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30 Storytelling Techniques in Marketing

From Creative Excuse Ads to Heroic Soccer Nerd Films

— July 22, 2014 — Marketing
The current trend of weaving story into content marketing resulted in a number of innovative storytelling techniques. This can be through different social media platforms to interact and engage with audiences, or by using emotional stories in commercials. Connecting with consumers through personal experiences can cross a variety of media channels.

One of these attention-grabbing storytelling techniques is putting a new twist on a familiar story or fairytale. This can be seen in theatrical taxi rides, where a theater troupe placed actors in the driver seat to tell the story of Othello with passengers. The short film method gained popularity recently, where brands tell a good story that is almost irrelevant to the product being sold, such as tennis romance ads. Using first person storytelling is another way to go, as evidenced with literature adventure ads.
6.8
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
27
Heroic Soccer Nerd Films
Heroic Soccer Nerd Films
This Pepsi World Cup Short Film Was Directed by Idris Elba
<
26
Familial First-Person Videos
Familial First-Person Videos
Google Glass' Mother's Day Video Goes Round the World to Visit Mom
<
25
Emotional Sensory-Overload Clips
Emotional Sensory-Overload Clips
AB/CD/CD's 'On Hold' Captivates Through Repetition
<
24
Contraband Color Ads
Contraband Color Ads
Dulux Imagines a World That's Totally Colorless and Gray
<
23
Collaborative Bourbon Ads
Collaborative Bourbon Ads
Mila Kunis and Jim Beam are Collaborating for the Brand;s Bourbon
<
22
Unifying World Cup Ads
Unifying World Cup Ads
Coca Cola’s ‘One World, One Game’ Ad Celebrates Football’s Ability to Unite
<
21
Theatrical Taxi Rides
Theatrical Taxi Rides
This Friendly Cab Driver's Life Story Sounds Like the Plot of Othello
<
20
Ductus Lie-Detector Ads
Ductus Lie-Detector Ads
The Graphology Expert Handwriting Speaks Campaign Tells the Truth
<
19
Long-Winded Battery Ads
Long-Winded Battery Ads
These Duracell Battery Ads Tell Lengthy Stories with Battery-Shaped Text
<
18
Poignant Water Advocacy Ads
Poignant Water Advocacy Ads
This Ad Shows a Fictional Girl Who Couldn't Cry Because of Dehydration
<
17
Storytelling Celebrity Lookbooks
Storytelling Celebrity Lookbooks
Rachel Antonoff's 'Forever Crush' Video is Packed with Celebs
<
16
Philosophical Car Campaigns
Philosophical Car Campaigns
BMW's 'Ctrl Z Day' Campaign Drives Home an Important Message on Life
<
15
Heartwarming Companion Beer Ads
Heartwarming Companion Beer Ads
The Budweiser Super Bowl Ad Continues the Tale of the Clydesdale
<
14
Romantic Memory Webisodes
Romantic Memory Webisodes
The Funny Axe 'Finding Susan Glenn' Series Features Max Greenfield
<
13
Prevailing Athletic Commercials
Prevailing Athletic Commercials
The Canadian Paralympic 'Unstoppable' Commercial Inspires
<
12
Creative Excuse Ads
Creative Excuse Ads
These Getty Stock Images Ads Show How to Accomplish Masterful Storytelling
<
11
Tennis Romance Ads
Tennis Romance Ads
This Charming Lesbian Love Story is Also the Perfect Content Marketing Piece
<
10
Messy Storybook Ads
Messy Storybook Ads
OMO's Fairy Tale Campaign Ads Shows That Getting Dirty Helps Happy Endings
<
9
Storytelling Audiobook Ads
Storytelling Audiobook Ads
These Penguin Audio Illustrations Show Capturing the Story's Sounds
<
8
Story-Focused Television Ads
Story-Focused Television Ads
The Sky TV Rialto Channel Campaign is Cleverly Entertaining
<
7
Literary Adventure Ads
Literary Adventure Ads
The Stories! Bookstore Campaign Turns Readers into Novels' Protagonists
<
6
Visual Storytelling Cards
Visual Storytelling Cards
Debbie Millman's Poetic Word Play Cards Let You Create Your Own Stories
<
5
Fairy Tale Murder Commercials
Fairy Tale Murder Commercials
The Three Little Pigs Advert by The Guardian Tells a Dark Story
<
4
Storytelling Ornament Commercials
Storytelling Ornament Commercials
Netflix' Holiday Tree Topper Ad is Told by the Angel on the Tree
<
3
Storytelling Cycle Couture
Storytelling Cycle Couture
Urban Legend Cyclewear is Fashionable and Functional
<
2
Interactive Social Adventure Games
Interactive Social Adventure Games
This Instagram Hosts an Interactive Choose Your Own Adventure
<
1
Storytelling Furniture Ads
Storytelling Furniture Ads
IKEA's Billboards Shows Scenarios for Leafing Through Its Catalog
<