a good story. The key is to presenting the story in a
manner that gives audiences an unforgettable experience and an enduring emotional connection.

In the same way, marketing efforts require honest, consistent messages that ultimately generate lasting
impressions. By staying true to their messages, knowing their audience, and respecting existing
connections, brands can establish lasting relationships that will produce positive experiences from the
customers.

Artificial facades and rehashed storylines carry no appeal and can run the risk of alienating customers.
The ultimate goal of the brand is to establish a solid identity and remain true to their message of what it
is and what it represents. Without these fundamental concepts, any marketing effort will appear
substandard, insubstantial, and weak.

Finally, brands must understand that their relationship with their customers heavily depend on
continually maintaining a pleasurable experience. It is from this experience that a brand, much like a
good storyteller, makes its mark as an important, meaningful, and consistent part of the customers’
lives.

Edited by Andrea Duerme

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dave Buenviaje is currently a marketing manager at Bayan Telecomunications, Inc. He has had 10 years of professional
experience in the fields of marketing and business development.

Some of his major accomplishments include winning Silver awards in the Young Marketer’s Category
of the Cannes International Advertising Festival in 2010, and the Cyber Boomerang in 2011.

He has a special interest in history, music and the literary arts.

This paper by Dave S. Buenviaje is licensed under
a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Images and cited cases are sourced online and deemed as fair use.

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Good marketing is good story telling

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