It could be because of its relatable characters, complex worldbuilding, compelling narrative, profound themes, or the strong emotions it evokes. There have been countless stories that impacted me over the years, but the first I remember is Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. I still recall the feeling of discovering the magical world of Hogwarts, getting to know the characters as if they were friends, and being a part of their journey from the very beginning.

I wasn’t the only one – the Harry Potter series resonated so deeply with its audience that it became a defining cultural moment, still cherished to this day.

That’s the power of storytelling: it’s how we form connections, preserve knowledge, pass down wisdom, share experiences, make sense of our place in the universe, and so much more.

But storytelling isn’t limited to the realm of fiction – it’s also a powerful tool used by marketers to captivate audiences, elicit emotions and forge genuine bonds between customers and brands.

What is storytelling in marketing?

Just like in a book, storytelling in marketing is about communicating – telling your audience who you are, what you do, whom you can help and how – all bound together by a common narrative thread.

For many companies, this thread is their overarching mission: a principle that defines their purpose, sets them apart and, as a result, guides all of their communications.

Example #1: Patagonia’s eco-awareness is the backbone of their marketing

Patagonia is a company that sells outdoor clothing and equipment. But beyond their products, they tell a bigger story: one rooted in their love for nature and their mission to protect it.

This commitment is woven into everything they do, from their manufacturing process to their marketing and activism. Whether you’re browsing their website, scrolling through their social media, watching an advert or reading an email, the message is clear and consistent: Patagonia wants you to enjoy nature and protect it, too.

One of their standout campaigns was “Don’t Buy This Jacket,” which encouraged customers to reconsider unnecessary purchases to reduce their environmental impact. While at first glance it may seem counterintuitive to tell customers to not buy their products, this approach ultimately aligned much more closely with their values, and fostered a stronger sense of community among their customer base.

Source: Patagonia

Example #2: Slack uses storytelling to establish thought leadership

Slack is a prime example of using storytelling to create a cohesive and relevant content strategy. Slack’s core mission is to facilitate collaboration and productivity in modern workplaces, which became a natural focal point for their messaging.

Through resources like their blog and customer stories, they provide real-world examples of companies navigating remote and hybrid work – something that most businesses can relate to in the post-pandemic world. The content offers tips and tricks on how to stay productive, encourage work-life balance, nurture company culture in distributed teams, and more.

Rather than taking a more promotional approach, Slack’s strategy prioritises education, practical guidance and thought leadership, positioning themselves as a key player in the future of work.

Source: Slack

The power of a good story

Great stories come in all shapes and forms, and sometimes they can be told in only a few words. Think of The X-Files, for example: its tagline, “The truth is out there”, instantly conveys the series’ central theme and the quest of its main characters.

This tagline also taps into the age-old existential question at the heart of the series: are we alone in the universe? It engages, connects, captures attention and sparks a reaction – all ingredients of a great story, but also of exceptional marketing. After all, in an era of shrinking attention spans and crowded media landscapes, a compelling narrative isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s what makes people stop, listen and remember.

Example #3: John Lewis becomes a cultural fixture through their adverts

The British department store chain John Lewis excels at telling emotional, engaging and inspiring stories through their marketing. Their Christmas adverts are so popular that they’ve become a yearly tradition in the UK, marking the beginning of the festive season.

Among several memorable campaigns, the 2015 advert “Man on the Moon” stands out: a little girl, playing with her telescope, spots a lonely man living on the moon. She tries to reach out to him, but none of her messages make it to the moon. At Christmas, she manages to send him a gift via balloons – a telescope, allowing him to see her on Earth as they finally connect. It’s a touching story about empathy and compassion, underscored by the tagline – “Show someone they’re loved this Christmas”. The company even paired up with the charity Age UK to raise awareness about loneliness among the elderly, turning the campaign into positive action.

Example #4: Shopify centres the narrative on their customers

E-commerce platform Shopify takes a multi-channel approach to storytelling – but instead of making themselves the protagonist, the narrative is all about their customers.

The company’s podcast, Shopify Masters, invites entrepreneurs and experts – including Shopify customers – to discuss the experiences, lessons and obstacles they faced when building their business, and how this ultimately paved their path to success. The content, targeting aspiring entrepreneurs, isn’t just motivational – it also provides key insights into the process of starting a business, offering hands-on advice on how to build an online store, optimise sales, create social media ads and more. Shopify also repurposes the episodes into blog content to widen its reach, expand the audience base and highlight the podcast.

Centring their stories around real customer experiences ensures the content stays relatable and authentic, casting Shopify in the role of an important partner in their journey towards success.

Source: Shopify

The value of storytellers

A thriving society – and a successful business – depends on the participation of people with diverse skill sets, all collaborating towards a common goal. Among them, storytellers play a crucial role, shaping how ideas are communicated, shared and remembered. In fact, in a hunter-gatherer society in the Philippines, storytellers are more valued than any other occupation.

The Agta tribe tells stories centred on cooperation, equality and egalitarianism, values that are absolutely essential to their survival. “Hunter-gatherers move around a lot and no one has particular power,” explained Andrea Migliano, an anthropologist who took part in the study. “You need ways of ensuring cooperation in an egalitarian society, and we realised that you could use stories to broadcast the norms that are important to them.”

This insight holds true for society at large, too, including how brands communicate with the public. Though often taken for granted, great storytelling is more than creativity and imagination: it requires skill, persistence and practice. A storytelling professional can be a strategist, copywriter, photographer, filmmaker, musician or designer, and they often collaborate to bring the many elements of a story to life. They take the components of a brand – its purpose, values, core message, audience and goals – and weave them into a cohesive, compelling narrative.

The result is a well-crafted, emotionally resonant tale that can shape public perception, enhance brand recall, inspire loyalty, and nurture a community among both employees and customers – as long as the story is told with honesty and authenticity.