Key B2B Storytelling Marketing Strategies for Your Brand

When you present facts in a narrative, people are 22 times more likely to remember them. It makes sense. The human mind is naturally drawn to stories, especially when they stir emotion. 

That’s the power of storytelling marketing — using characters, conflict, and resolution to communicate ideas, spotlight products, and express your brand’s values. Like every great movie or novel, brand storytelling taps into imagination and emotion. It isn’t about pushy sales tactics. It’s about making people feel something real.

That’s especially true in the B2B space, where products and services often seem technical or complicated. People probably won’t remember a software’s specs or security features. But Apple’s hilarious, eight-minute story about someone reclaiming a stolen Mac is much more memorable. 

On average, business storytelling increases conversions by 30%. Why? Because it humanizes businesses. “When a brand shares its truth — its values, origin, quirks, and purpose — it forms a human connection,” says Penny Moore, Partner at Tenderling Design. “That connection builds trust, and trust builds loyalty.”

Want to make a lasting impression like Apple? You need storytelling marketing. This guide gives you practical tips for creating powerful narratives about your B2B brand and provides excellent storytelling examples to inspire your next campaign. 

How B2B Brands Can Craft Their Own Story

Digital storytelling may seem daunting, but there are plenty of ways to create intriguing narratives. 

Start with a Clear Brand Identity

“Start by getting crystal clear on your brand’s identity,” recommends Kaden Laga, Head of B2B at Disruptive Advertising. “What are your values? What sets you apart from your competitors? Once that’s clear, work with your creative team to explore how to take one of those attributes and exaggerate it in a bold way.” 

For example, a company that’s deeply invested in sustainability might tell stories featuring cute woodland creatures or plots about saving the environment. 

Use a Proven Story Structure

You should also prioritize your customers’ issues or goals instead of making a traditional sales pitch. Using a proven story structure — such as the Hero’s Journey or Problem-Insight-Solution — can help you find the right balance. 

Chad de Lisle, VP of Marketing for Disruptive Advertising, shares, “A B2B brand should highlight real problems they solve, showcase customer success stories, and focus on the impact their solution has on a business, not just the product features.” This approach will make your content feel genuinely relatable. 

Tap into Emotion

Pay attention to feelings, too. “While B2B is often seen as transactional, the best stories connect with people on an emotional level,” observes de Lisle. Take the HubSpot commercial, for instance. It recreates the stress that real marketers often feel to grab attention, then lets users relax when it introduces the solution. 

Prioritize Authenticity over Exaggeration

And, of course, don’t mislead customers.  “Authenticity is key,” de Lisle explains. “Your story should be reflective of the true value your brand provides to your clients and their success.” That means you should never exaggerate the benefits of your products, even for the sake of entertainment. 

What Makes a Great Story in Marketing? 

Not every story is guaranteed to hook audiences — just look at all the lackluster movies that flop. For a strong narrative, you’ll need these key elements: 

• A relatable protagonist, which could be a client or a company
• A clear conflict, such as a cyberattack, writer’s block, or a tyrannical boss
• A resolution (ideally, one that frames your brand as the solution)
• Alignment with your values
• Cohesion across your website, social media accounts, and other channels

Feelings matter, too. “A good storytelling marketing campaign connects emotionally with the audience while also delivering value,” emphasizes de Lisle. “It should create an experience, not just a message, that resonates with the target audience’s desires, needs, and pain points.” When you tap into your audience’s emotions by making the story relatable and aligned with your brand values, people will remember the experience of your content.

For example, Slack’s blog features stories about formerly incarcerated people who are now thriving in tech. Slack also collaborated with the nonprofit Next Chapter to create a documentary called Home/Free. These heartwarming narratives reflect the company’s core values of empathy and solidarity. The series amassed hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube, raising brand awareness for Slack and building customer loyalty. 

How Good Storytelling Marketing Can Drive B2B Results 

Let’s say you’ve created an intriguing story that’s getting plenty of clicks. Maybe you’ve even gotten a chuckle or a few tears out of your audience. Success! But how does that actually help your business?

Here are a few ways that brand storytelling can make a difference:

• It’s incredibly engaging: Consumers see dozens or even hundreds of ads a day. A compelling story helps you break through the digital noise and make an impression on your audience.
• It builds trust: Strong stories increase your credibility, which may speed up the decision-making process for customers.
• It’s informative: Many B2B businesses use storytelling to position their brands as thought leaders. For example, your CEO could share client success stories or hilarious anecdotes on LinkedIn.
• Buyers relate to it: Marketing that shows relatable characters overcoming obstacles reflects customers’ reality and stirs emotions.
• It improves cohesion: Telling similar stories across different channels helps you create a consistent brand voice.
• It can be timely: Stories let you respond to current events, trends, or client concerns. For example, you could use the latest TikTok meme to show off a product or create a story based on a recent client’s journey.
• It stands out: Even the most attentive clients might not be able to remember an infographic or product demo, especially after a few days. But a creative story that inspires emotion is more likely to stay at the top of their minds. As Moore explains, “Authentic storytelling helps people feel something real, and that’s what makes a brand unforgettable.”

