The media is no stranger to telling stories, writes Rachel Macey, but what role does storytelling play in research, insights and strategy?
Stories shape the world and define who we are. Throughout history, they have been the medium through which cultures transmit values, forge ideologies, and inspire movements. Stories also form the backbone of cultural and personal identity, providing individuals and societies with a shared sense of belonging, a framework of beliefs, and the tools to make sense of the world around them.
Of course the media, as an essential component of our culture, is no stranger to telling stories – doing so underpins much of its business model – but what happens when we turn our focus inward, where storytelling also plays a role in research, insights and strategy?
Well, the results are in, and according to a global study by Kantar Media, which polled over 1,000 professionals across more than 50 markets, storytelling, alongside communication, is perhaps much more important than many believe, and was ranked as the most highly valued skill in 2024. It is projected to become even more important in future.
This is because storytelling is how we create meaning out of data, and communicate value, ideas and vision. And as the volume and complexity of data increases, the need to craft compelling and clear narratives rises with it.
However, as a skill, we need to make a deeper investment in storytelling and do more to hone it as a craft. As author and storytelling expert Anthony ‘Tas’ Tasgal notes, the purely data-driven approach we sometimes overly rely on can overwhelm people and hinder the effectiveness of insights. Instead, researchers and data analysts are increasingly required to focus on creating more meaningful narratives as a process of data translation. Yet this often requires more creative skills. So, let’s explore how we can become better storytellers by understanding the link between data and narrative insight.
Transforming data into meaningful stories
Storytelling transforms complex data into narratives that people can grasp. As data grows and increasingly comes from multiple sources, there is a need to move beyond raw numbers and create meaning that can more effectively influence, persuade and inspire. That is why data visualisation tools are now so valuable – as are the skills of creative teams, which can help convert a data scientist’s stats into more universally understood concepts which are both easy to understand and share.
Furthermore, while data might provide the foundation, storytelling transforms these insights into something that resonates emotionally. As Tasgal explains in this TED Talk, numbers tend to numb us, but stories stir us. Human decisions more often hinge on emotional engagement, not just cold logic, making storytelling essential in shaping strategy and investment because they are simply better at persuading people.
Moreover, storytelling provides a way to communicate complex information in a digestible format, which is increasingly crucial in a world where time and attention are scarce. In this sense, stories can serve as heuristic shortcuts, simplifying intricate data and acting as a guiding force. When combined with an understanding of the codes, languages, and values that resonate with different audiences – from the strategic minds of the C-suite to the creative brains developing new content – storytelling gains the power to transform data into a shared vision.
Storytelling as a connector
In today’s cross-platform media environment, storytelling also acts as a unifying element, connecting various datasets and platforms into a cohesive narrative. While different data sets might tell you different things about audience behaviour, storytelling goes further by revealing who these people are, what motivates them, and why their behaviours matter to advertisers.
Take Kantar Media’s TGI data, for example. The audiences and targeting survey data serves as the golden thread that ties together consumer insight, media planning and campaign activation by offering deep, connected consumer insights. It provides more than basic demographic numbers, helping advertisers understand the motivations, behaviours, and preferences of not just their current customer base but crucially, their prospective potential customers. This enriched view transforms raw, complex data into simple yet meaningful stories, allowing advertisers to craft campaigns that resonate and impact on a personal level.
Good storytelling relies on good data
It’s important to remember that not all data is equal. For instance, ‘people-powered’ measurement, derived from consented panels that reflect real-world behaviour, can often provide a stronger foundation for relatable and emotionally engaging stories because the data is rooted in human experience.
A strong narrative also needs high-quality data to maintain its integrity. In today’s media landscape, trust is built on transparency regarding data provenance, accuracy, and completeness. Without these, even the most creative storytelling may fall short – or be outshone by more credible narratives.
To mitigate such risks, we must foster data literacy as traditional data teams increasingly look to collaborate with creative talent to bring their insights to life. By empowering those individuals who can help us tell our stories to understand, interpret, and communicate data effectively, we cannot only transform complex insights into compelling narratives, but we can do so by truly believing in them.
Tech, and the evolving role of data and storytelling
As the media landscape shifts and new challenges arise, the ability to interpret and enrich data will become even more vital. Technologies like AI can certainly assist in this process, but I urge caution when it comes to relying on these tools for crafting narratives, despite their convenience. Generative AI, while useful for processing information, lacks the human creativity and emotional intelligence required to create truly engaging and meaningful stories. It cannot replicate the depth of understanding and contextual insight that human storytellers bring to the table.
Storytelling is, at its core, a deeply human-to-human endeavour, and it’s important that we carefully define the boundaries between AI and human creativity. Our skills survey underscores this point: while AI will undoubtedly play a significant role in the future of the media industry, leaders also recognise that the human art of storytelling remains indispensable and is rated as more important. AI can help organise and analyse data, but it is the uniquely human ability to weave that data into narratives that resonate with people that will continue to be essential.
Discover the skills shaping tomorrow’s media ecosystem in Kantar Media’s global study here.