In this day and age, information is constantly being thrown at consumers, making it increasingly challenging to effectively reach your target audience. Storytelling and content marketing helps to break through the unwanted clutter, and connect consumers with your message and brand in a memorable way.
Out-of-home (OOH) exists in real time — unlike television or online ads. This unique advantage helps brands interact directly with their audience and in turn, builds self-association. OOH uses storytelling to connect an audience through shared experiences. When a brand tells a story, consumers can relate to the experience, leading to stronger emotional connections to the brand. Now, with the possibility of mobile and OOH integrated channels, companies can also establish a connection with their audience through OOH and mobile, generating greater campaign results.
This article will outline the psychology behind storytelling and the key elements of storytelling that you need to be aware of in order to elevate your next OOH campaign.
The Psychology – Why Storytelling Works
Humans have used storytelling since the beginning of time. Tales and fables were —- and continue to be — used to carry on traditions and enforce morals. Stories have always intrigued people and help create a lasting impact.
Through storytelling, brands should leverage emotion in their marketing campaigns. When emotion is used it can create ownership and involvement amongst the audience. When ads use characters and storylines that people can relate with, these stories become their own.
Neurologically, after a dramatic plot twist in a story, our bodies release a stress hormone. When the conflict is resolved, our bodies release dopamine, a rewarding hormone. If your product is a part of the solution to a problem, people begin to empathize with the product and when this happens, they are more likely to purchase the product.
The Key Elements of Your Story
Storytelling has to be engaging, as well as informative of your product. To make sure you’re on the right track, take a look at six important elements you should include in your campaign.
- Identify your brand and your message: It’s important to be genuine and not push false narratives. The brand and your message should play a supporting role in the story and should be a critical part of your solution.
- Be Different: Make your OOH advertisement interesting and engaging. Often, this can be accomplished by using humor or suspense. People pass by hundreds of ads a day, so in order to be noticed, you must stand out.
- Be Relatable: Help your audience connect to your story. Use universal archetypes such as the innocent, the caregiver, or the child that everyone can relate to.
- Establish your characters: Every story needs a protagonist and an antagonist. Make sure you have clear characters whom the audience can empathize with and see themselves in.
- Have a Good Plot: Don’t make your story predictable, instead take the reader on a suspenseful journey that will captivate their attention.
- It’s the End that Matters: Have a satisfying ending to your story. Your audience will most likely remember the final moments of your story over any other part, so make it count!
Examples of Brands who Have used Storytelling
Many brands have leveraged storytelling to create “attention-grabbing” displays that have made an unforgettable impact on its viewers. Here are a few notable examples to learn from:
Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton created an immersive, interactive time capsule exhibition to share the story of the history of their brand. This time capsule transported the audience to the past, creating a lasting impact on their audience.
Spotify
This spotify ad doesn’t have a clear beginning, middle, or end, yet it is a great example of storytelling with OOH. The reason being is that it allows the reader to create their own beginning and end. This ad uses humor and relatability to effectively advertise their music streaming platform.
Takeaways
The next time you launch an OOH campaign, remember to tell a story to engage your audience. With a plethora of advertisements thrown at us everyday, being different ensures your message is heard loud and clear. Next time you work on an OOH campaign, consider storytelling to reach your audience.
