Creative Corporate Storytelling

Telling corporate stories demands creativity and finesse – creativity to engage audiences; and finesse to find subject matter, navigate internal politics and stay within tight budgets. Done well, and it is an indispensable opportunity to breathe life into your company’s values, mission, and activities. 

Crafting a narrative that resonates with your diverse audiences is no small feat. The companies that are best at digital storytelling focus on:

• First and foremost, creating editorially compelling content through on target subject matter, excellent writing and design. 
• Providing evidence, accuracy and transparency through dates, named authors and, where possible, links to social media profiles.
• Showcasing the real-world impact of your company’s work.
• Addressing the full spectrum of your stakeholders’ interests.
• Ensuring consistency of tone across all digital platforms, including your website and social media channels.
• Staying aware of wider digital media trends and adopting them where appropriate.

A well-crafted and unified narrative not only differentiates your company and web estate, but also builds stronger relationships and greater engagement with your audiences. According to Bowen Craggs visitor survey research, visits to online storytelling sections are positively correlated with improved brand perception and higher net promoter scores.  

Roche’s charming illustrations

Like The New Yorker, Roche uses unique illustrations to charm readers. By using original art instead of stock photos, Roche, which is among the best at company information in our Corporate Digital Communications Index, reflects the company’s personality and values through stylistic and design elements that a camera lens may not capture.  

Visa’s succinct and targetted social media storytelling

Storytelling with a limited number of characters can be a challenge but Visa rises to the occasion with ingenuity. Visa maintains a centralised corporate account along with several X (formerly Twitter) accounts tailored to their diverse stakeholders. By leveraging storytelling on connection-based social media platforms, Visa enhances user engagement with its short narratives that focus on values.    

Drawing inspiration from The New York Times 

Looking outside the corporate world, The New York Times is a digital pioneer with its imaginative graphics and data stories. Although the resources involved may sometimes be out of reach for corporate digital managers, these stories can spark ideas and provide a benchmark. The closer your corporate digital storytelling can get to this level of excellence, the better. 

UPS spotlights values and employees 

UPS commissions stories around the company's core values, and frequently features employees. This approach ensures that their corporate narratives are not just imagined by the editorial team but reflect the lived experiences of the UPS workforce. 

Aviva searches out compelling employee narratives

Aviva’s keen eye for content transcends the typical boundaries of the insurance industry. Headlines such as “Who remembers the forgetters?” are fresh and memorable, and in tune with readers.   

Rio Tinto’s pioneering page design 

Rio Tinto stays ahead of the curve with engrossing formatting. The arrangement of copy, photos, and captions encourages readers to scroll further and discover the full story. 

Hydro’s explanatory narratives 

Hydro provides users with an immersive journey into the aluminium production process through impressive “explainer” content. Readers learn something new, and the factual approach to practical questions is on trend and excellent for engine search rankings.  

GSK advances values through storytelling 

We conclude with GSK, a long-time editorial all-rounder in the Corporate Digital Communications Index for the strength and relevance of its content. The company’s online magazine “Behind the Science” is consistently well-written and – in one strong point among many – demonstrates GSK’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and other social issues.