UNIT 4

Dramaturgy: the heros journey

Dramaturgy is important to arranging action. Dramaturgy is the discipline of building the essence and structure of a piece of
theater. Dramaturgical tension keeps the audience involved so that they pay attention to plays developments.

Dramaturgy in storytelling ensures that consumers can approach the story in an optimal way. For this purpose the core
brand story is broken up into smaller units. This is referred to as the storyline principle. These smaller, digestible pieces of
information let consumers take in messages steadily and help them remember them over the long term.

These smaller units should be strung together, e.g. with digital campaigns, so that a suitable order arises. Tension in method
and structure is equally important, e.g. on the brand website where it is all about retaining visitors with interaction.

Actions: the heros journey

How do we apply the basics of dramaturgy to storytelling? The heros journey can be found in all the worlds literature.
According to Joseph Campbell:
- the call to action can be a need like health (security motif) or ability (dominance motif).
- the hero is charged with fixing the situation and begins her journey: storytelling describes how the brand
satisfies the motif, e.g. by searching for a new and needed medicine.
- the hero is tested and receives help as her reward, e.g. from a guide or servant: the quest for healers and
medicines is difficult but in the end the hero finds the right expert.
- the hero arrives at the destination and there meets her opponents or enemies: the company develops new
drugs and supplies them to the global marketplace.
- the enemy is defeated and the need is fulfilled: the company wins a positive place among the competition.
- the hero is rewarded for her deeds: the medicine works, heals disease and this in turn rewards shareholders.

Conflict
Action that resolves a conflict is especially motivating: the brand battles against fear and insecurity (security is a positive
feeling), against monotony and boredom (Like watching grass grow or against inferiority and frustration (I am not an
idiot!).

Resolving a conflict consists of alternatives you can use. The stereotypical happy end is the result. A positive solution.
A conflict can be a dispute between people or norms, even an inner conflict between motives, desires and values.

External and internal crises are expressions and the climax of a conflict. Order has been upset and must be returned. This is
how conflicts lead to a turning point the world is not the same as it was when the story began.

Virgin tells the story of the fight between David and Goliath: CEO Richard Branson attacks the market leaders for abusing
their dominant positions at the expense of innovation and service. Bransons Virgin Airlines is a shining example that took on
British Airways and won.

EXAMPLES: BRAND STORIES

Brand managers determine the brands reward promise and the supporting factors that prove the reward promise is
believable, e.g. a particular production method. Sub stories of the umbrella brand story describe each one of these
supporting factors, e.g. stories of employees carefully and passionately crafting their product (chapter 1).

Further examples:

- Biographical stories: brands have biographies just like people do birth, puberty, adulthood and old age.
When did the brand enter market? When did it grow and mature? Stories can talk about how a brand fought
the competition and won. Biographical stories have an added benefit. They can build on knowledge the
consumer already possesses because she has already learned the significance of biography and what various
life stages mean for personal development.

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 - User stories: the brand can talk about how it solves problems and satisfies consumers. Examples work best.
Such stories give consumers the confidence that they have purchased the correct product.

- Stories about the company: these stories are about the beginnings of the company (how a computer company
started in a garage), about history, winning market share and customer satisfaction. This is a good spot to
point out that various story threads can be connected, i.e. company, brand and consumer.

- Consumer stories/testimonials: third-party endorsements are particularly effective because self-interest is not a
factor as it is at the manufacturer level. Another reason is that the spokesperson should be personally
convinced of product quality since she has used it and been able to formulate her own opinion. The brand can
tell these consumer satisfaction stories on the internet.

- Life event brand stories: brands frequently told stories about the day-to-day lives of the housewife. A more
exciting point of view is to talk about the meaning a brand has for out-of-the-ordinary life events like the birth
of a child, marriage, your first apartment or building a house. Show that you understand your consumers
lifestyle. Credibly illustrate that your brand is a part of this lifestyle and that it enriches consumers lives.

- Secret stories: secrets are exciting. Could your brand have a secret packaged in a story?

o History: does your brand have secrets in its past? Do people still know who the founders are? Are there
unknowns or legends to talk about?
o Recipe: did the recipe (formula or configuration) come about in a mysterious way? Is there an
ingredient which differentiates and is interesting?
o Production method: is there a secret method of production, a special mixing technique or rare
machines that make the company what it is namely a unique attribute?

These sub stories are connected through the umbrella story to the central reward promise of the brand in your well-
orchestrated drama.

Some stories work well with all consumers, e.g. success stories; that is not to say you cannot develop stories specifically
suited to your consumers needs. Stories and brands that warm the heart and celebrate occasions like mothers day:
Swarovski offers crystal flowers that bloom forever and a website selection of sweet pendants; Swarovski beautifully
packages the gift free of charge and sends it along with a personalized greeting.

TOOLS: LADDER OF ABSTRACTION AND ISLANDS OF UNDERSTANDING

Why is storytelling so well-suited to abstract brand topics like sustainability? Sustainability is an abstract term. And so are
sustainable topics: economy, ecology and society. Ecology in turn, is itself comprised of abstract themes like climate,
atmosphere, species, environments and resources like water, soil and minerals. This is difficult for the mind to grasp, to learn
and to turn into action. The brain operates more concretely and in pictures, meaning and connections. The mind imagines
people and actions tied to places and times which either protected it from danger or furthered its pleasure.

One way around this dilemma is to think in terms of places, people and actions when it comes to abstract topics like
sustainability.

Ladder of Abstraction
Another solution is the Ladder of Abstraction from Swiss storytellers Marie Lampert and Rolf Wespe: the ladder starts on the
top rung with an abstract topic like energy. The ladder becomes more and more concrete with every subsequent downward
rung until its down to a candle or a stove.

We require both ends of the ladder: we learn to establish connections and context among overarching principles at the top
rung. We need the bottom rung in order to form a clear and concrete picture. The latter is the level we learn on.

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Islands of understanding
Another tool(s) are the islands of comprehension floating in the sea of abstraction: clear, understandable examples and uses
(islands of understanding) illustrate the abstract topic of sustainability (sea of abstraction) before the narrator begins to talk
about another abstract topic. The brand is sustainable. I show pictures and provide examples so you believe me and can
understand what I mean.

Check out our collection of examples for Digital Brand Storytelling in our additional material.

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