Humans have been telling stories forever. For thousands of years, we’ve been perfecting this art, using it to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and build community. Stories have always captured attention, sparked emotion, and made abstract ideas feel personal.
Today, a compelling story is one of the most powerful tools you can use to cut through the noise. One of the key benefits of telling a great story is helping your audience remember your brand. That can be the difference between building brand loyalty and being forgotten. Good stories and compelling characters turn facts into feelings, products into purpose, and companies into communities.
Whether you’re building a brand narrative, launching a product, or doing content marketing, knowing how to craft stories will carry you far. Let’s explore some of the types of stories you can tell and the techniques you can use to resonate with your target audience and build customer loyalty.
What is storytelling in marketing?
Storytelling in marketing is about using a narrative to make your brand feel more human. It’s how you turn your message into something your audience actually feels, instead of just hears. Rather than rattling off product specs or feature lists, you tell a compelling story that shows what your brand stands for, how you solve real problems, and why people should care.
Brand storytelling vs. storytelling in marketing
You might hear “brand storytelling” and “storytelling in marketing” thrown around like they’re the same thing. They’re related, but there’s a bit of a difference.
Brand storytelling is the big picture. It’s the ongoing narrative that defines who you are, what you believe in, and why you exist. It’s the story behind your brand, values, mission, and voice. As such, your brand story is much less likely to change—it’s more of a founding myth than a show where new episodes come out every week.
In other words, think of your brand story as the tree trunk, and storytelling in marketing as the branches. Where brand storytelling zooms out, storytelling in marketing zooms in. These are the stories you use in specific campaigns or promotions. They shift depending on market research, your goals, or what you’re trying to spotlight.
Both types of storytelling aim for the same outcomes: building brand loyalty, connecting with your target audience, and showing that you understand their pain points. When your stories feel real, relevant, and emotionally resonant, they don’t just inform, they help people remember who you are and why you matter.
Types of storytelling in marketing
Every brand has a different story to tell. You’re not locked into one format or formula. Different types of stories let you showcase different sides of your brand and connect with people in more meaningful ways.
Whether you’re taking your audience back to where it all began or showing them how your product fits into their lives today, the goal is the same: to tell a story that keeps your audience engaged. Here are four types of stories to help you do that:
Origin stories
Origin stories explore where your brand began and what inspired it. They’re deeply personal stories that trace your own journey as a founder, including what you saw, felt, or experienced that sparked the idea. Maybe it started with a need you couldn’t ignore or a passion that pushed you to act. Origin stories work because they give your brand depth. They’re relatable, and people can see themselves in those early moments. They build an emotional connection by revealing the human side of your business and showing your brand has a real purpose and heart.
For example, Snotty Nose Rez Kids, a First Nations hip-hop duo from Kitimat, British Columbia, discovered the power of their roots after moving to Vancouver. The contrast between their quiet, coastal hometown and the busy city helped them see their upbringing in a new light. Sharing that perspective became a key part of their brand story and helped them connect with people far beyond their community, both through the merch they sold online and their music. On their social media accounts, the duo often shares behind-the-scenes videos where they reflect on their personal journey and explain how their heritage shaped their sound and message.
Customer success stories
This type of storytelling puts your customers front and center. It’s all about how real people use your product or service. These stories build trust and emotional connection, and they’re a great way to show your brand’s impact from the customer’s perspective.
For example, Peloton, the fitness platform famous for its indoor bikes and workouts, regularly features customer success stories on its social media. This comes to life in videos where they feature members answering questions about how Peloton’s workouts and equipment have impacted their lives.
Stories like these generate engagement because they’re not just about working out. They’re about growth, resilience, and transformation. It shows potential customers what’s possible and helps the audience feel part of a larger, supportive community. The living, breathing customer testimonials are arguably more effective than written reviews.
Social mission stories
If your brand stands for something bigger than just your products, social mission stories are a great way to bring that to life. These are powerful examples of emotional storytelling that show your company’s commitment to causes like sustainability, ethical sourcing, inclusion, or giving back to local communities. They help people understand that buying from you means supporting values they care about too, which makes the experience feel more meaningful.
For example, Allbirds, the shoe and clothing brand founded by Joey Zwillinger and Tim Brown, built its brand with sustainability at its core. From the start, they set out to make products using natural materials while minimizing their environmental impact. “Tim and I thought we could come together and systematically offer products off the back of natural material innovation in a way that was incredibly compelling and differentiated for consumers,” Joey explains on an episode of the Shopify Masters podcast.
