Tunisha Singleton, PhD
© 2017
Cut Through the Noise
The 3Es of Brand Storytelling: Emotion, Engagement, and Experience

Tunisha Singleton, PhD
© 2017
The gridirons of real life and digital media are
saturated with content.

Tunisha Singleton, PhD
© 2017
Media is no longer a
“thing.”
Media technology is
now:
• Part of human culture
• Hero enabling
• Conduit to personal, social,
& global change
• Tool for economic and
professional growth
• Barrier breaking

Tunisha Singleton, PhD
© 2017
“A cyborg is not Terminator or
Robocop, but the experience of
everyday life that's been altered
by technology. Everyone that
uses technology is a
superhuman.”
Amber Case,
Cyborg Anthropologist
“It's not so strange anymore
because it's the norm -- most
everyone else around us is also
a superhuman. The only time
we notice it is when our devices
run out of power. We're all
super humans until our devices
lose energy.”

Tunisha Singleton, PhD
© 2017
Media psychology is an applied research method which seeks to
understand and interpret the human experience in context to our usage
and meaning associated with media and technology.

Tunisha Singleton, PhD
© 2017
~Tunisha Singleton, Ph.D.
The Need for
Story
“If technology is the car, let story be the
driver. The car isn’t going anywhere
without something behind the wheel
driving it right.
Let story enable the technology, making it
relevant, practical, and complementary to
the human experience.”

Tunisha Singleton, PhD
© 2017
The acceleration of content is no longer
enough for brand or product sustainability

Tunisha Singleton, PhD
© 2017
By nature we are...
Innate Storytellers
o Contagious
o Community building
o Fostering empathy and
connections

Tunisha Singleton, PhD
© 2017
So...how do you make your
project stand out?

Tunisha Singleton, PhD
© 2017
1) Emotion
2) Engagement
3) Experience
Sculpt your
story with the
3Es:

Tunisha Singleton, PhD
© 2017
1) Emotion
 Strategically use technology to build emotionally-binding content.
 Understanding the human drivers of behavior with research will tap into
your audience’s needs.
 Storytelling with data will enable you to create a content marketing
strategy built on retention and growth.
 Fuel for brand loyalty.

Tunisha Singleton, PhD
© 2017
Emotion in Immersive Media
Photo: Adam Mason
 360 and VR experiences entering
the non-profit sector
 Cause marketing + social
advocacy efforts
 Build empathy to turn users into
donors
 CharityWater.org

Tunisha Singleton, PhD
© 2017
Emotional Components of Commitment
Affective Continuance Normative
Want Need Should

Tunisha Singleton, PhD
© 2017
2) Engagement
 Ignite our social and digital media landscape with
activity.
 Invite opportunities to engage and see their
experience come to fruition.

Tunisha Singleton, PhD
© 2017
Transmedia Storytelling and
Participatory Culture
 Being honest, authentic, and true
to your brand’s identity will open
doors for interaction.
 “Participation creates loyalty as a
byproduct of ownership.”
- Dr. Pamela Rutledge,
Media Psychologist

Tunisha Singleton, PhD
© 2017
Engagement in Sports Media
(Synergy Sponsorship research)
Insatiable Social Animals:
• 78% of sports fans state
that ease of access and
immediacy of
information are key
drivers for social media
use

Tunisha Singleton, PhD
© 2017
3) Experience
 Products and services come and go...but breakthrough experiences have
no expiration date.
 Assess, strategize, implement, and evaluate different research methods
and metrics to gather insight relevant to your marketing initiatives.
 Hone your voice to own your brand experience.
 Turn precious moments into valuable assets for your customers.

Tunisha Singleton, PhD
© 2017
“Companies should realize that they must
make memories (and not goods) and
create the stage for generating greater
economic value (and not deliver services).
Goods and services are no long enough.
Customers now want experiences and
they’re willing to pay admission for them.”
Experience Economy,
- B. Joseph Pine II and James H. Gilmore,
cofounders Strategic Horizons LLP.

Tunisha Singleton, PhD
© 2017
Women
empowerment
brand experience
Reebok Campaigns
 2015 #BeMoreHuman
 2016 #PerfectNever

Tunisha Singleton, PhD
© 2017
Remodeling Reebok Through Core Values
Challenges
Authenticity
Equality
 Pure performer products
 Style trendsetting swag
 Restoring nostalgic products
“Pumps”
 Les Mills Group X classes
 UFC affiliation
 Ronda Rousey lead
spokeswoman

Tunisha Singleton, PhD
© 2017
Experience is Undefeated.
Feel it.
Remember
it.
Share it .