Hard-Earned Truths from Hundreds of Conversations Inside the Industry

A special post by Jordan P. Kelley, Content Director of BrandStorytelling

In my time trendwatching and interviewing people about brand storytelling, I’ve observed a consistent dissonance between what many seem to believe about this space and what holds up under scrutiny. Through hundreds of conversations with brands, agencies, producers, and platforms, I’ve seen real patterns emerge – ones that often contradict the prevailing narratives. 

What people think brand storytelling is, and what actually drives results, are often two very different things. These are the seven biggest myths I’ve come across – and the truths that challenge them.

1. Myth: Great storytelling is a luxury only afforded to big-budget brands

Truth: It’s the foundation of modern brand building

What used to be considered a fringe strategy has become essential. As audiences turn away from traditional ads, story-driven content has proven its ability to build lasting emotional connections. The brands finding traction today are investing in content that informs, entertains, and inspires – not interrupts. Audiences want to be moved, not marketed to, and stories have become the most efficient way to earn their trust.

Today, brands are telling stories in a myriad of formats and on budgets ranging from large to mid-size to shoestring. While production scale may differ, the potential to achieve the strategic goals outlined at the outset remains the same. Success in brand storytelling isn’t exclusive to those with the deepest pockets – it’s accessible to those with clarity of purpose and creative vision.

2. Myth: Success in storytelling is impossible to measure

Truth: The tools are getting much better, and constantly evolving

Everyone wants to measure ROI, but brand storytelling isn’t always built for simple math. The most meaningful outcomes – brand lift, emotional engagement, customer loyalty – often sit outside the traditional performance dashboard. That said, the industry is catching up. A/B testing combined with biological measurements like eye-tracking studies and biometric analysis is evolving how we prove storytelling’s value to the C-suite.

While those methods are being more clearly refined, there’s always the opportunity to leverage engagement curves and time-spent metrics to demonstrate content efficacy. Success, no matter how it’s measured, will always mean telling the right story to the right audience.

3. Myth: Brands need to maintain control to get the message right

Truth: Letting go often leads to better outcomes

The most resonant branded content often happens when brands behave less like marketers and more like producers. That means trusting creators, and storytellers to bring their voices to the work. When brands try to over-engineer a message, audiences feel it – and they tune out. But when you give talented creatives a meaningful brief and the freedom to do what they do best, you end up with stories that actually connect.

It’s important to remember that while the non-interruptive, entertainment-driven avenue of the storytelling business may be new for brands, it’s not at all new for creative developers, writers, directors, and producers. Relinquishing a healthy amount of creative control will almost always result in an outcome that more closely resembles traditional entertainment – and can often be done without sacrificing brand objectives.

4. Myth: It’s all about being on the right platform

Truth: It’s about how the content makes people feel

We’re living in a time of media abundance – podcasts, TikToks, docuseries, livestreams, immersive experiences, and everything in between. But whether your story lives on YouTube, in a podcast feed, or as a short vertical video, what ultimately matters is how it makes people feel. Emotional resonance is what sticks with audiences, not where they saw it.

That said, certain stories are better suited to certain platforms. Brands should let the story lead the way – don’t force it into a platform just because it’s trendy. Sometimes what starts as a quick social post reveals itself to be worth a longer, deeper treatment. Follow that instinct when it happens.

5. Myth: Purpose-driven storytelling is a waning trend

Truth: It’s a lasting expectation

Today’s consumers want to know what a brand stands for, not just what it sells. And they’re increasingly aligning with brands that reflect their values. The most impactful storytelling is mission-driven – whether it’s about sustainability, civic engagement, or social equity. Done right, this isn’t performative – it’s persuasive and authentic.

Stories that express real purpose invite audiences to see brands as part of something bigger, and that connection pays off in loyalty and advocacy. Brands should consider exploring their CSR and mission-driven initiatives for great stories to tell – and amplify them as a way of communicating the good work they do to their audiences.

6. Myth: Influencers and creators are just amplifiers

Truth: They’re the new storytelling infrastructure

Creators aren’t just influencers anymore – they’re media companies, collaborators, and storytellers with built-in audiences. The smartest brands are forming long-term relationships with creators, not just one-off sponsorships. Why? Because for as much as loyal audiences trust the brands they love, those same audiences still trust creators more than brands.

An influencer or creator brought in to host your podcast can offer authenticity at scale – something legacy advertising still struggles to replicate. What’s more, creators are savvy storytellers with a keen understanding of their own audiences. Employing them to collaborate on the content can help brands find ways to speak to consumers in ways they may have previously overlooked.

7. Myth: Storytelling doesn’t speak to business goals

Truth: It just needs creative translation

Securing executive buy-in for storytelling initiatives remains one of the biggest challenges in the field. No matter how compelling your content is, you need to frame it in terms that resonate with decision-makers. That means tying storytelling outcomes to business objectives, building for multi-platform utility, and being ready to talk metrics.

The best creatives I’ve seen are the ones who can move between strategy and storytelling without skipping a beat. If a brand storyteller can educate themselves on the goals of the leadership they need to appeal to, design their content approach strategically to meet and exceed those goals, and then demonstrate the content’s viability – all while keeping costs at or below a traditional ad buy – they will have created a winning and replicable recipe for success. That may not always be easy, but it can be that simple.

Final Thought

We’re living in a golden age of branded storytelling – not because the playbook is set, but because it’s still being written. The most impactful brands aren’t just following trends; they’re shaping culture by telling stories that matter. They’re willing to experiment, to listen, to adapt – and in doing so, they’re earning real attention and lasting trust. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: storytelling isn’t a nice-to-have anymore. It’s the most powerful tool brands have to stay relevant, build trust, and create lasting impact.

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About the Author: 

Jordan P. Kelley is a branded content trend watcher and thought leader, serving as Content Director at the community building organization BrandStorytelling and curating the festival portion of BrandStorytelling: a Sanctioned Event of Sundance Film Festival. A Forbes contributor, Kelley edits the BrandStorytelling Newsletter, co-produces The podcast ‘Content That Moves’ and produces various video series for the BrandStorytelling YouTube Channel.