BrandEngagement

Crafting Your Brand Story for Enhanced Awareness and Loyalty: A Primer for Marketers in the CPG Industry

In 2017, the CPG giant Procter & Gamble aired a commercial for their detergent brand, Tide. Titled "It's a Tide Ad," the ad brilliantly told a brand story in a way that captured the essence of what makes Tide stand out. Instead of focusing on the product's features, the commercial cleverly used humor and wit to portray Tide as an ubiquitous, integral part of clean clothing in every scenario imaginable [1]. This narrative not only boosted Tide's brand awareness but also solidified customer loyalty.

As a Marketer in the CPG industry, crafting your brand story is not just about telling people about your products; it's about connecting with your audience on a deeper level. Here are key strategies to tell your brand story effectively:

 
 

1. Define Your Brand’s Core Values:

A compelling brand story must be built on the foundation of your company’s core values. According to a study by Accenture, 63% of global consumers prefer to purchase products and services from companies whose values align with their own [2]. Therefore, clearly defining and communicating your brand’s core values can attract a loyal customer base that shares those values.

2. Emphasize Authenticity:

Authenticity is vital in brand storytelling. A survey by Stackla found that 86% of consumers stated authenticity significantly impacts their decision when it comes to choosing brands [3]. Genuine stories that accurately reflect your brand’s identity and mission can foster trust and loyalty among your customers.

3. Incorporate Elements of Storytelling:

A story is more than a series of facts. It involves characters, conflict, resolution, and emotion. Incorporating these elements into your brand story can make it more engaging and memorable. A study by Headstream found that if people love a brand story, 55% are more likely to buy the product in future, 44% will share the story, and 15% will immediately buy the product [4].

4. Use Customer-Centric Narratives:

Your customers should be the protagonist of your brand story. According to a report by B2B International, companies that prioritize customer needs in their narratives are 60% more profitable compared to companies not focused on the customer [5]. Hence, demonstrating how your brand can help customers overcome their challenges can foster a deeper emotional connection.

5. Leverage Multiple Channels:

The medium of your brand story is as crucial as the story itself. Research from MarketingProfs shows that using more than one channel in a campaign increases success by 24% [6]. Be it through video content, blogs, social media, or podcasts, spreading your brand story through multiple channels can enhance its reach and impact.

Procter & Gamble's "It's a Tide Ad" didn’t just sell a detergent; it sold a narrative that Tide is intrinsically linked to cleanliness in everyday life. By defining your core values, emphasizing authenticity, incorporating storytelling elements, using customer-centric narratives, and leveraging multiple channels, you too can tell your brand story effectively, thereby boosting brand awareness and customer loyalty.


[1]. Nudd, T. (2018). "Inside Tide’s Super Bowl Takeover, a Perfectly Executed Plan a Year in the Making." Adweek. https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/inside-tides-super-bowl-takeover-a-perfectly-executed-plan-a-year-in-the-making/

[2]. Accenture. (2018). "From Me to We: The Rise of the Purpose-led Brand." https://www.accenture.com/_acnmedia/PDF-90/Accenture-CompetitiveAgility-GCPR-POV.pdf

[3]. Stackla. (2017). "The Consumer Content Report: Influence in the Digital Age." https://stackla.com/resources/reports/the-consumer-content-report-influence-in-the-digital-age/

[4]. Headstream. (2014). "The Science of Storytelling." https://web.archive.org/web/20140302065434/http://brandstorytelling.headstream.com/

[5]. B2B International. (2020). "The B2B Customer Experience." https://www.b2binternational.com/research/services/customer-experience/

[6]. MarketingProfs. (2019). "Multichannel Marketing Statistics." https://www.marketingprofs.com/charts/2019/41050/multichannel-marketing-statistics-for-2019

Maximizing ROI from Your Marketing Budget with Video Content: A Guide for Marketers in the CPG Industry

On a sunny day in July 2018, Dollar Shave Club, a California-based company that delivers razors and personal grooming products right to your door, uploaded a quirky, fun-filled video on YouTube titled "Our Blades Are F***ing Great". The video quickly went viral, and it helped catapult the company into the limelight, eventually leading to a $1 billion acquisition by Unilever [1]. This was a significant moment for marketers in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry and served as an example of how effective video marketing could become.

