Transmedial Storytelling: What It’s Really About
Those who talk about transmedia or crossmedia storytelling should first talk about storytelling itself, which should still unfold its potential much more strongly in organizations and for brands. The understanding of storytelling has expanded enormously over the past few years. At the same time, it has become incredibly trendy. Great when it comes to using storytelling as a communicative tool that can be used across all communication channels. Very difficult when different aspects are thrown into one pot: such as storytelling and content marketing. Content marketing is, as the name suggests, the marketing of self-created content. In times when everyone can be a content producer, this is attractive: start a YouTube channel, invite people in front of the camera – "Come on, tell me something about topic X." Broadcast, done. Companies do the same, bringing messages directly to consumers this way: an effective way to increase communicative performance. But this does not necessarily have anything to do with storytelling. Neither in the classical nor in the transmedia sense. No story without a story core Because comparatively rarely is there a narrative structure underlying these contributions, which is the basis for every story. Regardless of whether it is then further developed cross- or transmedially. Storytelling as a form of communication can run more easily crossmedially if I use narrative elements. Regardless of whether in PR, flyer headlines, or event invitations. Partners: Story core and brand message To work transmedially, a strong story core is needed that contributes to brand and corporate values. Once this nucleus is developed, other channels can be used in their peculiarities and the story can be driven forward: expanding or sharpening, it doesn't matter. If this is not present, better go back to the beginning and reorganize what it is actually about. Only when the story core is viable can transmedia storytelling work. Develop from inside out Another problem: starting outside instead of inside: good stories are always developed from the inside out. Someone comes from digital marketing and has "a really cool idea for an Insta." That may be so, but the idea often does not resonate with the corporate messages or is not relevant to customers. Without this connection, a story cannot really build resonance. Therefore, most of the work in transmedia storytelling actually has to be done internally. Once the idea for the story is viable enough, I can say, "Dear digital marketing, how can I now use the technological functionalities of your channels so that targeted impact is created?" It is nice if there is some kind of story manager in-house or on the agency side who checks ideas for their functionality, integrability, and match with corporate values. A strong story can be told on all channels. A weak story cannot. A good story core should work both cross- and transmedially. It can be continued within a channel. Or across channels: for example, letting my audience start reading on the website and then continue spinning the story across different channels. This can also be the multimedia processing of a financial annual report. But only if the story is told to the end. Otherwise, in the end, only small nice clips remain. Technically, this can be fully professional but remains content-wise behind the storytelling possibilities. Warning! Attack on reputation This has even led to storytelling suddenly getting a bad reputation due to the rise of fake news: under the motto, storytelling is to blame that we no longer listen to the facts. Under the motto "everyone is just telling us stories." In the minds of consumers, a mishmash has arisen, which we ourselves are responsible for due to unclear definitions. Aristotle and MRI Engaging with stories themselves is our nature: to be able to trigger emotions through generative sequencing of events that are the same in the sender and receiver system. Functional MRIs have proven this in recent years. Aristotle already observed this. He noted that when his actors in ancient theater do or say something, the audience reacts the same way as the actors in the round. Empathizing, laughing along, and crying along – this principle underlies the emotional connection of a story. Someone tells me something and I am captivated because I want to know how it continues. Regardless of the channel. Once viewers or readers are "on the hook," they don't want to let go. Often we don't even offer our audience that hook. We still think, "Let's just give them features, prices, and availability," and then wonder why it goes wrong.