How does a company communicate through storytelling? : a study of the storytelling techniques used in two companies

Abstract: Storytelling, an important part of human communication, is being increasingly used by companies to communicate their values and build trust and connection with employees and customers. A good story can create emotions and feelings among the audience, can simplify and transmit complex messages. In contrast to the conventional informative and lecture-style of communication, which are likely to evoke counter arguments; storytelling is more likely to inspire people to take independent actions. However, storytelling is not flawless. There are downfalls to storytelling, such as stories told from a single point of view, which companies need to be aware of when using this technique. The purpose of this study is to explore how storytelling is used in two companies internally and externally, and by doing so, to enable a deeper understanding of the storytelling concept and explore the subject further. The results show that giving different factors, such as target audiences, the company that uses storytelling internally, considers the authenticity of the stories to be of great importance. This view does not apply to the company that uses storytelling externally. On the other hand, the latter company’s external and internal core message or values go hand in hand to a great extend. In contrast, the former company uses different values to its customers compared to the ones it uses to communicate with its employees. The contribution of this thesis can be found in the model of different dimensions of storytelling, presented in the theoretical framework. These dimensions enable a deeper understanding of storytelling as well as facilitates as a guide when exploring the subject, both externally and internally. Students wanting to research the area as well as companies wanting to use storytelling as a marketing or communication tool can benefit from using the dimensions of storytelling derived from this thesis.