What Is Corporate Storytelling And Why Is It Important?

Every day, we are bombarded with countless brand messages. And as a business, you're competing with the noise to get your audience's attention. So, how do you break through the clutter? If you've ever wondered how to create engaging corporate videos that connect with your audience on a human level, you're not alone. This is where Corporate Storytelling comes in. In this article, we'll look at Corporate Storytelling, why it's crucial to corporate video production, and how to use it to create compelling content that resonates with your audience.

Moonb's corporate video services can help you achieve your goals by enhancing your corporate storytelling techniques to elevate your video content.

What is Corporate Storytelling?

What is corporate storytelling? Well, think back to high school English class. Remember how you learned about the different elements of storytelling? There’s the plot, characters, conflict, and resolution. In a nutshell, corporate storytelling applies these concepts to a business’s story. Companies draw more appeal when they’re the central characters of a good story. 

All companies have a history—a founder with: 

• An idea
• A mission or purpose
• Obstacles
• Successes along the way

The key to building a corporate story is to present those facts in a way that reads less like a textbook and more like an engaging book or movie. 

Crafting Your Brand Narrative: Lessons from Corporate Storytelling Best Practices

Corporate storytelling means taking the facts and figures of normal business communication and tying them together with a relatable narrative that contextualizes the events and gives meaning to the company’s mission. 

Storytelling is a fundamental part of developing your brand identity, whether through the look and feel of your site, the way you interact with your customers, or the words and phrases you use to talk about your brand. Looking at the way other companies tell their stories can be a great inspiration for how you want to tell your corporate story, like:

• The events they emphasize
• The characters they focus on
• The way they make their products relatable

The Goals of Corporate Storytelling

What’s the goal of corporate storytelling? Simply put, it’s a powerful tool for: 

• Humanizing your brand
• Building customer loyalty
• Attracting top talent
• Showcasing your mission and values
• Setting your business apart from competitors

In today’s crowded digital environment, where we’re bombarded with: 

• Over 5,000 brand messages daily
• Only 86 stick
• Just 12 make a lasting impression

To be one of those 12, you need engaging and unforgettable stories. 

The Science of Storytelling: Why Narratives Outperform Facts in Business Communication

Research backs this up: studies from the London School of Business show that 65 people remember 70% of information shared through stories, compared to just 5-10% of stats. And Stanford University found stories are 22 times more memorable than plain facts. 

By weaving storytelling into its strategy, a business can create deeper connections with its audience and achieve goals that resonate far beyond simple transactions.

What are the Benefits of Corporate Storytelling

Almost every business has a story behind it. Your company may have started because you identified a gap in the market that related to your personal experiences. Your business evolved from a passion project, and you have an engaging story about how that project can help your customers. 

No matter the reason, telling your story will help humanize your organization, make it more relatable, and build trust. After all, your target audience wants to connect with you before they buy your products or services. Corporate storytelling can help you do this.  

How Corporate Storytelling Benefits Marketing and Advertising

Storytelling can form a powerful marketing strategy. People want to connect with brands and businesses; the best adverts do this by being relatable or evoking emotions. Advertising needs more than cheap tactics, such as using sex appeal. A good brand campaign should also be transparent, so consider telling people what the business struggle was and how you pulled through (known as a monomyth story). 

This will lead the audience to care about you and your product or service. Ensure that you keep this story consistent across all mediums, e.g., 

• Adverts
• Social media
• Your website
• Your employees, etc. 

You want your audience to understand your vision; a consistent brand story will do this.  

Boosts Employee Efficiency and Engagement

Employees are the heart of the business. They are the company's best asset; a business only succeeds when its employees do. Research indicates that there is widespread non-engagement. For example, Gallup’s research suggests that 70% of US employees are not engaged or actively disengaged from work. 

You can cultivate the right culture at work by using storytelling. This goes beyond sharing a successful vision. Instead, share stories about the company’s: 

• History
• Struggles
• Values
• Aims, etc. 

