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Do ads that tell a story always perform better? The role of character identification and character type in storytelling ads

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  • Dessart, Laurence

Abstract

The growing use of storytelling as an advertising strategy for brands online poses the question of their relative effectiveness compared to more factual types of ads. In this context, this article focuses on the role of character identification and character type in the effects of narrative transportation that occur from storytelling ads. Using four experimental studies in two different contexts, two brand types, and two character types (human versus animal), the findings present a cautionary tale for the use of storytelling. By generating higher levels of narrative transportation, storytelling video ads can reduce character identification, which results in an overall decrease in positive attitude toward the brand, when using animal characters. These main findings are nuanced in the presence of joyful emotions. Implication for research and practice are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Dessart, Laurence, 2018. "Do ads that tell a story always perform better? The role of character identification and character type in storytelling ads," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 35(2), pages 289-304.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ijrema:v:35:y:2018:i:2:p:289-304
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijresmar.2017.12.009
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    Cited by:

    1. Schwenzow, Jasper & Hartmann, Jochen & Schikowsky, Amos & Heitmann, Mark, 2021. "Understanding videos at scale: How to extract insights for business research," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 367-379.
    2. Andreas Hesse & Holger J. Schmidt & Carsten Baumgarth, 2021. "How a Corporate Influencer Co-creates Brand Meaning: The Case of Pawel Dillinger from Deutsche Telekom," Corporate Reputation Review, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 24(4), pages 191-204, November.
    3. Dessart, Laurence & Pitardi, Valentina, 2019. "How stories generate consumer engagement: An exploratory study," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 183-195.
    4. Natarajan, Thamaraiselvan & Balasubramaniam, Senthil Arasu & Stephen, Gladys & Jublee, Daniel Inbaraj & Kasilingam, Dharun Lingam, 2018. "The influence of audience characteristics on the effectiveness of brand placement memory," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 134-149.
    5. Yang, Zhengliang & Caputo, Vincenzina, 2023. "Introducing automatic video mining to agricultural economics: A case study from a crowdfunding website," 2023 Annual Meeting, July 23-25, Washington D.C. 335600, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    6. Cátia Fernandes Crespo & Alcina Gaspar Ferreira & Ricardo Moita Cardoso, 2023. "The influence of storytelling on the consumer–brand relationship experience," Journal of Marketing Analytics, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 41-56, March.
    7. Dharun Kasilingam & Soundararaj Ajitha, 2022. "Storytelling in advertisements: understanding the effect of humor and drama on the attitude toward brands," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 29(4), pages 341-362, July.
    8. Boukis, Achilleas, 2023. "Storytelling in initial coin offerings: Attracting investment or gaining referrals?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    9. Palos-Sanchez, Pedro & Saura, Jose Ramon & Martin-Velicia, Felix, 2019. "A study of the effects of programmatic advertising on users' concerns about privacy overtime," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 61-72.
    10. van Laer, Tom & Feiereisen, Stephanie & Visconti, Luca M., 2019. "Storytelling in the digital era: A meta-analysis of relevant moderators of the narrative transportation effect," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 135-146.
    11. Miceli, Gaetano (“Nino”) & Scopelliti, Irene & Raimondo, Maria Antonietta, 2020. "Insight versus effort. Communicating the creative process leading to new products," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 602-620.
    12. Dessart, Laurence & Standaert, Willem, 2023. "Strategic storytelling in the age of sustainability," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 66(3), pages 371-385.

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