But how do Marketers in the CPG industry ensure they’re maximizing their ROI from video marketing efforts? Here are some strategies backed by research.

 
 

1. Understanding the Audience:

First, you must understand who you are targeting. According to a study by Google, 50% of shoppers said online video has helped them decide which specific brand or product to buy [2]. For that reason, tailor your video content to speak directly to your specific consumer demographics and their unique needs, interests, and concerns.

2. Emotional Engagement:

Videos that elicit strong emotions – whether positive or negative – tend to be the most successful. A study by Unruly found that the most shared ads of all time were those that sparked intense emotional responses [3]. Building emotional engagement helps create a strong connection between the viewer and the brand, which can lead to higher levels of brand loyalty and customer retention.

3. Focusing on Quality Over Quantity:

Investing in high-quality video content is more likely to generate a higher ROI. A study by BrightCove found that 53% of consumers engage with a brand after viewing a video on social media [4]. It suggests that producing fewer but higher-quality videos that genuinely resonate with consumers can drive more engagement than flooding the market with low-quality content.

4. Leveraging User-Generated Content:

User-generated content (UGC) can be a powerful tool for video marketing. According to a report from Stackla, consumers are 2.4 times more likely to view UGC as authentic compared to content created by brands [5]. Incorporating UGC into your video marketing strategy can not only increase authenticity but also stretch your marketing budget further.

5. Incorporating SEO Strategies:

Just like written content, videos can also be optimized for search engines. According to Cisco, video content will represent 82% of all internet traffic by 2022 [6]. Using the right keywords in your video title and description, as well as leveraging video sitemaps and structured data, can increase your video's visibility on search engines and drive more traffic to your site.

6. Utilizing Multiple Platforms:

Each social media platform has its unique set of users. While Facebook might be effective for reaching older consumers, platforms like Instagram or TikTok might be better for targeting younger demographics. A report by Statista found that 93% of the most successful video marketers use LinkedIn as part of their video strategy [7]. Using a multi-platform strategy can help you reach a broader audience and get more bang for your buck.

The success of Dollar Shave Club’s video marketing campaign was no accident. It was a result of a well-thought-out strategy that leveraged the power of video content to reach and engage with its target audience. By understanding your audience, creating emotionally engaging content, focusing on quality over quantity, leveraging user-generated content, incorporating SEO strategies, and utilizing multiple platforms, you too can maximize the ROI from your video marketing budget.

Want to learn how we can help you boost your ROI with video content?

Schedule a time with one of our video experts below!


[1]. "Unilever buys Dollar Shave Club for reported $1B value". (2016). USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2016/07/20/report-unilever-buys-dollar-shave-club-1b/87302052/

[2]. Google/Ipsos, U.S., "How Video Impacts Consumer Decision Making", Aug. 2020, https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en-gb/marketing-strategies/video/how-video-impacts-consumer-decision-making/

[3] Unruly, "The Science of Sharing", 2014, https://unruly.co/insight/article/2014/10/16/science-sharing-2014/

[4] Brightcove, "2018 Video Marketing Survey: Consumer Trends", https://www.brightcove.com/en/blog/2018-video-marketing-survey-consumer-trends-infographic

[5] Stackla, "The Consumer Content Report: Influence in the Digital Age", 2017, https://stackla.com/resources/reports/the-consumer-content-report-influence-in-the-digital-age/

[6] Cisco, "Cisco Annual Internet Report (2018–2023) White Paper", 2020, https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/solutions/collateral/executive-perspectives/annual-internet-report/white-paper-c11-741490.html

[7] Statista, "Social Media Platforms Used by Marketers Worldwide 2020", https://www.statista.com/statistics/259379/social-media-platforms-used-by-business-content-marketers-worldwide/