Storytelling & Digital Media

Dr. Marten
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1. What familiar storytelling techniques is the organization using?

Digital storytelling is a workshop based intensive practice that is used to guide the creation of
digital stories or short video with audio vignettes through structured process. The length of
digital stories is 2 to3 minutes. First voice is combined over narration that is based upon a story
script with video clips, music, texts, drawings, and digital photographs that are collected from the
personal archive of storyteller. In order to produce a digital story, tools like digital cameras,
personal computer, and editing software’s are used (Roth, 2010). Whereas for the purpose of
story distribution, digital tools like internet and DVD’s are used.

Dr. Martens Case study has been used as a part of analysis of this report. Dr. Marten is a famous
shoes brand and it is used as nursing and working shoes. Several techniques are used for the
purpose of digital storytelling. The techniques of the storytelling are used to deliver a message to
the world. Almost everyone from individuals to the businesspersons uses storytelling. It is one of
the popular and a powerful business tool and a marketing strategy that is used for the promotion
purposes. In the business environments, storytelling has now been used as a concept. The skill of
storytelling has made marketing and advertising more successful. Following are the techniques
of storytelling that are used by Dr. Martens
1- Message clear technique: keeping the message clear is the most important technique of
storytelling as it helps to keep audience attention. With the help of this technique the
useless details are omitted from the story thus helps to deliver a clear and understandable
message to the audience (Kirby, 2018). According to Dr. Martens the purpose of the
storytelling is to build a relationship with the consumer by explaining about company’s
vision and origin to the world in the form of stories in order to motivate existing and
attracting new employees.
2- Digital Media Technique: the Dr. Marten for the purpose of visual communication uses
digital media. Digital media involves the use of digital tools such as icons, PowerPoint,
images, as well as videos in order to transfer the ideas to the marketers and viewers. Use
of digital media helps to connect with the audience by helping them to imagine
themselves as a picture of the story. Dr. Marten attracts viewers through use of enormous
amount of texts, images, videos, and assisting the audience to connect them to the
presented story (Roth, 2010). Purpose of the digital media is that it helps in the visual
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assistance of storytelling. It not only helps to create and complete story for the viewers
but also makes the story realistic for the viewers.

2. What environment is the organization operating within?

By applying SWOT and PESTLE analysis of Dr. Marten, information about the company’s
operating environment has been analyzed particularly in the field of digital media.
SWOT Analysis:
Strengths: one of the biggest strength of Dr. Marten is that it has the ability to attract large
number of consumers by having complete information on marketing strategies, market models
and market development. Storytelling techniques have been effectively used in order to target its
products to consumers (Brander, 2018). The company has a strong presence on the social media
such as Facebook, Instagram, and Tumbler, which helps to connect the consumer demographics
with brand. Dr. Martens have a strong culture style.
Weaknesses: the weakness of the company is that it was originated during the Second World
War. Therefore, it gives perception to consumer that it is a war-supporting brand. Dr. Martens
has pushed its manufacturing unit outside the country, which is affecting the credibility of the
company. When brand’s credibil9ity adversely affected then it also affects the reliability and
authenticity of the brand. Due to the image of having negative self-awareness and brand loyalties
aging limits the attractiveness to young consumers.
Opportunities: storytelling helps to build connections with the new consumers. The company
can show evaluation and self-reflection through strong self-development. By using influences or
a distinctive story, it can help consumers to associate with the brand.
Threats: Dr. Martens have a storytelling template which is now outdated and it also lacks
experience therefore, it is difficult for the company to use innovative template for the purpose of
storytelling. The company needs to gain recognition in order to survive in the competitive
market, for this purpose, it can use the festivals after its brand name. Dr. Martens only produces
sponsor influencers that are only used by the consumers of the company (Tonelli, 2018).
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3. How is the story told across digital platforms?

