Our mission at StoryStream is to ‘help brands be more authentic, engaging and human’. This means we’re fully invested in the need for brands to create more diverse content as part of their customer experience. We firmly believe we are at the beginning of a new and important era of diversity and inclusivity in marketing, and our goal is for StoryStream to be a champion at the center of it.
In Part 1 of our ‘Real people included’ post we explored why a diverse content mix needs to play a key part of marketing strategy and looked at how User-Generated Content (UGC) can help solve this challenge at scale.
At StoryStream we are lucky to work with some of the world’s most innovative and forward-thinking brands including Sweaty Betty and Porsche. Both of these brands, although in completely different sectors, have something in common. Their marketing content features real people using their products in real life.
In Part 2 of our Real people included post we explore how these two brands are adding more diversity into their customer experience in interesting ways.
Sweaty Betty. Seen. Celebrated.
The recent ‘Seen. Celebrated’ campaign from Sweaty Betty is a perfect example of creating a more diverse customer experience. The active lifestyle brand has long championed diversity and inclusion, and their statement, “Who better to mark the launch of our new underwear skin tones and expanded size range than our very own team” is another stamp of authenticity, with members of staff – all ages, all sizes, all skins – baring all for a joyously empowering underwear shoot. “Seeing someone who looks like you doing something amazing makes you believe that anything is possible”, according to one participant. “If you can see it, you can be it”, says another.
“OMG. So glad you like the post”
When StoryStream’s AI detected an Instagram image with the caption ‘how cute is my new @sweatybetty set’ a request to share was automatically sent, and a response of ‘OMG of course! So glad you like the post’ received.
A customer @’ing a favoured brand to their social media post. An algorithm alerted. A 1-1 message from a major brand to an individual customer. The interest of a real person and their real followers piqued. A micro-influencer added to a community. A brand authenticated.
Porsche. Every Customer Moment
Porsche has long partnered with StoryStream to get its story told in ways that represent the diversity of its international markets. They want to open a window onto those worlds and create stories that really resonate. So now, UGC posts tagged with #porschemoment whether created from Finland, through India to Japan can be curated into each home country’s Porsche Live home page gallery. It generates content that is naturally nuanced, instantly relevant and adapted to the cultural sensibilities of each country. It’s ‘real’, and because it’s ‘real’, it resonates. As a result, customers are connecting more, engaging for longer – enjoying the drive.
Helping the marketing industry evolve
While, it’s important to say that it’s not StoryStream’s place to preach to anyone about diversity as a policy, or to tell anyone what their campaigns or websites should look like, we are delighted that our platform has this power to be a driver of ‘inclusivity’ in marketing.
If you’d like to hear more of these stories or learn more about how UGC can help you represent your ‘real’ customers then get in touch here.