Fostering Employee Engagement Through Storytelling: Building Purpose and Connection

Share what’s important with your employees and explain what this means for them. This will give them something to believe in; consequently, they will believe in the company, and their motivation to work will increase. 

You give your employees a greater sense of purpose and meaning by making them part of the company’s broader story. Further, develop this by allowing your employees to share their own stories.  

Improves Decision-Making

People look for stories to make decisions. For example, when you think about buying a product, you look at reviews, which are stories and not just facts and features. This is the same for looking at businesses. 

When people think, “Why should I get involved with this business?”, they are trying to think of the reasons, so they look for stories. Each business needs to use storytelling to answer the simple question of “Why should people care?” whether they are: 

• Targeting customers
• Potential employees
• Stakeholders

Humanizes Brands and Increases Profit

The most successful companies have deep and thoughtful stories behind them that stir a sense of larger purpose and meaning in what they do. Take Google and Apple, for example. They are not just businesses but brands made by visionaries who want(ed) to transform the world. 

If your business has a vision that audiences can believe and buy into, you are more likely to succeed. 

Driving Business Success Through Connection

People want to buy from companies that they believe care, i.e., empathetic companies. This has been highlighted in the Global Empathy Index, where the businesses near the top of the list were amongst the most profitable and fastest-growing companies in the world. 

The top ten companies also generated 50% more income and increased in value more than twice that of those in the bottom ten. So, use storytelling to show your company’s empathetic nature, as this is more likely to lead to your company’s success.  

How Corporate Storytelling Emotionally Connects People and Creates Loyalty

The best stories evoke emotional reactions. People genuinely relate to and connect with these stories, and they believe in the company and what it stands for. When people listen to a story, they feel what the story’s protagonist is feeling. So, a good way of using a story to connect with an audience is to tell a story about a mistake you/the company made, a failure, or maybe life wasn’t going well for you or the company in the past. 

People will relate to this as we have all experienced mistakes and failures. The more the audience relates to you or understands what went into creating the brand, the more likely they will like you and your company. Remember that humans typically make emotional, not rational, decisions. So, storytelling is a powerful tool for evoking emotions. So, transfer your vision into a captivating story and communicate it using a sincere marketing strategy.  

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What are the Elements Of Corporate Storytelling

Pinpoint Your Core Message Before You Start Creating a Corporate Video

Like any good story, corporate storytelling has a central idea or theme. In the case of corporate storytelling, this is your core message. This core message defines your company’s values and goals and influences your language. 

It’s the anchor for your story, keeping all other elements cohesive. Some companies distill this into a memorable, actionable statement that’s easy for employees and customers to recall. A strong core message ensures clarity and alignment across all storytelling efforts. 

Introduce Relatable Characters

Every story needs a protagonist, and in corporate storytelling, this could be: 

• Your company founder
• A customer
• Even the audience themselves

Characters embody traits like courage, determination, or integrity—qualities people admire and relate to. Positioning your brand as a supportive ally to the customer’s journey, rather than the hero, can be particularly effective. This approach allows your audience to see themselves in the story, fostering a deeper connection with your brand.

Create a Strong Setup

Context matters. Placing your characters in a well-defined setting gives your story focus and emotional resonance, be it a: 

• Specific time
• Place
• Circumstance

For example, a nostalgic setting with era-appropriate music and visuals can evoke fond memories and create an instant emotional bond. A straightforward setup draws in your audience and sets the stage for a compelling narrative arc.

Don’t Forget the Conflict and Resolution

Conflict is the lifeblood of any engaging story. Show how your main character faces and overcomes a challenge, whether through: 

• Your product
• Service
• Values

If your company takes center stage as the protagonist, sharing how you’ve tackled industry challenges can make your brand more relatable and trustworthy. Showcasing how your offerings help customers resolve their conflicts highlights your value in a tangible, relatable way.