Dr. Marten have used effective techniques for telling story across the digital platforms such as
Facebook, Instagram and Tumbler. ‘The hero theory’ is the technique used by the company for
the purpose of storytelling. The most attractive storytelling is the one, which is victorious in
extreme environments. For example, a person tries to become a hero, the hero kills a monster, or
a person tries to marry a queen. As already mentioned above, Dr. Marten was founded after the
World War II so the products are made from the discarded military materials used by medical
device engineers and army doctors (Pera, 2012). This discarded material is then refined and used.
A spectacularly went from the nursing and working boots to the signature subculture boots.
#firstandforever is one of the best storytelling campaign used by Dr. Marten.
The shoe maker advise fans to speak up about an important first moment and it kicked-off with
model including Agyness Deyn giving out their exceptional moments. The purpose of this
storytelling was to take a brand as confident and remarkably bold.
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4. How is the organization using a participatory culture approach in their storytelling?

The participatory culture concept was first initiated in1992 by Henry Jenkins. Every society has
its own culture and there are many subcultures that differs from each other. Dr. Marten is a
symbol of subculture and rebilion. Participatory culture helps the companies to adapt to the
changes hat are caused through the improvement in the internet. A new media culture is
generated by the advancement o technology. Participatory culture has been established through
this media technology and it helps to create a harmonious, natural, as well as flexible
communication environment between the consumers and the companies. This also helps to
strengthen the consumer’s participation and power. The brand positioning of the Dr. Marten is
also very strong and it focuses on the self-expression (Clark, 2014). The consumer feels high
level of participation and sense of identity by using the products of this brand.
The network activity is strengthening by the participatory culture. Here the relationship is
strengthening at the virtual level between community members. Social networking sites helps to
closely link the love, work, and real life of the members. The information shared between the
members is mostly reliable and true. Therefore, it symbolizes the integration of virtual and
physical world. Dr. Marten have created a strong example of such activities for example its
activity of ‘worn different’ in Amsterdam. Through this activity consumer shares their tailored
experiences by coming together. A strong emotional connection is build by Dr. Marten through
offline and online activities.
5. Is the story authentic and if so how? What does authenticity mean in this context?
The story was quite authentic and it has become one of the best storytelling campaigns of Dr.
Marten. The authenticity of the storytelling is important and it is the key to gain consumer trust
and attention by making it worthy for the consumers. It is important that the branded content
must be authentic in order to gain consumer attention. By authenticity, it means ‘equating the
brand with the person’ (Bell, 2018). In a brand storytelling, authenticity is to remain honest and
genuine in your messages and this helps to capture the heats and minds of the consumers.
Storytelling is considered as a skill which is mission critical for the businesses.
The story of the Dr. Marten’s #firstandforver campaign begins with the arrival of fall collection.
The idea behind the campaign was that everyone should realize about the first pair of Dr. Marten.
Through this idea, the company encourages everyone to share their personal experiences about
first pair of Dr. Marten on their site. This was a fully integrated campaign of Dr. Marten and it
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helps in increasing the brand awareness of the company. Through this, company starts getting
views about everyone’s memory with Dr. Marten (Copeland, 2018). With this all sharing, the
company gets sneak peak and its fall collection all sold out. The first and forever campaign is
authentic in nature, as the content of the storytelling is genuine and honest.

6. Are influencers used and is their engagement effective? If not being used, could they be
considered?
Influencers play significant role in the storytelling process as they help your message to reach to
the busy audience. Influencers have a large number of followers as well as highly engage
consumers who pay close attention to the mentioned brand. Through techniques such as
testimonials and reviews helps the brand to be known to the large number of consumers
(Richardson, 2019). The technique of storytelling is when used with the combination of
influencers become very effective use of influencers in storytelling helps to create a long-term
effect on the consumers.
The influences provide a positive impact on Dr. Marten and it sets a strong brand image of the
company. The influencers unintended shaped the brand histoy and brand image of the
comoany originally. Dr. Marten change in brand positioning have lead to the overall
transformation of brand i.e. it has become contemporary subculture brand from working shoes
and was explicitly supported as mutinous element by a guitarist (Jin, 2019). In addition to this,
the hardcore musicians act as influencers for Dr. Marten and helps in the brand expansion of the
company.
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Tonelli, M. (2018). Strategic Management and the Circular Economy. New York: Routledge.