3 Examples of Digital Storytelling

Have you ever found yourself captivated by a brand's advertising campaign because it's relatable, funny, or emotional? Chances are you have been enticed by digital storytelling.

For many years, brands have been telling stories as a way of connecting with audiences to create memorable campaigns which attract more customers.

Due to the continuous rise of digital media, our marketing and advertising efforts have evolved to accommodate modern trends within the digital world of advertising, which has changed how society consumes information. The classic structure of brand storytelling has undergone a makeover, metamorphosing into what we know as digital storytelling.

If you don't know much about digital storytelling, don't fret! Our expert marketers, here at PicStudio, have created this article to not only showcase some of the most successful examples of digital stories but to help you develop your own digital story. Here's an overview of what we will cover:

●     What Is Digital Storytelling?

●     Examples of Digital Storytelling

●     How You Can Use Digital Storytelling

What Is Digital Storytelling?

Digital storytelling takes all the elements of brand storytelling (consistency, authenticity, clear communication, and audience awareness) and applies them to the digital sphere with the same intention of creating a compelling narrative.

Just like traditional storytelling, the ultimate goal of a digital story is to create an impactful, personable narrative that clearly illustrates a brand's core values in order to stand out from leading competitors and communicate the purpose of a brand.

Why Is Digital Storytelling Effective?

There is a magnitude of reasons which make digital storytelling so wonderful. To help you understand just how effective this advertising method is, we have shortlisted the major benefits of creating a digital story…

It Creates An Emotional Connection Between Your Brand And Customers

By telling personal stories which reflect the purpose and values of your business, you are effectively humanising your brand, which will help customers believe their purchase has a level of sentimentality and true meaning.

The best way to ensure you pull on the heartstrings of audiences is by developing an organic tone of voice which resonates with your target demographic. For instance, if your primary audience are students and young people, you would most probably use an informal, maybe even witty, tone in order to relevantly narrate your digital story.

It Invites Interactivity Between Your Brand And Its Audience

One of the major reasons why digital storytelling is so effective is because it can pave a new avenue of interactivity between your brand and its audience.

For instance, most digital stories incorporate social media elements (such as posting content on Instagram) which automatically welcomes interactive elements, enabling customers to "like" and "re-post" your brand's marketing materials.

This facilitates brand awareness through word-of-mouth marketing, which will help your business reach more people and enables you to fortify a better relationship with customers by offering them a level of involvement, which encourages inclusivity and enhances the value of your brand's own story.

It Creates A Sense of Community For Customers

Because interactivity and emotional connection are two major aspects of digital storytelling, it has all the ingredients needed to create a flourishing brand community, particularly when carried out through social media.

It Helps You Stand Out From The Rest

The last thing you want as a business owner is to be overlooked by customers or outshined by your biggest competition.

Creating a bold digital story will not only distinguish you from the rest, but will also enhance how recognisable your brand is, so long as you maintain a consistent image, and clearly communicate your values, mission, and, of course, your brand's USP.

Methods & Practices Of Digital Storytelling

There are many ways of channelling digital storytelling. Here are a few of the most popular methods used by companies:

●     Video Ads: Short videos presented on various digital platforms (such as YouTube)

●     Radio Ads: Solely audio-based adverts which narrate a story to reflect a brand

●     Image-based Ads: Often shared on social media sites such as Instagram, or presented on affiliate websites

In most instances, digital storytelling combines all the elements: video clips with audio and images to create a narrative. This mixture of various mediums is called audio-visual storytelling and often proves to be a powerful blend in the world of advertising.

3 Examples of Digital Storytelling

To help inspire your brand's digital story, we have compiled our favourite examples of successful digital stories from big brands you know and love! Here are 3 examples of the best digital stories:

1.   'Imagination Takes Flight' - Louis Vuitton

In 2020, Louis Vuitton jetted off to the stunning landscapes of Iceland in order to capture their famous monogram suitcase collection. Featuring theatrical glacier backdrops and surreal black sandy beaches, this avant-garde campaign denoted escapism in a dreamy, playful manner.

Louis Vuitton's CEO shared that this campaign was created to reiterate the fashion house's core value: "freedom, travel and transmission".

Featuring joyous children playing around Louis Vuitton's staple suitcases in various stunning Icelandic backdrops, this campaign demonstrates how a digital story can be minimally, yet effectively portrayed through a series of photographs.

2.   "Real Beauty" - Dove

Dove has always been in the limelight for honest, raw and emotional digital stories, and this one is no exception! In 2013, Dove released a series of 'Beauty Sketches' which focused on different women revealing what areas of their bodies make them feel less confident and beautiful.

This thought-provoking-provoking campaign gained widespread attention amongst audiences because it touched upon the deeply emotional topic of body insecurity.

Not only did this digital story start a global conversation, but it also enabled people from around the world to relate to the struggles of the women in the videos, which connected audiences not just with Dove, but with each other.

3.   "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" - Old Spice

After realising that 60% of men's body wash is purchased by female customers, Old Spice intuitively decided to create a couple-friendly campaign, which was humorous and entertaining.

To ensure this digital story successfully reached millions of potential customers, P&G chose to strategically air their Old Spice adverts on platforms and channels which were most likely engaged couples, like in between the airing of America's Superbowl event.

Aside from gaining an influx of positive recognition, Old Spice managed to rebrand itself from being a somewhat forgotten-about brand to a refreshed and fun brand.

How You Can Use Digital Storytelling to Transform Your Business

Now that you understand what digital stories are, and what they look like, it's time to dive into how you can create your own narrative.

In this section, we will break down the most essential areas to acknowledge when creating a digital story yourself. Be sure to check out the following points to ensure you create a successful, well-rounded digital story…

Determine Your Digital Stories Focus

Every digital storytelling process begins with mapping out what your brand's sole focus is, and applying it to the general message you want to share. Always ensure you portray your core values throughout your digital story, as well as the overall intention of your brand, so that customers understand what your brand stands for and why it exists.

Utilise Different Multimedia Tools

Avoid limiting your brand storytelling efforts to a singular channel or medium. From hashtags to story polls, there are so many magnificent tools out there waiting to be used which will undoubtedly promote interactivity between your brand and your target audience, and help you spread your digital story.

Diversify Your Digital Stories

In order to continuously maintain audience engagement and distinguish yourself from competitors, it is important that you develop a unique digital storytelling range, such as different mediums of digital stories.

For example, you can create images which depict the same narrative in different ways, similar to Louis Vuitton's 'Imagination Takes Flight' Campaign, which was discussed earlier.

Need Help Creating A Digital Story? Discover PicStudio Today

At PicStudio, our expert digital storytellers have helped hundreds of brands to create digital stories, including industry-leading companies such as Clarins and Bioderma. We offer a bespoke range of unparalleled services catered to helping brand owners, such as yourself, improve and prosper. If you wish to discover more about us, feel free to contact us today!