Brand Narrative in the 21st Century

Introduction

In an era where customers are inundated with content, a strong brand, and a thoughtful brand marketing strategy can help one brand stand out from the crowd (Sharma et al.,2022). The concept of brand marketing is not modern, before the introduction of the radio and later television, firms sought to advertise their products to smaller audiences, relying on word-of-mouth advertising from customers or newspaper advertisements to promote their offerings. In the past 25 years, advertising has evolved beyond simply presenting and promoting products to encompass developing a brand narrative and communicating it through storytelling (Sharma et al.,2022). Customers are more likely to connect emotionally and personally with businesses when narrative and storytelling are employed. Studies show 55% of customers who adore a brand's story are inclined to make purchases. It makes perfect sense that countless brands are revamping their marketing tactics to concentrate on storytelling, which conveys branded messaging from the business to customers. Nowadays, marketing encompasses more than just a haphazard blend of disciplines like branding and promotions. Instead, effective marketing strategies are based on compelling narratives(Ripoll et al.,2023)

In today's digitally connected and social world, “what to say” and “how to say it” no longer matter. “What are the audience hearing and saying” is what matters. With a cell phone and a social media account, users publish content about brands across several platforms attributable to the digital era and information democratization. A meaningful brand strategy is built around a brand narrative. With a specific emphasis on the business-related shifts the brand intends to accomplish, it is founded on the information and insights gathered during the kickoff process. Brands require a solid plan for generating sales on social media when boosting revenue and attracting potential customers are top priorities for a marketing team(Sharma et al.,2022). Special deals and flash sales can undoubtedly be beneficial. But, there are many other ways to persuade potential clients to make a purchase. With the use of brand narratives, businesses may draw in audiences, win over customers, and even gradually increase customer loyalty (Ripoll et al.,2023).

Text reading skills have declined as a result of how individuals communicate and interpret pieces of information being revolutionized by technology (Burgess & Jones, 2021). In today's digital marketing environment, visual content strategy has evolved to be of significant relevance to marketers. To promote customer-based brand equity, the emphasis on brand communication has transitioned from providing decision-leading persuasion to providing a comprehensive brand experience (Chahal and Rani, 2017). Marketers have recently recognised the perks of employing brand narratives and have begun to implement them for their brands (Brechman and Purvis, 2015). Br and narratives benefit brands in a variety of ways, including informing people about how to utilize their products and offering entertaining content (Singh and Sonnenburg, 2012). This is where narratives are effective as it illustrates what something does rather than what it is (Ripoll et al.,2023). Research has proven the value of pictures and visuals with narrative components that depict customers' everyday interactions with brands. When presented with imagery information, the brain engages in episodic processing instead of making cognitive judgments, which encourages the growth of empathy (Lim & child, 2021). Consequently, Brand narrative-based visual content enhances the possibility that consumers will have favourable opinions of the brand represented in the image.