Remember when you were younger, you used to hear all those ghost stories that made you scared? You grow older and forget. I’m here to tell you a ghost story, not like the rest.
You might be wondering right now, how do ghost stories relate to storytelling in digital marketing & public relations but if I made an effort to catch your attention, you’re free to continue reading and find out.
Some of you might be familiar or might not but storytelling marketing means using a narrative in order to communicate a specific message to your audiences, aiming at making the viewer feel something strong enough that inspires him into taking action. It helps a consumer understand and it works in favor of humanizing your brand, while it can be incorporated as an element in both an online or offline campaign.
Back in 2014, Coldplay released their album Ghost Stories via an online storytelling campaign that somehow managed to connect the online to the offline world. You might wonder how this is possible. The campaign was primarily based on a treasure hunt where they hid 9 hand written lyrics from their new album songs in libraries across the world along with a golden ticket and a flight ticket for their live concert in London. It became one of the most iconic campaigns of all time but… what exactly did the digital world do? Which was the leading social media platform of all? How can you learn from the ghost story that I’m telling you?
The primary social media platform that the band used was Twitter account. Along with the hashtag #lyricshunt, they gave clues to their fans or in the marketing world they set up strong CTA’s to make their audience engaged. The band also uploaded pictures of their fans who found the hidden pieces which created interaction but also created an emotional bond between them and their fans. Fans could just send a tweet or post photos and… just with the press of a button ( in that particular case, a hashtag), tthey would be reposted in the official Twitter account of the band, making them not just engage but become a part of the campaign too.
Another platform that played a significant role for the success of this campaign was the second online marketing tool the band used; their website. Although the website took the secondary role, it kept fans updated, gave clues for the album’s tracklist and gave the audiences a chance to listen the tracks before their official release.
What we learn from this is that digital marketing campaigns are not just a part of the digital world but a real life experience where individuals can participate, interact and become parts of. Although it might not be easy to find the greatest idea today there is always tomorrow to make your business shine across a sky full of stars.
What about you? Do you consider storytelling to be an important component for a succesful digital campaign?
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