Storytelling Marketing on a Global Platform

Among its many attributes, social media is global. Luxe car builder Porsche USA is taking advantage of this in its new “Engineered for Magic. Everyday” campaign. Here, American misperceptions of German sports cars are challenged by everyday owner stories of running mundane errands in their Porsches. This expands Porsche’s value proposition through words and images of owners themselves. “It’s not only about the weekend joyride,” the copy explains. “It’s the only car in the world that combines true sports car exhilaration and the drivability for daily use.”

Luxury goods makers are no strangers to using their cultural heritage to tell stories. But now more than ever, luxury consumers show a mounting interest in the provenance of their purchases. Where was the product was sourced? How was it made? What materials were used in its construction?

Italy’s Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, one of oldest pharmacies and perfumeries in the world, uses provenance to its advantage. Its Florence store dates to 1612, while all its fragrance and body products are still handmade in Florence. They use 13th century recipes made by Dominican friars from herbs plucked in monastery gardens. Buy one of these products and you get a scroll: one side with the firm’s glorious history, the other with a product menu. Even your sales receipt comes inside an envelope with a mini history lesson.

Remember to use stories to tell your story. Your consumers will begin to chatter and your online carts will really start to fill up!