What does it mean to tell stories for a living?

The best marketing doesn't feel like marketing – it feels like a story. In this activity you'll hear from a strategist who came from English literature, not business, and found that understanding people matters more than understanding products.

This activity is designed to be flexible and can be used as follows:

  • During a lesson - 30 minutes. Students work in pairs and then share their reflections with the rest of the class.
  • During tutor time - 20 minutes. Students watch the video independently and then discuss one of the topics together.
  • As homework - Students watch the video on their own and complete the reflection at their own pace.

This activity supports the following frameworks:

  • Gatsby Benchmark 5
  • PSHE Association KS3 codes L4, L12
  • PSHE Association KS4 codes L3, L8

1. Before you start

Take a moment to think about the following question:

  • Think of the last time you were persuaded to try something - a game, a show, a product. What made you interested? Was it someone telling you facts about it, or was it more like a story?

If you're working with a partner or team, share and compare your thoughts before continuing.

2. Watch the video

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Kristin Kovner - Marketing Strategist

Kristin is a marketing strategist based in New York. She's worked with brands like Google, Spotify, and Samsung - helping them tell the stories behind their products. She describes marketers as "storytellers for brands" and says the job is about understanding people as much as understanding products.

While watching the video, listen for the following:

  • What does Kristin say marketing actually involves - beyond making adverts?
  • What does she say happens when a product just isn't good, no matter how well it's marketed?

3. Reflect and discuss

First, add a personal reflection based on the following:

  • What is one thing about Kristin's job that was different from what you thought marketing involved?

Next, think about the following and discuss with your partner or group:

  • Kristin says marketers are "storytellers for brands." She decides not just what to say about a product, but where people see it, who it's for, and why they might want it. How is that different from just making an advert? What skills do you think that requires?
  • Kristin says "no amount of marketing can save a bad product." What does that tell you about the relationship between what something actually is and how it's presented? Can you think of examples where good marketing made something seem better than it was - or where a great product failed because nobody heard about it?
  • Kristin studied English literature, worked as a journalist, then became an economic consultant before finding marketing. She says the combination of storytelling and data is what made her good at it. What does that tell you about how skills from very different areas can come together in one job?