Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight

The most innovative, disruptive brands across all industries have one thing in common: They are storytelling masters.Warby Parker built an eyeglasses empire by billing itself as a socially conscious lifestyle brand, and itcarefully curated content to share that story. Startup Thinx has a new panty solution to disrupt the $15 billion feminine hygiene market, and it’s boosting brand awareness with feminist content and an emotional connection to consumers. Dollar Shave Club markets itself as a cheap—and cheeky—alternative to store-bought razors, serving up humorous tips and quirky puzzles to keep its community engaged.

Part of these brands’ success is rooted in the ability to tell stories with an emotional connection. Emotion tends to play an outsized role in consumer behavior. MRI imagery has shown that when evaluating brands, people tend to use their emotions over information.

The emotional effect stretches from B2C to B2B companies. If B2B buyers are emotionally connected to a brand, the buyers are 50 percent more likely to purchase those products, according to Google’s research with Motista and CEB....