Storytelling
In a world of social media, hashtags and character limitations, it can be easy to forget the importance of great storytelling within our marketing. So how can animated storytelling benefit your business?
‘Storytelling’ is often thought of as a buzzword from decades ago, but is vital to understand the positive impact it can have when used in the workplace, or in your business’ marketing.
People are attracted to stories – we are social creatures and crave that connection, whether we realise it or not. But where do you start?
Your Audience
Let’s reach the emotional core of your business. How do you want your potential customers to feel? Perhaps excited by what you offer, or worried about what they’d miss if they don’t act.
Video marketing is a powerful way to display your products or services, but if done poorly, it can feel bland or un-relatable.
Storytelling, on the other hand, works on an emotional level allowing you to be honest, sincere, and genuinely relevant to your audience.
Super Bowl LIX
In the U.S., Super Bowl LIX in February 2025 drew a record-setting average of 127.7 million viewers, making it the most-watched broadcast in American television history. Brands understand that exposure and impact hinges on memorable storytelling.
That’s why Super Bowl ad campaigns often feel like mini-movies, prioritising emotional resonance and narrative over direct product focus.
Budweiser won USA TODAY’s Ad Meter for its 2025 Super Bowl spot, “First Delivery,” marking its first win in a decade and the brand’s ninth overall top ranking.
In the ad, a foal deemed “too small” to pull a Budweiser wagon defies expectations by saving the day a heartwarming story with minimal product visibility. It’s the story, not the label, that stayed with viewers.
Why storytelling wins:
- Emotional engagement- storytelling connects on a deeper, more lasting level than straightforward product pitches.
- Relatability and authenticity – helps audiences see themselves in the brand, fostering trust.
- Memorable narratives – like Budweiser’s foal tale-evoking empathy and brand affinity without pushing the product.
The Stats Add Up
At the start of 2025, 65% of consumers say that a brand’s first impression is visual, and over 55% of brand first impressions are visual in nature emphasising how critical photos, videos, illustrations and infographics remain in telling a compelling brand story.
Meanwhile, 74% of brands now incorporate mobile video into their core strategy, up considerably from just 52% a year earlier.
Video now dominates – Industry research projects that by 2025, video content will account for about 82% of all internet traffic, and more than 75% of all video is viewed on mobile devices. As of May 2025, over 64% of global web traffic originates from mobile devices, compared to just 38.6% in 2015.
Combining animation with photos, video, infographics, text and sound produces multichannel, sensory-rich brand messaging that’s quick to absorb and emotionally engaging.
Animated characters especially when charming or relatable forge emotional bonds with viewers, helping businesses to tell stories that resonate on a deeper level than raw statistics alone ever could.
If your business has a story they need to tell, or you are interested in how you can use animation in your marketing strategy, drop us an email at info@sbanimation.com or give us a call on +44 (0)207 148 0526.
