Storytelling is an inherent part of the human condition. From Egyptian Hieroglyphs and Greek Mythology to Shakespeare and Coronation Street (spot the dodgy link), we humans have always relied on stories to help us make sense of the world, empathise with others, and share information in a way that resonates over time.
From a marketing standpoint, storytelling through film or animation are some of the most effective ways to engage your audience’s senses and build powerful memory structures that separate your brand from the herd – yet many B2B technology companies today still fail to recognise their value.
In this post, we’ll use key insights from “Mogic’s guide to making marketing more memorable”to explore what benefits your B2B brand can gain by investing in immersive, emotionally driven brand narratives – and how LogicLogicMagic can help build them on your behalf.
Why should B2B tech companies embrace storytelling now?
While once considered an unnecessary expense in the B2B space, reports show that 62% of B2B marketers now hold storytelling in high regard as an effective content marketing tactic. As decision makers grow tired of standard banner advertisements and purely logic-led messaging, storytelling provides a welcome change that builds trust and familiarity amongst customers and prospects, and has been proven to boost conversion rates by as much as 30%.
As well as satisfying the expectations of an evolving audience, declining film and animation production costs mean that visual storytelling is more widely available than ever before. When done correctly, narrative-led marketing also provides huge long-term ROI – with research by Headstream claiming that, if people love a brand story, 55% are more likely to buy the product in future, 44% will share the story, and 15% will buy the product immediately.
What makes B2B storytelling campaigns so effective?
Much like consumers, IT decision makers form their buying decisions based on emotional responses just as much as rational ones. They choose the brands that make them feel something both familiar (safe) and new (creative) and forget the ones that regurgitate the same old corporate drivel. To understand the impact storytelling can have on B2B tech marketing, here are a few key examples:
Cat Herders, EDS
In this playful twist on the “like herding cats” idiom, EDS uses humour and the absurd visuals of ranchers literally herding hundreds of cats across the desert to draw its audience in. They laugh at the bizarre concept, listen closely to the deadpan voiceovers, and (most impressively) wait with bated breath until the end for the message that ties everything together.
AdWords Stories: Zingerman’s, Google
While critics say that Google’s monopoly of the digital ad market is killing small businesses, this inspiring AdWords campaign lays waste to the claim. Instead of focusing on product and features, Google instead shines its spotlight on Zingerman’s story. By watching various speakers, the audience learns how AdWords helped the company grow from a small local business into hugely successful nationwide brand, all while keeping a strong sense of community at the heart of everything they do.
“I like it when he gives me the business”, Zendesk
Inspired by the famous interview scenes from When Harry Met Sally, Zendesk uses the story of an elderly couple to personify the relationship between a business and its customer. As the audience listens along to their past struggles and relates to them on a human level, Zendesk is introduced as the solution that helped bring balance back to the relationship and reignite the fires of passion, so to speak.
To stay ahead of the innovation curve and create the emotionally driven messages that keep audiences engaged, embracing the art of storytelling should be a key priority for any forward thinking B2B organisation.
For more information on how we can help separate your brand from the herd, drive long-term sales, and build more meaningful relationships with your customers and prospects, you can download our quick guide: "11 ways to making technology marketing memorable", or the more comprehensive: "Mogic's guide to making marketing more memorable"
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