Introduction

One of the courses I have taken, this term is about storytelling and content marketing. Although, I could say that we have an overload of material references for our self-reading and learning, the tasks, and readings to do are almost difficult to bear plus an exam. I was feeling at the edge of dropping the course, but fortunately I have endured and completed it. At the end I realized that it was so helpful and found the value of doing so. As an entrepreneur in the journey, having the knowledge of storytelling and content marketing for brand exposure and product profitably and growth, I find the course and the process so valuable. The knowledge and learning I gain will surely contribute a lot for me to enhancing my entrepreneurial studies.

I would like to share one of the tasks we did on this course. We were asked to search for any video, blog post, article, or any content that storytelling is used for marketing, branding, and point out three methods on how they use storytelling with their brand communication. I couldn’t think of any product that I could highlight than a brand that I surely knew and close to my heart. So, I have chosen a Filipino product, a fast-food chain to be precise. So here is my discussion entry on our task for brand storytelling.

#Kwentong Jollibee. Stories that touch your hearts.

As a brief background, Jollibee is a Filipino chain of fast-food restaurants owned by Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) in the Philippines and currently having 1,500 outlets worldwide. It started to be an ice cream parlor in 1975, but three years after it turned into a fast-food restaurant, as food is more popular than ice cream. They are famous on their Yumburger, Chickenjoy (a fried chicken meal), and Jolly spaghetti, a sweet-styled Filipino spaghetti. These may not be any authentic Filipino foods, but the taste is made to Filipino palates.

One famous example of storytelling as part of the marketing and branding of products in our country is Jollibee. It’s #Kwentong Jollibee campaign, which they have released, which are heart-wrenching video advertisements during Valentine’s season in 2017. These ads are relatable and emotional. One clip they released is the “Vow” which narrates one sided love. Being best friends could lead one person to fall in love with the other but unable to express it as you don’t want to break your friendship if things won’t work out. This ad and the rest of their commercials with the same campaign gained them an award in 2018 in Singapore. Aside from romantic love stories, they have created commercial campaigns about family relationships which are even more relatable to Filipino people. Below is the video link for the Jollibee ad the “VOW” with the English translation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kAOvTFA5rs

Three methods on how they use storytelling with their brand communication.

Personal Approach

Jollibee company has used a personal approach in their commercials and branding in general. They know the market very well and have a strategic way of connecting to the customer. Creating ads based on true stories are remarkably significant as it is very relatable to the audience and eventually results in profit growth. According to Forbes, storytelling is the most ancient and powerful tool for effective education. We are genetically wired to love and respond to stories, and a memorable brand story is exactly what people need to feel connected to your business, have a lasting positive impression of who you are and what you stand for, and become loyal clients. Be profitable and human.

Communicating Values and Culture

Every commercial they have always given emphasis on our Filipino values and culture. This is the reason everyone knows about this product. It teaches kids and adults what values and culture we have best. This is not only true to their ads, but also the company values they uphold like helping less fortunate students to have part time work as crew so they can financially support their school fees or living allowance. They also sponsor many charitable outreach programs to remote villages in the country. More than customers, build a tribe. For a brand to take off, it needs to become so much more than your product and service and that’s where storytelling comes in. Think about what emotions, values, and ideas you can offer your audience. (Forbes 2019).

Bench marking competitors

There are millions of contents being crafted and shared every day, it is totally a massive and crowded marketplace. Companies allocate enormous amounts of budget for branding and marketing to stand out and gain business profitability and brand awareness. So how would one make a difference? So, in the sea of sameness, be unforgettable (Forbes 2019). With this #Kwentong Jollibee campaign, they have truly engaged with their audience and customers, making an incredible identity in the market and a difference. Not only Filipinos love to dine and eat in Jollibee but even foreigners too. And anyone who is away from Philippines for a long time, the first place to go to dine is Jollibee. Indeed, this company has touched the heart of every Filipino.

Summary

Storytelling: A powerful strategy

A statement by the National Storytelling Network defines story telling as an ancient art form and a valuable form of human expression. Story telling is the interactive art of using words and actions to reveal the elements and images of story while encouraging the listener’s imagination. (NSN). Storytelling is a powerful strategy to communicate your brand. Like Jollibee, they have deeply connected their audience and created a meaningful emotional connection through their unique storytelling of true-to-life stories. They have captivated the customers’ emotions and created a valuable impact on the masses. Today, with the rise of social media influencers, the original, organic, and personal brand campaign is widely used. With their personal testimonials, storytelling as a strategy for communicating a brand contributed to many companies’ enormous business growth. It is also an impactful and significant external expression of any company’s internal mission, vision, values, and culture.

Conclusion

To maximize a business’s visibility, profit, and impact, brand story telling is considered a need and can’t simply do away with it. It is utilized as a compass to effectively navigate any brand strategy that will gain a brand that is profitable as well as captivating and compelling. Being able to connect with the audience, emphasize the values more than profitability and make a difference from the rest are ways for a brand to stand out and turn into a legacy for generations.

References:

Dacosta, C. 2019. Forbes. 3 Reasons why brand story telling is the future of marketing. Read on 18.9.2023

https://www.forbes.com/sites/celinnedacosta/2019/01/31/3-reasons-why-brand-storytelling-is-the-future-of-marketing/?sh=719f79ff55ff

Manawis, R. 2022. Bookshelfph. Why storytelling marketing is one of the best marketing strategies there is. Read on 12.11.2023

https://bookshelf.com.ph/blogs/connect-with-content-marketing/storytelling-marketing-as-the-best-marketing-strategies

National Storytelling Network. What is storytelling? Read on 18.9.2023

https://storynet.org/what-is-storytelling/
Video clip: “Vow”. Watched on 12.11.2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kAOvTFA5rs

Wikipedia. 2023. Jollibee. Read on 12.11.2023

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jollibee