I have been doing a lot of talking about transmedia storytelling lately. While I have a number of entertainment clients, I have a greater number of retail clients.
Does this mean that my posts about transmedia storytelling should be ignored by those clients :) ?
Of course not!
What Are Brands?
I am not about to fully define what a brand is in this post, but would anyone out there disagree that there is a story inherent in a brand’s DNA?
Brands are, in a sense, stories.
Even if you feel this is a bit of a stretch, what is not a stretch is that the advertising that supports a brand should be a story.
So why are entertainment companies so far ahead in the realm of storytelling, and consequently transmedia storytelling?
The obvious answer is that storytelling is the entertainment company’s core business and it not as difficult for them to adapt when it comes to marketing and advertising.
Tell Me A Re-Tale
I just read an article by Steve Smith about a company called NearbyNow. NearbyNow is a company that allows consumers to “search the mall” (as it says on their site) via web, mall kiosk and mobile (for more on NearbyNow check out the site, I am sure I am not doing them justice, as I just found out about them and have not done all my research yet).
Unlike the notion of multi-channel retail which aims to create a uniform messages and services across various channels, transmedia retailing seeks to create a linear path of action from one medium to the next.
In the example that Steve Smith uses, mall goers are prompted via SMS to go to Foot Locker for a Blue Light special, moving them from a tradition experience, to an interactive one, then onto a traditional sale.
Not the best story in the world for most, but ask a retailer what they think about this story. I bet they enjoy it!
Tags: NearbyNow, Steve Smith, Mobile Marketing, Transmedia Storytelling