1. MKT 389
VALUE, STORIES AND LONG FORM
CONTENT

2. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
•
Why is narrower content more likely to be shared? What does this
mean? Give an example.
•
Utility or usefulness is a form of practical value. Explain.
•
What does Sephora’s social media presence say about value? Review
their FB, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest ad explain what role value
plays in their social media content strategy.
•
What does the story about the Trojan Horse tell us in terms of viralness?
What does it illustrate?
•
What role do stories play in social currency? Emotion? Value?
•
According to Berger “Stories provide proof by analogy.” What does this
mean?
•
What role do stories play in Van’s social media content? How are they
living up to the promise of, according to Berger, “Information travels
under the guide of what looks like idle chatter.”

3. VALUE
Features+Benefits/Needs=Value
Not just price (although that can be a big
part of it!) All about importance, worth or
usefulness.
Value is not simply stated or affirmed. It is
established through sharing information in
ways that resonate.
Value is created when information is
shared that demonstrates needs that are
met by features.
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Example 4

4. VALUE
How do you define value?
Generally? In the context of
marketing? In the specific
context of content marketing
and social media marketing?
What role do participation and
social currency (WOM) play in
value?
Find an example of value in a
social media context. Share
and explain your impression of
effectiveness.

5. STORIES
The packaging for other
elements (emotion, value,
social currency, etc) of
viralness.
What makes stories or
narratives so useful in a
marketing context?
Look at Yelp! reviews for a
favorite business. What role
do stories play?

6. STORIES AS VESSELS
FOR CONTENT
Hold content together
Make it memorable. Message
may get distorted but key
elements will ‘survive’ intact if
relevant.
Experiment!

7. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN
DETAILS ARE NOT RELEVANT?
Goldenpalace.com
• Tattoo
• Belly flop
• Girl named goldenpalace.com
Have any of you heard of
goldenpalace.com?!
Mercede’s advertisement

8. OR TOO RELEVANT?
Heart attack grill
customer dies
Snapple’s giant popsicle
melts

9. HOW DO YOU CRAFT STORIES THAT
GET RETOLD WHILE RETAINING
ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS?
Focus on getting
people to talk about
the ‘right’ things…not
just getting them to
talk!
Valuable virality.
Audi

10. VALUABLE VIRALITY
What makes a viral campaign truly valuable? Results!
Are the Evian babies valuable? Panda Cheese’s Panda?
Kia Hamsters? Old Spice guy? Dove Real Beauty?
Geico memes? Dos Equis’ World’s Most Interesting Man?

11. LONG FORM BLOGGING
CRITIQUE
Critique each other’s work
Review each others work.
Offer one suggestion for
improvement for each
writer/blogger
Select three areas for
improvement that will be
incorporated in future blog
posts (email your three areas
for improvement to professor
by the end of the week!)

12. NEXT WEEK—FINAL CLASS!
Discuss fan media in relation to Berger’s STEPPS
Be prepared to show(case) your best content and
overall strategy
What do you learn about generating content that
gets shared? What would you do moving forward
with this site?
How would you change your editorial content
strategy if you were to continue with the site?