Digital Storytelling and Public Relations

Abstract

The human experience consists of stories. We tell and listen to millions of stories throughout our lives. Not only humans but also organization use stories to explain their values and create meanings for their constituents. With the increased competition, stories became inevitable in order for organizations to form and to maintain relations. The main purpose of this chapter is to explain through cases analysis what “digital storytelling” means and why it has become essential in the public relations field. Firstly, the concept of “digital storytelling” will be discussed. Secondly, the reason why storytelling has become vital for organizations will be emphasized. Finally, three digital storytelling campaigns (Airbnb's “Breaking Down Walls,” Land Rover's “The Vanishing Game,” and UNICEF's “The Worst Soap Opera”) will be analyzed through multiple case study method. The aim is to examine how different companies are using storytelling for different purposes, and to find out the similarities and differences between the campaigns.