Successful transmedia storytelling: the right message for the right channel

A tropical cocktail in one hand, cucumber slices on your eyes and deeply relaxed in your bathrobe – this is what flexitime looks like at Volksbank Mittelhessen. Suddenly a call from the boss asking when you’ll be back at work. The Volksbank’s TikTok went viral with more than 1.7 million views!

A prime example of transmedia storytelling. While Volksbank uses Indeed and LinkedIn to hunt for employees in a rather classic banker-like, buttoned-up way, it skilfully implements the talent search on TikTok in a platform-specific manner. Funny, unexpected and, above all, authentic. After all, the biggest challenge for brands is not only to tell their story, but to communicate it well on every platform.

Serious on LinkedIn, authentic on Insta and relatable on TikTok: The right message on the right channel

Gen Z hangs out on TikTok, millennials scroll through Instagram, and the baby boomers? They’re busy reading newsletters. Or is that not true at all? Why should we limit ourselves to one channel when the target group is everywhere?

In our fragmented digital landscape, it’s no longer enough to focus on just one platform. The transmedia approach allows brands to adapt their messages to different outlets and reach audiences where they already are – be it LinkedIn for professional insights or TikTok for entertaining and interactive content.

The first step to successful transmedia storytelling is to understand your own audience. Different target groups frequent different media channels for different reasons. And this is also where they increasingly make purchasing decisions!

The payment service provider Klarna found that by 2023, more than half of Gen Z and 69 per cent of millennials will have purchased a product that they previously discovered via social media. The younger generation is most likely to find what they are looking for on Instagram (65 per cent) and TikTok (64 per cent), while millennials are more likely to find inspiration on YouTube (65 per cent) and Facebook (58 per cent). Instagram (53 per cent) is also very popular with them.

Only LinkedIn is somewhat out of line: the platform serves more as a professional network (and of course for shameless self-promotion) in which users from all generations are active.

One message, many platforms, endless possibilities: Don’t lose sight

Each platform has its own tone and best practices. Brands must adapt their messages accordingly in order to be effective. The core of the brand must never be lost.

Why should brands focus on the brand essence in their communication? Find out here

The story must therefore be consistent across platforms, but not boring! While an Instagram post convinces with a strong image, a TikTok makes us laugh and a LinkedIn article makes us think. We visit certain platforms with a certain expectation of content and tone. Companies need to know how to accurately translate their core messages into the jargon of the respective network.

A common mistake in transmedia storytelling: brands lose sight of their core message across channels. Even if the tone and presentation vary from TikTok to LinkedIn, the main story should remain coherent. Each channel offers special features to place your message in a different way at each touchpoint.

How can this work? With its campaign ‘The Shitropocene’, Patagonia impressively demonstrates exactly that. The mockumentary is about humanity’s overconsumption. It is accompanied by informative LinkedIn posts and slideshows on Instagram about community events and outdoor cinema screenings of the film. The icing on the cake are the accompanying TikToks: hardly any context – just vibes.

Patagonia is an absolute love brand. By the way, you can find a deep dive here

Like, share, comment: Community is Key

Successful transmedia storytelling means not only distributing content, but also enabling interaction. Passively consuming content is a thing of the past. Users expect to get in touch with brands. Whether it’s a Facebook survey, a TikTok challenge or a live Q&A session on Instagram – the more the audience is involved, the greater the interaction. Because we know that: A lot of engagement is rewarded by the algorithm. Users are also more likely to identify with a brand that makes them feel recognised and responds to their concerns. The problem: some brands’ comment columns are more like a forum for complaints about late deliveries, false advertising promises or overpriced products. The keyword here is community management!

After all, community management can also create a cross-brand identity – provided it is approached with sensitivity. Caution is advised here: In recent months, a trend has emerged in which brands comment under viral videos, especially on TikTok, often in the manner of a private person. However, without humour or added value for the brand, such comments quickly come across as unpleasant and inappropriate. This can damage the company’s image rather than strengthen it.

Last but not least: it should be authentic

Advertising must accommodate our new way of consuming content. In social media in particular, this means no longer trying to sell the perfect illusion. The younger generations are tired of a flawless lifestyle and artificially staged appearances. They demand a wealth of ideas, personality and authenticity – simply real and relatable. It’s easy 🙂

There is no way around it! Users decide for themselves what they want to see and when they want to see it. For brands, this means that more than ever, they need to deliver relevant and appealing content that picks up on current trends or at least has its finger on the pulse of the times.

A good approach for companies is to take inspiration from existing TikTok trends and develop their own creative ideas from them. Behind-the-scenes videos that give an authentic insight into the company and show what everyday life is like there are particularly successful at the moment – this creates closeness and trust. Brands can also benefit from a temporary channel takeover. Here, a well-known content creator usually takes over the company’s social media channel for a limited period of time and brings their followers with them.

The best thing about the new way of advertising? On video-based platforms like TikTok – and increasingly Instagram – it’s less about the number of followers and more about the quality of the content. A clever video that strikes a chord can quickly go viral and generate immense reach – even for companies that are just starting out with their social media presence.

For transmedia storytelling to succeed, brands need to ask themselves the following questions before the next campaign: Are we where our audience is? Do we speak the language of the target group? And above all, do our core messages and values come across clearly on every channel?

Fancy a bit of inspiration? In our Campaigns of the Month, we regularly present the best pieces of storytelling!