Storytelling is a strategic marketing tool for building customer engagement by anecdotally structuring branded content to grab their attention. The present study renders a scholarly narrative of a transformational ad campaign and its resultant customer engagement on social media. The study follows a netnographic approach, using a qualitative triangulation method to observe the engagement around this campaign. Data are collected from online platforms, namely, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The study identifies the sentiments of customer engagement in the campaign. Furthermore, a semiotic analysis has appraised the storytelling elements in the campaign videos. The findings suggest that storytelling can effectively connect with audiences and drive home critical messages by using narratives and emotional elements. The findings have implications for marketing professionals who want to understand the impact of storytelling on transformational advertising campaigns.
AgarwalP. (2020). Communication strategies in alcohol marketing: Application of six-segment message strategy wheel (Doctoral dissertation). Washington State University. 10.7273/000004121
2.
AhnH. Y., WuL., & TaylorR. E. (2013). Communication strategies in cosmetic surgery websites: An application of Taylor’s six-segment message strategy wheel. Health Marketing Quarterly, 30(2), 97–113. 10.1080/07359683.2013.787879
3.
Braun-LaTourK. A., & LaTourM. S. (2005). Transforming consumer experience: When timing matters. Journal of Advertising, 34(3), 19–30. 10.1080/00913367.2005.10639204
4.
CambriaE., SchullerE., XiaY., & HavasiC. (2013). New avenues in opinion mining and sentiment analysis. IEEE Intelligent Systems, 28(2), 15–21. 10.1109/MIS.2013.30
5.
CuiG., LiuH., YangX., & WangH. (2013). Culture, cognitive style and consumer response to informational vs. transformational advertising among East Asians: Evidence from the PRC. Asia Pacific Business Review, 19(1), 16–31. 10.1080/13602381.2011.626967
6.
CutlerB. D., ThomasE. G., & RaoS. R. (2000). Informational/transformational advertising: Differences in usage across media types, product categories, and national cultures. Journal of International Consumer Marketing, 12(3), 69–83. 10.1300/J046v12n03_05
7.
De SaussureF. (1965). Course in general linguistics (BaskinW., Transl.). McGraw-Hill.
8.
De VriesL., GenslerS., & LeeflangP. S. (2012). Popularity of brand posts on brand fan pages: An investigation of the effects of social media marketing. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 26(2), 83–91. 10.1016/j.intmar.2012.01.003
9.
DeoriM., VermaM. K., & KumarV. (2021). Sentiment analysis of users’ comments on Indian Hindi news channels using Mozdeh: An evaluation based on YouTube Videos. Journal of Creative Communications. 10.1177/09732586211049232
10.
DiasL., & DiasP. (2018). Beyond advertising narratives: ‘Josefinas’ and their storytelling products. Anàlisi, 58, 47–62. 10.5565/rev/analisi.3118
11.
DiasP., & CavalheiroR. (2022). The role of storytelling in the creation of brand love: The PANDORA case. Journal of Brand Management, 29, 58–71. 10.1057/s41262-021-00254-6
12.
EcoU. (1976). A theory of semiotics. Indiana University Press.
13.
FisherW. R. (1984). Narration as a human communication paradigm: The case of public moral argument. Communications Monographs, 51(1), 1–22. 10.1080/03637758409390180
14.
GolanG. J., & ZaidnerL. (2008). Creative strategies in viral advertising: An application of Taylor’s six-segment message strategy wheel. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(4), 959–972.
15.
GotfredsenS. J. (2023). Q&A: What happened to academic research on Twitter? -Columbia Journalism Review. https://www.cjr.org/tow_center/qa-what-happened-to-academic-research-on-twitter.php
16.
GreenM., BrockT., & KaufmanG. (2004). Understanding media enjoyment: The role of transportation into narrative worlds. Communication Theory, 14, 311–327. 10.1111/j.1468-2885.2004.tb00317.x
17.
GuptaP. K., & AroraM. (2017). Sustainable advertising design: A changing trend/style of designing concept in India. Research Highlight: Multidisciplinary International Referred Research Journal, 4(1), 27–33.
18.
HabibiM. R., LarocheM., & RichardM.-O. (2014). Brando communities based in social media: How unique are they? Evidence from two exemplary Brand communities. International Journal of Information Management, 34(2), 123–132. 10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2013.11.010
19.
HeathT. P., & ChatzidakisA. (2012). The transformative potential of marketing from the consumers’ point of view. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 11(4), 283–291. 10.1002/cb.1387
20.
HeinonenK., & MedbergG. (2018). Netnography as a tool for understanding customers: Implications for service research and practice. Journal of Services Marketing, 32(6), 657–679. https.//doi.org/10.1108/JSM-08-2017-0294
21.
KakrooU. (2015). Ways to use storytelling in your social media marketing. https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/5-ways-to-use-storytelling-in-your-social-media-marketing/
22.
KaplanA. M. (2012). If you love something, let it go mobile: Mobile marketing and mobile social media 4×4. Business Horizons, 55(2), 129–139. 10.1016/j.bushor.2011.10.009
23.
KedziorR. (2014). How digital worlds become material: An ethnographic and netnographic investigation in second life. Hanken School of Economics.
24.
KozinetsR. V. (1997). ‘I want to believe’: A netnography of the X-philes’ subculture of consumption. Advances in Consumer Research, 24, 470–475.
