Blog

B2B brands are often criticised for their lack of humanity, and even 87% of the marketers representing them say they struggle with creating content that is human, helpful and handy. Recently the role of B2B content has been sharply brought into focus with Forrester Research’s VP and Principal Analyst, Laura Ramos, stating that the content produced by business-to-business brands as part of their marketing campaigns simply does not engage audiences or deliver value. However, we say times are changing, and with video storytelling becoming an integral part of strategy, B2B brands are leading the way with video experiences that really do spark interest and attract the customers they are looking to interact with. Why video stories matter From a very early age, we humans have enjoyed a story or two, with the process making us hardwired to respond to and … Continue reading →

Whilst there’s no doubt everyone has a story or two to tell, finding your brand story and developing a powerful strategy to share it with your target audience isn’t always easy. In today’s fast paced world, word of mouth matters and storytelling has become an excellent way to cultivate curiosity and get the people who matter talking about the brands and associated products or services that they love or admire. Just like with any marketing approach however there are several storytelling no-nos that every business and fellow marketer should avoid, and in this article we’ll delve deeper into these storytelling mistakes and give you the advice you need to correct them so your story can continue and more importantly result in a happy ending for your business. Bending the truth There is a big difference between telling a story and … Continue reading →

A great brand story is a beautiful thing. As well as letting your customers into the heart of your business, a brand story has the power to forge long lasting connections and, as a result, promote even better engagement. Brand stories are what consumers want. According to recent research eight out of 10 people want brands to tell stories. Great news, right? What’s not so great is that the same study found that 85% couldn’t recall a great brand story, which in our eyes is a real problem… Brand storytelling is a marketing method called upon by B2B and B2C brands alike, and for good reason. Brand stories unlock numerous advantages, far beyond the ones we’ve touched on above. Keeping the standard of each story you so lovingly create and share high however is important. Here we reveal 10 top … Continue reading →

Storytelling has become a steadfast part of consumer brand marketing, and as a result there are tons of B2C companies that offer prime examples of how to use this thought provoking, discussion evoking tactic to their advantage. Everyone is a natural storyteller and once you’ve found the right tale to tell, there’s simply no stopping your brand from capitalising on this content marketing must. Whilst storytelling is a proven approach for B2C, for the most part, the B2B community is falling behind, but there is much to learn from consumer brands and indeed the B2B brands that are using storytelling well. The challenge with B2B marketing B2B brands have a difficult image to shake off when it comes to their marketing campaigns. A recent study conducted on behalf of AdRoll found that as a whole B2B marketers struggled to engage … Continue reading →

Whatever our ages, we all want to be a big kid every now and again, but who would have thought that we’d be encouraged to unleash our inner child when devising a new brand marketing strategy. It is notoriously difficult to write a bestselling children’s book, after all the ‘no-filter’ attitude of our little ones always means we face brutally honest critics whatever the subject of their disapproval. It’s no secret that storytelling is a leading strategy in the marketing world, but what could the tactics used by children’s book authors tell us about how we should communicate with our own target audiences? Move quickly or face ruin In both marketing and children’s book writing you literally have a few seconds to grab the attention of the audience member, because in both respects, everyone has the attention span of a … Continue reading →

Traditionally the main point of advertising was to promote the business and the products or services that they are looking to sell, but as times change and audiences get smarter and smarter, businesses big and small are having to use different tactics to impress. More and more brands are now opting for forms of advertising that don’t shout or scream their company name. Known widely as ‘submissive’ or ‘unbranded’ advertising, these insanely clever marketing campaigns have, when well executed, created a cult following that leads potential customers right back to the brand’s door, but is this type of advertising just for the big boys? Here we explore just how successful unbranded advertising is and look at the examples that are putting this marketing trend on the map… What exactly is submissive advertising? Submissive or unbranded advertising essentially works on the … Continue reading →

Disney is still one of the most profitable movie franchises ever, and whilst there are no doubt some forgotten relics, the majority of the films created by the Disney family not only transcend time but are loved by generation after generation. As a business, capturing just a snippet of the magic will make your brand and its products or services truly timeless and unlock increased revenue for years to come, but what do our favourite classics really teach us about how you should be marketing? Here we explore the golden rules of storytelling Disney-style so you can not only tell your story but engage with people successfully. Go back to basics Think back to all your favourite Disney films, there are no complicated storylines to contend with, and that’s just one of the reasons why they are loved by so … Continue reading →

Telling your brand story is what we’re all about here at Hoot, but with so many new businesses entering the marketplace and so many old ones upping their game with regard to their marketing activities, it certainly pays to stand out by trying a different tack. Storytelling is one marketing route that will always remain strong, and docu-storytelling is transforming the digital landscape as we know it right now. Here we explore the creative ‘to dos’ that make storytelling through documentaries worth your while and provide examples of the brands that are leading the way so far. The skinny on docu-storytelling The drama of real life isn’t wasted on most people, and storytelling through documentaries, or docu-storytelling as we like to refer to it, takes the process of amplifying what your brand is all about to a whole new level. … Continue reading →

All too often when we ask a team or a new client ‘what makes you different?’ the answer that comes back is ‘our people’. ‘Our company has great people and we build great relationships with our clients.’ We’ve no doubt that your company has great people and that they build great relationships, but here’s the rub… every company has some great people who get along and look after their clients really well and those companies will tell you their people is what makes them different. So saying it doesn’t actually make you any different from your competitors. It’s true, people buy from people they like, know and trust and it’s the relationships that we develop that help us build strong companies. But just saying it is not enough. If you want to differentiate your brand and your business that way, … Continue reading →

It’s official we humans now have an attention span that is less than a goldfish!  To spark interest from us you need to grab our attention in 8 seconds or less.  So how can you engage with an audience that is so quick to judge.  Here are 3 marketing tips that might help. Digital access and channels have changed the way we now research and buy products and services. Customers and prospects form their own opinions and openly share them with others, whether they know them or not. If we like, enjoy, feel inspired or annoyed then we share what we’ve found or experienced, through conversation and social media. Tip 1: Listen.  Modern marketing is increasingly about listening more, and then creating a two way dialogue with your customers and wider audience.  In order to engage with a goldfish you … Continue reading →