Exploring new communication strategies for a global brand : transmedia storytelling and gamification

Abstract

Marketing is changing and companies or brands try to find new ways to engage consumers and involve them in their advertising efforts. There are two new communication strategies that might be able to lead the way into a new area of advertising and marketing: transmedia storytelling and gamification. The research questions were how to use such strategies in the communication or branding environment and how to use them when a global brand wants to communicate across cultures while adapting the approach to each individual one. In this study a case analysis of Coca-Cola advertising campaigns was conducted. Cases containing both transmedia storytelling and gamification elements as well having a cultural variation were selected for investigation. Results show that there are many elements that can be used to tell a story across media or to gamify advertising. Transmedia storytelling elements are for example emotions, content that provokes talking about the story or the use of a story across different media platforms. Gamification elements that are used in advertising are rewards and prizes, time pressure, reputation and rank indicators or feedback mechanisms. Such ingredients can be used flexibly and can also be adapted to local cultural traits and values. Since both techniques are highly engaging they might change advertising in the future.