That mission shows up in everything they do, like featuring a dedicated sustainability page on the Allbirds website that offers a transparent look at the brand’s progress and how they plan to meet their goals.
Product deep dive stories
These stories focus on the creation, evolution, or unique experience of your product. They pull back the curtain and show the process, passion, and purpose behind what you sell. When done well, product stories go beyond the features; they tell people why your product matters and why it was made the way it was.
For example, Weston Table, a lifestyle brand founded by Dianne McKeever, brings storytelling into every detail. Dianne personally sources every product she sells, learning facts like where a tableware collection came from and what makes it special.
One standout story is about antique oyster plates she found in Normandy, France. A local vendor shared how the plates tell the story of European history. Weston Table features this story on its website before customers browse oyster-related products, adding meaning to the shopping experience and showing how a simple object can carry a powerful story.
Source: Weston Table
5 storytelling techniques for businesses
- Start with emotion
- Use a clear narrative structure
- Focus on one person
- Share real-life examples
- Tie it back to brand values
Once you know what you want to say, the next step is to craft the narrative into a powerful brand story. Knowing how to choose words carefully is key to bringing your marketing efforts to life. Whether it’s written stories, audio stories, or video content, a solid storytelling process should always aim to elicit emotions and deliver your core message.
Here are five techniques to help you hone your storytelling skills for any story medium:
1. Start with emotion
Great stories make us feel something we’ll always remember. Draw from real-life stories, personal experiences, or common challenges your target audience faces to create a genuine emotional response. Whether it’s joy, relief, inspiration, or empathy, emotion helps you engage audiences on a deeper level. Good storytelling starts by going after the heart before the head—it’s how you start building meaningful relationships with your audience. That’s why emotional storytelling is so effective.
2. Use a clear narrative structure
Whether you’re telling a complex or simple story, compelling narratives follow a familiar rhythm: something kicks everything off, the main character faces a series of challenges, and they come out the other end changed for the better. That structure helps people follow along and stay interested.
Start with a relatable situation, introduce some tension or uncertainty, then show the resolution. This structure creates suspense, guides your audience through the journey, and makes it easier to highlight your brand message. It’s also what helps your marketing team create a cohesive narrative across different content types.
3. Focus on one person
One of the simplest ways to make your story more powerful is to tell it through the eyes of one person. That could be a founder, an employee, or a customer. When you zoom in on a single experience, you create a more authentic story that your audience can relate to. These kinds of marketing stories help you build trust and show potential customers that you really understand them.
4. Share real-life examples
Real-life examples help you bring your brand story to life in a way that feels honest and relatable. People want to see how your product fits into their world. Whether it’s through behind-the-scenes content or customer testimonials, using real details makes your story more believable. This kind of visual storytelling builds trust and helps future customers picture themselves in the story. Harvard Business Review has shown that good stories stick better than facts alone—and they build deeper connections, too.
5. Tie it back to brand values
Every good story should reflect your brand values. Whether you’re focused on sustainability, craftsmanship, innovation, or community building, those beliefs are what set your brand apart. Let them shine through in your storytelling. That consistency helps build brand loyalty and reminds people what you stand for. When you align your brand narrative with the things your ideal customers care about, your story becomes more than just content—it becomes a shared vision they want to be part of.
Storytelling in marketing FAQ
What are the 4 Ps of storytelling?
The 4 Ps are people, place, plot, and purpose. Think of them as the building blocks of a strong narrative. People are the characters your audience connects with, whether that’s a founder, a customer, or someone else in your story. Place sets the scene and gives your story context, especially useful in visual storytelling and across different media formats. Plot is your storyline—how the experience unfolds. And purpose is why the story matters in the first place. When your content strategy includes all four, you’re well on your way to crafting a compelling story that feels meaningful and authentic.
What is the storytelling theory of marketing?
The storytelling theory of marketing is based on something simple but powerful: People remember stories better than facts. When your brand message is wrapped in a good story, it’s easier to remember. This theory highlights how storytelling taps into emotion and memory, helping your audience feel something real. Whether you’re pulling from your own experiences, your customers’ lives, or even current events, you’re creating content that builds emotional connection. That’s what turns everyday marketing efforts into compelling narratives.
Why is storytelling important in brand marketing?
Storytelling helps your brand sound human. That matters because people connect with people, not just products. A clear storytelling strategy lets you share stories that show what your company stands for and why it exists. You’re not just listing features, you’re building a strong narrative rooted in your brand values and customer needs. Whether it’s through written stories, audio stories, or video content, when you reflect your purpose and speak to real experiences, you create brand loyalty and build lasting relationships with your audience.