5 Inspiring Examples of B2B Storytelling Marketing 

Studying outstanding stories from other brands is one of the best ways to jumpstart your creativity and learn new techniques. Here are five storytelling examples that make great use of video marketing. 

1. Workday’s Rock Star Campaign 

In 2023, Workday partnered with famous rock stars to create a hilarious Super Bowl commercial. The ad contrasts musicians like Ozzy Osborne and Joan Jett with the “ordinary” rock stars who use Workday’s financial software. 

Workday followed up with an innovative digital campaign. Its website includes blog posts and resources to help users become “rock stars of business.” It also posted fictional work badges for real rock stars on Instagram, deepening the characters’ lore. 

Laga praises the campaign’s storytelling: “The idea of ‘everyone can be a rockstar’ tied perfectly with Workday’s USP [unique selling proposition]: helping top talent shine. They creatively reinforced their brand values while making the campaign fun and relatable. It’s a great example of making B2B storytelling both engaging and on-brand.” 

This focus on entertainment paid off big time. In just two months, Workday’s latest Rock Star video racked up nearly 900,000 views on YouTube. 

2. Salesforce’s Celebrity Collabs

Salesforce took a similar approach by partnering with Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey to create funny videos. 

In “Dream House,” Harrelson uses Salesforce’s AI agent to close on a house before McConaughey. And in “OMGYN,” McConaughey gets sent to the wrong specialist — you can guess who from the title — in a hilarious medical mishap. 

While these scenarios are ludicrous, the short videos demonstrate the AI tool’s very real applications in different industries. 

3. HubSpot’s “Spread Too Thin”

A stressed-out marketer is the heroine of HubSpot’s “Spread Too Thin” commercial. The fast-paced video uses intense music and even a burning laptop to represent the pressures of constantly churning out content. This all-too-relatable scenario concludes with a practical solution: HubSpot’s AI-powered marketing software. 

4. Canva’s “Love Your Work” 

The “Love Your Work” video has a much more optimistic tone than the HubSpot video. Upbeat music plays as officemates share their Canva creations and praise each other’s work. “I’m obsessed,” one woman gushes, while another says, “I love that!” This focus on making work joyful ties in with the brand’s core values of empowerment and collaboration. 

5. Monday.com’s Llama-Powered Skit

CGI llamas are the star of a 2025 Monday.com commercial. The video starts with human office workers complaining about a new work platform that their company is implementing. Suddenly, the lights dim, and llamas begin singing a Rihanna song as the employees realize how easy it is to use the software. 

This quirky commercial is incredibly memorable. Plus, it spotlights the platform’s benefits without coming across as too superficial. 

When To Consider Outsourcing Your Storytelling Marketing 

You don’t need to go to film school or spend hours learning the intricacies of audio editing (it’s harder than it looks). There are plenty of digital marketing agencies and freelancers available to assist with B2B brand storytelling. 

de Lisle highlights some of the advantages of partnering with experts. “Outsourcing storytelling marketing is ideal when a brand lacks the internal resources or expertise to craft compelling, cohesive stories that resonate with their target audience,” he shares. “It can also be beneficial when there’s a need for fresh perspective, creativity, or scalability in content production.” 

Outsourcing can help you create higher-quality content, too. “An experienced external partner can bring an objective view and elevate the narrative,” says de Lisle, “ensuring the story is aligned with both business goals and customer expectations.” 

Consider outsourcing the foundational messaging and narrative development to an expert. That way, you’ll have a solid base to build on by yourself. You can also hire experts to execute your stories across different campaigns and content formats, such as commercials and social media.

Final Thoughts: How To Craft Stronger B2B Brand Stories 

Storytelling marketing is one of the best ways to connect with your audience and make a lasting impression. 

Set yourself up for success by: 

• Prioritizing plot over products
• Studying narratives from other B2B brands
• Keeping it relatable
• Showing real buyer challenges and solutions
• Staying true to your values 

Need help getting started? Browse Clutch’s directory of verified digital marketing providers to connect with storytelling experts.

About the Author

Jeanette Godreau Senior Content Marketing Specialist at Clutch

Jeanette Godreau crafts in-depth content on web design, graphic design, and branding to help B2B buyers make confident decisions on Clutch.  

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