Fact or fiction? Unlocking the key to telling believable, authentic marketing stories
Renowned psychologist Jerome Bruner estimates that people are 22 times more likely to remember a fact if it’s wrapped in a story
Take a brand like Patagonia, for example. Patagonia is a sustainable outdoor clothing and gear company on a mission to “save our home planet” (their words, not ours). They pride themselves on creating products that are durable, ethically sourced, and environmentally friendly. They tell their marketing story through the use of beautiful outdoor photography, a purpose-driven blog, and social-good campaigns. But what if this was all just “talk?” What if Patagonia didn’t actually have the facts to back the brand image they’ve worked so hard to create?
Thankfully that’s not the case. But, it does bring up an important point that we explore in our 2021 Widen Connectivity Report. Marketing stories are a critical part of a brand’s ability to express what they stand for and to communicate who they are as a company. But these stories are rendered useless if a brand’s products — or rather the information about their products — fail to support the brand’s narrative with cold, hard, objective facts.
Product information and the ‘cold, hard, objective facts’
Product information is an overarching category that includes three types of information: product data, product marketing content, and product digital assets. While all three of these product information types help brands describe and market their products, some lean harder (or entirely) on the facts.
Check out the below graphic. It provides examples of each product information type. Product data, as you can see, is 100% objective. There’s no flowery language or point of view; it’s just the facts about a product. Product marketing content and digital assets aren’t as straightforward. They’re certainly factual (or should be) and often reference product data. But, they’re also used by brands to highlight selling points, position an offering, and tell more compelling, complete marketing stories.
In a previous Drum article, we discussed the importance of leveraging all three of these product information types together to provide the raw facts (product data), and then bring that information to life using engaging videos, images, and copy. Storytelling is a balance, particularly for marketers. A marketing story must be engaging enough to pull customers in (and keep them there), but it also needs substance. Objective product information is one way marketers can achieve this.
Objective product information is the backbone of a strong marketing story
The third of five findings in our Connectivity Report dives deep into the role of objective product information in a brand’s ability to tell stronger marketing stories. Per 87% of the marketers we surveyed, it’s important to know whether customers trust their brand’s marketing efforts. Product information — which 81% of marketers report to “always” or “usually” use in their strategy — helps brands connect with their audiences to drive deeper, more trusting, and lasting relationships. Objective product information, in particular, is part of this trust-building equation. It gives marketers’ stories the footing and depth they need to make them believable and authentic.
One brand we spoke with during a Connectivity interview highlighted the importance of this relationship perfectly. Like Patagonia, this brand is focused on sustainability. The majority of their products are sustainably sourced and meet or exceed environmental standards. However, customers didn’t see them as particularly eco-conscious. The brand’s storytelling efforts were more or less cosmetic, relying on an earthy-sounding campaign name or a product badge designating certain products as sustainable. “It just felt like the customer didn’t know what we were really telling them. They had to think about it a little too much,” shared a brand representative.
A more compelling approach could have incorporated additional objective product information in their sustainability story, or at least that seems to be the general consensus. The majority of marketers we surveyed agree that objective information is “very important” or “somewhat important” in marketing efforts. And this isn’t just speculation — 57% of these marketers use product information to tell stories about their brands and 71% use it to tell stories about their products. They’ve seen how product information adds to the efficacy and credibility of a story.
“There’s some companies that send one message or market it in a different way, but it's not part of their DNA. It's not truly who they are,” shared another Connectivity interviewee. “I think customers can see through that…It’s hard to fake your way through things digitally that you could years ago and get away with it if you're not authentic.”
Digital buyers can’t take a product off the shelf and experience it the same way they can in person at a store. Online shoppers rely on the marketing stories brands tell to determine if a brand and its products are a good fit for them. But, without objective product information to back these stories up, it’s harder for customers to trust the story they’re being told. And if they can’t trust a story, is it really worth telling?
Get more great Connectivity findings
In e-commerce environments that are increasingly complex and overflowing with competition, the strategic use of product information is one way brands can foster trust and drive deeper, more lasting audience connections.
Ready to connect with your audiences in ways that fuel a better, more positive customer experience? We have the stats, insights, brand stories, and research you need to succeed. Learn more about all of our findings in the 2021 Widen Connectivity Report.
By Nate Holmes, product marketing manager, Widen