Difference between storytelling and advertising
Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2025 8:42 am
Of course, many commercials also use some of the storytelling elements mentioned. However, storytelling isn't about direct advertising or the goal of immediately selling products. Rather, it's about providing insights—into a company, a specific topic, etc.—and using stories to evoke emotions and identify with the audience. This can build a long-term relationship with (potential) customers—who then become aware of the products or services and purchase them. Storytelling, therefore, falls more into the realm of inbound marketing and aims to attract customers through stories.
In addition, commercials are very short. Companies that have recognized the benefits of visual storytelling are creating longer videos for other channels, such as YouTube.
Advantages of visual storytelling in marketing
"A picture is worth a thousand words" – this saying succinctly sums up the advantages philippines phone number data that images offer over plain text. Therefore, marketing also uses visual storytelling to arouse interest and convey the desired message.
Advantages of images over (pure) text
Visual storytellers are especially in demand in content marketing. This is partly due to the flood of information. On the other hand, viewing and reading habits are changing. Older newspapers or nonfiction books are noticeably designed differently – they contain fewer images and other distracting elements like info boxes and colors, and more "text desert." The more text, the harder it is for the eye to grasp the content – and the less a reader will want to engage with it. A visual storyteller is aware of this and knows what's currently popular with their target audience.
The basis for visual perception is our brain. It processes all the information we constantly absorb through all our senses. The following applies: The brain must select which information it considers important and which it "sorts out." Otherwise, we would experience "information overload" and would no longer be able to concentrate or act. We are not aware of this in everyday life, but in fact, the brain is constantly busy sorting all information into "important" or "unimportant." And what it considers unimportant will be less likely to enter our consciousness and memory, or not at all.
The sense of sight is the most important sense : The importance of the sense of sight – and how much information we absorb through our eyes – is shown by the fact that about half of the brain is involved in processing visual information.
In addition, commercials are very short. Companies that have recognized the benefits of visual storytelling are creating longer videos for other channels, such as YouTube.
Advantages of visual storytelling in marketing
"A picture is worth a thousand words" – this saying succinctly sums up the advantages philippines phone number data that images offer over plain text. Therefore, marketing also uses visual storytelling to arouse interest and convey the desired message.
Advantages of images over (pure) text
Visual storytellers are especially in demand in content marketing. This is partly due to the flood of information. On the other hand, viewing and reading habits are changing. Older newspapers or nonfiction books are noticeably designed differently – they contain fewer images and other distracting elements like info boxes and colors, and more "text desert." The more text, the harder it is for the eye to grasp the content – and the less a reader will want to engage with it. A visual storyteller is aware of this and knows what's currently popular with their target audience.
The basis for visual perception is our brain. It processes all the information we constantly absorb through all our senses. The following applies: The brain must select which information it considers important and which it "sorts out." Otherwise, we would experience "information overload" and would no longer be able to concentrate or act. We are not aware of this in everyday life, but in fact, the brain is constantly busy sorting all information into "important" or "unimportant." And what it considers unimportant will be less likely to enter our consciousness and memory, or not at all.
The sense of sight is the most important sense : The importance of the sense of sight – and how much information we absorb through our eyes – is shown by the fact that about half of the brain is involved in processing visual information.