How Compelling Storytelling Defines Successful PR

Evan Nierman is the Founder & CEO of Red Banyan, a global crisis PR firm, and author of The Cancel Culture Curse and Crisis Averted.

 If you want someone to take notice, tell them a story. And when it comes to PR, the power of storytelling reigns supreme. Stories have a unique ability to captivate, inspire, and resonate with audiences in a way that traditional advertising simply cannot replicate.

Whether weaving tales of triumph, showcasing the transformative impact of a product, or highlighting the human element behind a service, storytelling has emerged as the most compelling way to market goods and services effectively.

Creating a narrative that can be shared, remembered and understood is essential if action is your desired goal. Stories ignite a listener’s imagination and without a tale to tell, there is no PR. With a good story, you can position a person, brand, product or service in a way that inspires people to act. A good story is PR gold.

Anecdotal narratives possess a remarkable quality of relatability, making the intangible tangible and the abstract concrete. When a business shares a story illustrating the value of its products through real-life experiences, it humanizes its brand and establishes a genuine connection with its audience. Consider the anecdote of a small family-owned bakery sharing the heartwarming tale of how their grandmother's secret recipe inspired their signature pastry. Suddenly, the product becomes more than just a baked good—it becomes a symbol of tradition, love, and shared memories, inviting customers to partake in the experience.

It's a powerful tool to showcase the unique value of a product or service.

Dove’s reverse selfie advertising campaign is an example of a real life PR win. In the ad, a teenaged girl views a social media post of teenaged perfection. But as she gazes at the image, the “perfection” – impeccable makeup, plumped lips, lavish hair, reverts to that of a normal teenaged girl. The ad ends with the message, “The pressure of social media is hurting our girls’ self-esteem.” The message is powerful and relatable. It makes Dove appear to have a social conscience.

Showing how your products or services are helping those in the target audience is key to making an emotional connection. Finding members of the target audience and getting them to talk about how your goods or services improve their lives is even better. Then identify media outlets that will be most interested in your story.

Storytelling transcends the boundaries of mere advertisement because it evokes emotions and sparks intrigue. Rather than bombarding consumers with blatant sales pitches, storytelling invites them on a journey.

Narratives that speak to the aspirations, challenges, and desires of their target audience, businesses can cultivate a deeper sense of loyalty and engagement.

Heineken did it by creating a PR campaign that speaks to the constant battle of the work/life balance. Their ad, dubbed “The Closer,” is built around a winning storyline in which everything work-related shuts down when someone cracks open a Heineken beer. The ad ends with a TV newscaster decides to see if a “beer opener that turns off all work apps when you open a beer” really works. And it does!

Instead of listing features and specifications, businesses can paint vivid pictures of how their offerings solve problems, fulfill needs, and enrich lives.

Storytelling lies at the heart of communication and marketing. Crafting compelling narratives that resonate with audiences across diverse industries is one of the best ways to share your message. By leveraging the art of storytelling, savvy PR practitioners can help businesses unlock the full potential of their brand and connect with customers on a deeper level by driving meaningful engagement.