Hint at Future Developments

A great story doesn’t just end—it hints at what’s next. After resolving the conflict, show your audience that there’s more to come. Tease future products, services, or innovations to keep them invested in your journey. 

Recurring characters or ongoing storylines in your campaigns can encourage people to stay connected, searching for “what happens next” in your brand’s narrative. Incorporating these elements into your corporate storytelling allows you to craft a narrative that’s engaging but also memorable, relatable, and deeply connected to your audience’s needs and aspirations. 

Moonb’s Subscription-Based Video Services: A Game-Changer for Corporate Marketing

Moonb is a video marketing agency that offers corporate video services. We provide seamless project management integration via: 

• Trello
• Slack
• MS Teams
• Weekly strategy calls
• A contract-free, full-service production approach

Moonb stands out as a superior alternative to traditional: 

• Video agencies
• Freelancers
• In-house production teams

Our flexible, subscription-based model, combined with our expertise in creating compelling video content, positions us as the ideal partner for companies looking to elevate their marketing and educational initiatives through the power of video. Start a 3-day free trial with our corporate video services to take your content to the next level.

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5 Types Of Effective Corporate Storytelling

1. Why Origin Stories Matter in Corporate Storytelling 

An origin story recounts how your company came to be. It helps the reader understand the problem your company set out to solve and what inspired the founders to act. Origin stories provide context to the brands we care about, appealing to our innate curiosity about beginnings and roots. 

They often involve overcoming adversity, inspiring audiences, and evoking empathy. They offer a sense of authenticity, grounding a brand in the real world through names, places, and dates.  

2. The People’s Champion: How to Tell Stories About Community Involvement

This is an excellent option for companies actively involved in local communities or taking a stand on a societal issue. This narrative showcases a brand’s alignment with communal values and/or causes. The champion can be: 

• The brand
• Its leaders
• Its employees

This story often involves themes of growth, struggle, and eventual triumph to inspire admiration and esteem. Showing how your brand acts as a proactive, positive force for change within the community or society humanizes it, creating trust and admiration. This, in turn, leads to greater brand loyalty.  

3. Why Customer Success Stories Are Effective Corporate Storytelling

A Customer Success Story showcases a customer's positive experience with your products or services, demonstrating how they resolved a specific problem or improved their situation. It overlaps in many respects with a case study but uses emotional and sensory language to drive engagement. 

They build credibility and trust by providing real-world evidence of your company's value. They are highly relatable and emotional by nature: the audience can “see themselves” in the customer, sharing their frustration, consternation, or sorrow—as well as their eventual appreciation, relief, or excitement. “Social proof” is a powerful driver of human behavior and decision-making.  

4. Just-Like-Me Stories: How to Help Your Audience Relate to Your Brand

“Just-like-me” stories strive to build a connection with the audience by showing that a brand shares their worldview, values, concerns, or passions. The goal is to create a “mirror” for the audience so they can “see themselves” in your brand, which breaks down barriers to engagement. 

They use the principles of similarity and familiarity to make your brand feel less like an outsider and more like an ally—an “us” instead of a “them.” They evoke a sense of camaraderie and trust through shared experiences and common goals or values.  

5. Why Behind-the-Scenes Stories Work in Corporate Storytelling

“Behind the scenes” stories unveil the inner workings and human elements behind a brand or a product. They provide a glimpse into the unseen aspects of a brand’s operation, which can create trust and cultivate interest. 

People are naturally curious about the brands and products surrounding them—how they’re created and by whom. Transparency fosters trust and creates a connection between a brand and its audience. These stories help humanize a brand, making it more relatable and authentic in the eyes of its audience. 

7 Tips For Effective Corporate Storytelling

1. Have a Clear Goal: The Foundation of Corporate Storytelling Success 

Your corporate storytelling campaign needs a clear, specific objective. This goal should align closely with the business aim you're aiming to meet. Defining your goal up front keeps you on track to share the best stories. Whether learning, performance, or something else, success will depend on making your stories: 

• Authentic
• Relatable
• Engaging

Supporting your goal with real work experiences from employees and leaders is an impactful form of storytelling for business.

