By Helen Moore, Managing Partner
Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin …
That’s how a good story starts, right? Storytelling is pivotal to our work for clients here at Hollr. With attention increasingly in short supply there’s a growing recognition that people respond to great stories and so the skill of storytelling can’t be a bolt on.
It’s the creative engine you need to catch attention and build true connection with high-impact, high-trust communications that have cultural fluency. In a world where every brand wants to be heard, it’s effective narrative that helps you be believed. Product launches become stories of curiosity and ambition, sustainability reports a journey that people become keen to follow you on, internal messaging, an origin story – if told in the right way.
Put heart into your corporate communications
After all its storytelling that helps us humans make sense of the world. It’s emotional. It’s memorable. Facts are essential, but stories inspire. And whilst it’s certainly the case that most brands have for some time now been cognizant of saying the right things around purpose, inclusion and innovation; the way they say them? That can still sometimes feel a little too sanitised, too inward-looking, too easy to scroll past.
In a comms landscape oversaturated with brand-built narratives, a noticeable shift is starting to happen. And as is often the case it’s a shift that’s driven by wider cultural forces. The anti-gentrification movement, the desire to let go of perfectionism, the expectation for a dialogue not a monologue. Today’s audiences want more than messages, they want meaning.
Comms metrics improve through storytelling
- Message retention Stories are up to 22x more memorable than facts alone (Stanford Research).
- Media cut-through Journalists respond better to people-led angles and narrative hooks.
- Stakeholder engagement From ESG to employer brand, human-first storytelling builds emotional connection.
- Reputation resilience A well-established narrative helps brands navigate challenges with context and credibility.
Corporate influencers: creators, advocates, commentators, trusted voices
As our cultural and digital lives have embraced reviews, feedback, endorsements and celebrity, so increasingly, the most powerful way to deliver meaning is through other people – creators, advocates, and cultural commentators who can help brands show up in ways that feel more human, more diverse, and more credible.
It seems people are keen to listen to people who feel a bit like them. And it’s this shift that’s driving many brands towards a rethink not just on how they engage but also who they use to help tell their story. And rather than looking to the usual suspects internally, major brands are investigating the merits of people who have previously sat more comfortably in the consumer comms space.
Corporate creator partnerships – intersecting with brand purpose
As the pressure builds for brands to show up in new ways, and as audiences demand proof, not polish, corporate creator partnerships are fast becoming one of the most effective, authentic ways for brands to communicate who they really are. Just not in their own words for a change.
Corporate Creators aren’t necessarily “influencers” in the traditional sense. We’re talking about creators who care about issues that intersect with your brand’s purpose. Diverse external voices who bring sharp perspectives, lived experience, and storytelling credibility. Advocacy which might well feel more authentic and crucially that humanises that ‘sense of purpose’ which might well be becoming a little tired.
I’m not saying that external creators can tell your organisation’s whole story for you. But they can help you tell some aspects of it in a way that reaches more diverse people, across different platforms, with more impact. Moreover, they reach their own established communities, where your corporate sense of purpose can take on new meaning.
- A climate communicator explaining why your supply chain shift matters.
- A creator with lived experience talking about your menopause policy.
- A thought leader breaking down the impact of your tech innovation for in their community.
Different eyeballs
Corporate comms teams and agencies are brilliant at shaping narrative. But sometimes that narrative needs a new lens – a different voice that can bring personal experience, emotion, or even healthy critique. When creators talk about your brand, the story gets texture. It becomes more relatable, less corporate.
Whether it’s Gen Z consumers, niche professional communities, or underrepresented groups, creators often have deeper reach and stronger trust in spaces brands struggle to access directly. And it’s not just about more eyeballs. This is about different eyeballs – and hearts.
Harnessing this new network of trusted voices (crucially not ‘spokespeople’) can bring your story into new spaces and make it relevant for new people. Creators can help translate corporate statements into cultural language, into the context of real lives.
Considerations when developing a creator partnership
Don’t think of it as just another channel. It will require a mindset shift and most likely a loosening of the corporate grip on ‘messaging’. The best partnerships are based on alignment, not control. What is key is building relationships with creators who already care about the space your brand operates in. Single posts have their place, but sustained relationships build stronger trust and more layered storytelling. Spending quality time with influencers to give context and answer questions will help them interpret your purpose through their own lens. That’s how the magic (and the credibility) will happen.
Yes, there are risks. But they’re all manageable with good preparation and oversight:
- Misalignment? We vet carefully. Choose creators who already live the values.
- Mixed messaging? We build clear creative briefs—but leave room for tone and style.
- Internal resistance? We bring comms, brand, and legal teams in early. Make it a strategic strand-not a dip your toe in the water experiment.
Because in a world of hyperstimulation there remains lots of attention to give to the right thing. To the right person. To the right company.
If you would like to discuss a communications challenge or project, please feel free to contact me.
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