Storytelling has become the most overused word in marketing, and Emma Lieberman thinks that's exactly the problem. In this episode of Content Amplified, Emma, Director of Copy and Content at Impact Networking, argues that storytelling isn't a strategy to optimize, it's a craft, and treating it like a KPI is why so many brand stories fall flat. Drawing on Aristotle's Poetics, Emma breaks down what actually makes something a story (a beginning, a middle, an end, a character who changes) and why most marketing "stories" are really just branding wearing a costume. She walks through three examples that get it right: Grainger's YouTube series of unscripted client interviews, a Volvo ad that never shows the car until the very last second, and Google's classic "Parisian Love" ad told entirely through search bar queries. Emma also shares the one tactical move any marketing team can make tomorrow: start with client stories, since no sales team has ever said no to more of them. If you've ever wondered why your brand's "storytelling" isn't landing, this conversation explains what's actually missing.

About Emma

Emma Lieberman didn't start out in marketing. She spent years in Los Angeles working as an actor and comedian, doing stand-up, sketch, and indie film, before the pandemic pushed her to try content writing as a freelancer. She quickly found that the skills she'd built connecting with an audience on stage translated directly to connecting with one in writing, and she moved from freelance work into an in-house role at Impact Networking. She's been promoted several times since and now serves as Director of Copy and Content at Impact Networking.

Show Notes

• Connect with Emma on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-lieberman/

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