An Exploration of Brand Storytelling in a Video Sharing

Social NetworkCharmaine du Plessis

University of South Africa

South Africa

Rome, Italy, 2013

Discussion todayIntroduction

The brand and brand storytelling as a branding technique.

Theoretical Framework used for the Visual Rhetorical Analysis

Telling a Brand Story through Social media

Research Question

Research methodology

Findings and Discussion

IntroductionAll brands have a story to tell.

Marketers increasingly use this branding technique to engage with consumers to connect with the brand on an emotional level.

Brand storytelling (narrative branding) evolved to a digital environment - even more opportunity for brands to connect and engage with consumers online.

IntroductionThis study explores the brand storytelling theme of a major global brand in a social videosharing network.

Wants to establish which of Aaker's (1991) brand personality dimensions are manifested to facilitate an emotional appeal.

Principles of visual rhetoric were used by applying Artistotle's classical ethos persuasion technique to a digital environment.

IntroductionBrand storytelling typically uses persuasion to convey beliefs to the target audience through a plot.

Using visuals in advertising, including brand storytelling, is a well-known persuasion technique.

Rhetoric often uses persuasion with words or images and has since also evolved to the digital environment, referred to as digital rhetoric – this study = videos in a social network.

The brand and brand storytelling as a branding technique

A brand is a “symbol around which social actors, including firms, suppliers, supplementary organisations, the public and customers construct identities” – brand thus perceived as personality.

“New brand” invites consumers to participate to build a relationship with the brand through experiences, metaphors and stories.

Branding creates awareness about the company, what it stands for using different branding techniques.

The brand and brand storytelling as a branding technique

Branding techniques usually are aimed at building relationships and at touching the emotions of consumers.

One branding technique which is gaining more prominence among companies is that of brand storytelling.

The brand story is usually told by the product or service, the customer (word-of-mouth) or even by a convincing third party.

The brand and brand storytelling as a branding technique

“Persona-focused storytelling” - the brand's story usually starts with the spoken form of a brand’s character or personality.

All brand story elements should thus focus around this personality to connect the brand story as a whole.

Brand story elements usually include a theme, characters, a plot and a setting.

Theoretical Framework used for the Visual Rhetorical Analysis

Personality dimension (Aaker 1991) Manifestation

Sincerity Down-to-earth, honest, wholesome, cheerful

Excitement Daring, spirited, imaginative, up-to-date

Competence Reliable, intelligent, successful

Sophistication Upper class, charming

Ruggedness Outdoorsy, tough

Brand Storytelling through Social Media

Social media have changed the way in which brands tell their stories by making available numerous social media networking sites.

Allowing electronic word of mouth (eWOM) by and to potential millions of online consumers.

Consumer reads the brand narrative and then contributes to the story based on own experiences and feelings.

Brand Storytelling through Social Media

In a social network environment branding through storytelling should be relevant and engage the online user who usually takes on an active role but does not need to leave his or her home.

Existing brand image is replaced by new images and perceptions as consumers participate in the conversation.

Telling a Brand Story with YouTube

YouTube is the ideal online platform for companies to tell their brands’ stories using interesting characters and visuals.

Founded in 2005 provides a platform through which billions of users can watch and share original videos.

Now Google owned = powerful visualisation tool to 800 million unique users each month.

Telling a Brand Story with YouTube

Can upload original videos or upload existing videos in its original or edited format.

Can create a subscription based dedicated channel to post notifications to subscribers about any new videos that were published.

Companies now also create brand channels to promote their brands and to engage with brand fans by frequently publishing videos.

Research Question

Which brand personality theme was conveyed to evoke emotions of viewers as part of the brand storytelling of a major brand in a videosharing social network?

Research Methodology

Visual rhetorical analysis concentrating on Aristotle’s ethos persuasion technique of a brand storytelling video on YouTube of the best major global brand, namely Coca Cola– Interbrand 2012.

Identified the major theme in video according to Aaker’s (1991) framework + potential emotional appeal conveyed through the brand story – not semiotic analysis.

Brand Storytelling Coca-Cola

By March 2013, Coca-Cola had 111, 718 subscribers to its YouTube brand channel with more than 127 million video views for 1592 videos.

The video Coca-Cola Security Cameras was purposively selected because of its high number of views indicating its popularity.

Plot Security cameras around the world are watching ordinary people who show acts of kindness and bravery towards others which opens happiness. They all drink Coca-Cola

Title of video Coca-Cola security cameras

Characters Ordinary people

Date published 30 November 2012

Setting City life

Length of video 1.31 minute

Audience International

Aaker's brand personality theme Sincerity

Emotional appeal Those who drink Coca-Cola are happy people - become part of happiness

Number of views as on 2013

Brand Storytelling Coca-ColaThe rhetorical situation of the visual rhetorical analysis

is a purposively selected video available in the dedicated brand channel of Coca Cola on YouTube.

Within the context of this study, the speaker is either a character or characters making an emotional appeal to viewers who select to watch the brand stories based on interest (receivers) while sharing a brand story (message) as part of a coherent theme.

The receivers are also subscribers to the brand's YouTube channel who can also select to share the videos with a wider audience through electronic word of mouth (eWOM).

Brand Storytelling Coca-ColaBased its brand’s story on a recognisable and coherent

brand personality theme as also argued by Herskovitz and Crystal.

Coca-Cola usually shares brand stories portraying fun, freedom and refreshment.

For this brand story, ordinary characters are being portrayed as down-to-earth, sincere, helpful and happy.

Theme of sincerity makes an emotional appeal to viewers by attempting to get an emotional reaction through positive associations with the brand in the form of a story about getting happiness by helping others.

Brand Storytelling Coca-Cola

Aristotle's classical ethos communication technique is evident in the positive, persuasive arguments and possible emotional reaction evoked by those who select to watch the videos.

Cleverly suggested that if viewers drink Coca-Cola, they would also be happy in the same way.

Conclusion

Although the framework used for this visual rhetorical analysis could be criticised, it could serve as a useful framework for future similar studies in a marketing context.

Aaker’s (1991) personality framework of sincerity could also be applied to the brand storytelling theme of the video in the sample. This video could make an emotional appeal to viewers by potentially evoking a positive association with the brand.

Only one video was analysed and not the series of available brand stories.

Can also not be generalised to other brands or videos.

Conclusion

Future studies could include more videos in the analysis, a more in-depth analysis of brand storytelling techniques and themes as well as brand storytelling videos where consumers share stories about their experiences with a brand.

Brand personality dimensions (themes) as well as Aristotle's classical persuasion techniques are all interdependent, while viewers may also experience brand stories in different ways and not necessarily as intended.

Thank you