2. Keep Your Audience Engaged 

How will you keep your audience engaged? Think about the best medium for your stories and audience, whether through articles, videos, or presentations. Unlike any other medium, video stories will likely have the most significant impact because invoking an emotional connection is more manageable, and our brains process visual content faster.

3. Keep it Relevant and Concise 

One common mistake is going into too much detail. It’s understandable, as many business topics are complex. 82% of people struggle to codify complex experiences by themselves (according to Harvard research), so keeping your storytellers on track with a brief is crucial.

4. Provide Context for Corporate Storytelling

If you ask people to share stories, they need to know why. Being clear on why something matters increases engagement and impact. It helps storytellers understand the reason for doing something and the benefits in the context of their organization and role. Answering the all-important ‘What’s In It For Me?’ question is essential.

5. Narrative Story Arc: Structure Your Stories

A clear structure with a beginning, middle, and end to your story will help maintain a logical flow so your audience can follow the narrative. People aren’t natural storytellers, so having tools and technology for this is necessary. 

With StoryTagger, you can curate your campaigns around a structure and key talking points. Storytellers can follow your guidance, and the resulting stories will provide consistent value.

6. Build in Authenticity and Trust 

Your stories need to be authentic and relatable to build trust. As we’ve noted, Edelman’s research shows CEOs aren’t the most trusted of voices, so consider inviting people at different levels of your business to be advocates and storytellers. User-generated stories from employees build credibility with coworkers on essential topics.

7. Don’t Ignore Scalability 

Stories don’t have to be from one senior leader; they should be captured across your organization. And this can be done with the right tools. Before you start your storytelling journey, ask yourself: 

• How will you share your stories? 
• Can you scale them quickly? 

Leveraging User-Generated Video for Scalable and Impactful Business Storytelling

If you’re looking at storytelling videos, traditional corporate video often makes it hard to reach everyone and can have a high price tag. User-generated content (UGC) will make a huge difference here. UGC, particularly user-generated video (UGV), is a powerful form of storytelling and a cost-effective way to capture the stories you need. Will scaling compromise the quality and consistency of my stories? 

Telling a compelling, purposeful business story is more complex than creating a one-off TikTok reel. Use technology and best practices to maintain quality and consistency at scale. Can I use storytelling to upskill my workforce at the same time? When used effectively, business storytelling has the power to help employees develop future skills like: 

• Communication
• Critical thinking
• Emotional intelligence

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Moonb: The Corporate Video Production Company That’s Changing the Game

Moonb is a corporate video production company with an unconventional approach to video marketing. Instead of treating video like a one-off project, we partner with brands to create ongoing, educational video content that boosts: 

• SEO
• Engages target audiences
• Tells a story

With a flexible subscription model, we help take the stress out of corporate video production, so you can focus on running your business. 

Corporate Video Production Services for Every Business

A big part of what makes Moonb so unique is our seamless project management process. We integrate with tools like: 

• Trello
• Slack
• MS Teams 

It simplifies video production for our clients. With our corporate video services, you get the following: 

• No long-term contracts or commitments
• Full-service video production
• Weekly strategy calls to keep you in the loop and on track
• A flexible approach to corporate video storytelling that aligns with your business goals and audience needs

Why Corporate Video Production Matters

Corporate videos can help businesses accomplish a wide range of goals. There’s a video, whether you want to boost employee morale or improve your bottom line.  

Here are just a few common uses for corporate videos: 

• Employee onboarding and training
• Internal communications
• Business and product introductions 
• Marketing and promotional content
• Event Coverage 
• Crisis communications 
• Change management

Videos are an engaging way to tell powerful stories that help your organization: 

• Adapt
• Grow
• Thrive

With our corporate video services, you can elevate your business storytelling and create videos that align with your goals and resonate with your target audiences. 

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