Ever notice how the best stories stick with you long after you’ve heard them? Whether it’s a tearjerker of a Super Bowl ad or that perpetually precious viral video of Teddy Bear the Porcupine eating pumpkin (you’re welcome), the secret sauce of success isn’t just clever marketing — it’s emotion.
Content fatigue is real, as we all know, and so is the competition. It’s harder than ever to break through the noise. But when something makes you laugh, cry, or feel genuinely inspired, you can’t help but pay attention and remember it.
That’s what emotional ROI is all about. It’s the reason why you’ll choose one brand over another or why you suddenly feel the urge to share that touching video with everyone you know. According to research from Kantar, a data and analytics agency, ads that tug at our heartstrings are 4x more likely to build brand loyalty and 2.6x more likely to go viral.
In other words, emotion is the neural superhighway for brands that want to be unforgettable.
As a leading voice in digital marketing, The Stoke Group recently hosted a session at Content Marketing World that explored the power of emotional ROI in storytelling and how it can elevate engagement, build brand trust, and ultimately boost your bottom line. Here’s a taste of what we talked about.
The power of trust: Building emotional ROI as your brand’s superpower
Although often overlooked in favor of flashy ads and catchy slogans, trust is the bedrock of any successful marketing campaign. Research from PWC reveals that 91% of consumers are willing to buy from a company that has gained their trust, while 73% say they would spend significantly less if a brand lost their trust. Clearly, building and maintaining trust isn’t just about customer retention — it’s a direct pathway to revenue growth.
“Trust ultimately speeds up sales cycles, increases deal sizes, and lengthens customer loyalty because there’s a connection,” says Laurie Lohner, managing partner at The Stoke Group. “When customers feel as though a brand truly cares about them, it’s believable, it’s real, and it makes them want to buy into that story.”
Emotional ROI in marketing goes beyond the superficial — it taps into fundamental human emotions, allowing brands to form authentic connections. A study by Deloitte’s TrustID showed that when an organization elevates a customer’s trust score from neutral to high, the customer becomes three times more likely to choose that brand over a competitor.
But how do you improve trust? Here are a few tactics any brand can leverage:
- Lead with your brand mission, vision, and values.
- Humanize your employees by telling personal stories — of their career journeys, non-work pursuits, or adversity they’ve overcome — to show your company as a collection of talented and relatable people, not just a business.
- Share market and industry challenges that help audiences understand, appreciate, or even cheer for your brand.
- Create original, insightful content that demonstrates thought leadership and positions you as an authority.
By weaving trustworthy, emotionally charged storytelling into your brand’s DNA, you turn customers into advocates who promote your brand out of actual loyalty, not just necessity.
Values-driven storytelling: The intersection of integrity and profit
The socially conscious consumer is no longer a persona. It’s everyone. Aligning your brand storytelling with your core values has never been more crucial. Forrester found that more than half of Gen Z consumers will always research a company’s stance on corporate social responsibility before making a purchase.
Brands that openly communicate their values and demonstrate a genuine commitment to societal issues are the ones that build emotional connections that lead to long-term profitability. This values-driven approach creates a halo effect, elevating your brand beyond the transaction and into the realm of human connection. It’s not just about selling a product — it’s about offering a shared experience.
Emotions drive business: It’s science
Emotional storytelling is more than just a marketing tactic. It’s rooted in how our brains are wired to process, remember, and act on information. When we hear an emotionally charged story, our brains release a hormone called oxytocin, often dubbed the “trust hormone” or “empathy chemical.” This little neurochemical doesn’t just make us feel all warm and fuzzy — it actually helps us build connections and trust with the storyteller or, in this case, your brand.
By tapping into this brain science, marketers can create powerful narratives that resonate deeply, driving not just awareness but genuine engagement and loyalty. That loyalty often means that ads generating a higher level of emotional response have a greater likelihood of increasing sales.
As marketers, the opportunity is clear: Create emotional connections that turn consumers into advocates, and your brand will not just survive but thrive.
Ready to transform your marketing approach? View our entire session from Content Marketing World. This is your chance to unlock strategies that will drive engagement, boost your bottom line, and build a brand legacy that endures.