25.
KozinetsR. V. (2002). The field behind the screen: using netnography for marketing research in online communities. Journal of Marketing Research, 39, 61–72. 10.1509/jmkr.39.1.61.18935
26.
KumarV. (2018). Transformative marketing: The next 20 years. Journal of Marketing, 82(4), 1–12. 10.1509/jm.82.41
27.
LaurenceD., & ValentinaP. (2019). How stories generate consumer engagement: An exploratory study. Journal of Business Research, 104, 183–195. 10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.06.045
28.
LovejoyK., & SaxtonG. D. (2012). Information, community, and action: How nonprofit organisations use social media. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 17(3), 337–353. 10.1111/j.1083-6101.2012.01576.x
29.
LundN. F., CohenS. A., & ScarlesC. (2018). The power of social media storytelling in destination branding. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 8, 271–280. 10.1016/j.jdmm.2017.05.003
30.
MaheshwariP. (2021). Advertising in India: The journey so far and road ahead. FIIB Business Review, 10(2), 87–101. 10.1177/231971451986946
31.
MancusoJ., & StuthK. (2014). Storytelling and marketing: The perfect pairing. Marketing Insights, 26(3), 18–19.
32.
MucundorfeanuM. (2018). The key role of storytelling in the branding process. Journal of Media Research, 11(1), 42–54. 10.24193/jmr.30.3
33.
NaylorG., KleiserS. B., BakerJ., & YorkstonE. (2008). Using transformational appeals to enhance the retail experience. Journal of Retailing, 84(1), 49–57. 10.1016/j.jretai.2008.01.001
34.
PanL. Y., & ChenK. H. (2019). A study on the effect of storytelling marketing on brand image, perceived quality, and purchase intention in ecotourism. Ekoloji Dergisi, 28(107), 283–287.
35.
PeirceC. S. (1894). What is a sign. Oxford University Presshttps://www.jstor.org/stable/490069
36.
PulizziJ. (2012). The rise of storytelling as the new marketing. Publishing Research Quarterly, 28(2), 116–123. 10.1007/s12109-012-9264-5.
37.
PutoC. P., & WellsW. D. (1984). Informational and transformational advertising: The differential effects of time. ACR North American Advances.
38.
RaianuM. (2021). Tata: The global corporation that built Indian capitalism. Harvard University Press.
39.
RooseG., GeuensM., & VermeirM. (2018). From informational towards transformational advertising strategies? A content analysis of Belgian food magazine advertisements. British Food Journal, 120(6),1170–1182. 10.1108/BFJ-10-2017-0559
40.
SamaR. (2019). Impact of media advertisements on consumer behaviour. Journal of Creative Communications, 14(1), 54–68.
41.
SangwanS., & LohiaS. (2014). Cause related marketing: Emerging issues and suggestions. Global Journal of Finance and Management, 6(9), 869–874.
42.
ShahS. (2014). Corporate social responsibility: A way of life at the Tata Group. Journal of Human Values, 20(1), 59–74.
43.
ShataA., & SeeligM. I. (2021). The dragonfly effect: Analysis of the social media women’s empowerment campaign. Journal of Creative Communications, 16(3), 331–346.
44.
SinghR. (2021). Does Tata Tea’s Jaago Re need a wake-up call?Forbes India. https://www.forbesindia.com/article/m.a.d-marketing-advertising-decoded/does-tata-teas-jaago-re-need-a-wakeup-call/68777/1
45.
TaylorR. E. (1999). A six-segment message strategy wheel. Journal of Advertising Research, 39(6), 7–7. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A60905111/AONE?u=anon~102f1f2c&sid=googleScholar&xid=1e769592
46.
TeraiyaV., NamboodiriS., & JayswalR. (2023). The impact of storytelling advertising on consumer advertising experiences and brand equity. GLIMS Journal of Management Review and Transformation, 1–23. 10.1177/jmrt.231160591
47.
TsotraD., JansonM., & Cecez-KecmanovicD. (2004). Marketing on the internet: A semiotic analysis. AMCIS 2004 Proceedings. 526. https://aisel.aisnet.org/amcis2004/526
48.
Van LaerT., De RuyterK., ViscontiL. M., & WetzelsM. (2014). The extended transportation-imagery model: A meta-analysis of the antecedents and consequences of consumers’ narrative transportation. Journal of Consumer Research, 40(5), 797–817. 10.1086/673383
49.
ValtersC. (2014). Theories of change in international development: Communication, learning, or accountability. JSRP Paper, 17, 1–29.
50.
VivekS. D.SharonE. B., & RobertM. M. (2012). Customer engagement: Exploring customer relationships beyond purchase. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 20(2), 122–46.
51.
VyasA. N., NagarajN., GenoveseJ., MalhotraG., DubeyN., HingoraniR., & ManningL. (2020). The girl rising ‘we dream, we rise’social media campaign in India: Reach, engagement and impact. Journal of Creative Communications, 15(1), 106–124.
52.
WeissC. H. (1995). Nothing as practical as good theory: Exploring theory-based evaluation for comprehensive community initiatives for children and families. In ConnelJ., KubischA. C., & WelssC. H. (Eds.), New approaches to evaluating community initiatives: Concepts, methods, and contexts. Aspen Institute.
