Stakeholders Push Purposeful Storytelling To Strengthen Brand Reputation

Industry stakeholders drawn from the marketing communications, public relations, advertising and branding ecosystem have called on corporate organisations, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies and PR practitioners to embrace purposeful and strategic storytelling capable of building stronger brands and creating lasting value.

The stakeholders made the call during a media parley where marketing professionals, brand innovators and other industry players converged to discuss the sustainability of brand publicity, effective communication strategies and the growing importance of storytelling in shaping long-term brand reputation.

A seasoned marketing communications expert and Divisional Director, Marketing, at Marketing Edge Publication, Anietie Udoh, joined marketing professionals to chart the way forward for corporate brands and FMCGs, particularly on how strategic storytelling can strengthen brand positioning, enhance credibility and create meaningful engagement with target audiences.

The stakeholders also urged integrated marketing communications practitioners to deepen public relations efforts around entrepreneurship, commerce, innovation and economic development, noting that connecting brands to broader issues of societal and economic relevance could make their stories more relatable while strengthening public trust.

Speaking at the media parley session, Udoh called for a more strategic approach to publicity, stressing that media visibility should be measured by its contribution to brand reputation and long-term value rather than simply by the volume of headlines generated.

Udoh, who highlighted emerging trends in Nigeria’s marketing communications industry, said brands, organisations and personalities must adopt more purposeful publicity strategies that align media exposure with their broader business and reputation objectives.

He said successful publicity should focus on telling the right story to the right audience at the right time, rather than pursuing every available media opportunity or jumping on every social media trend.

According to him, the growing obsession with headlines and online visibility could make publicity practitioners lose sight of the fundamental objective of communication, which is to build credibility, strengthen reputation and support long-term brand positioning.

“The biggest mistake in publicity is to assume that the more coverage you get, the more successful the campaign is. It is not always about how many headlines you generate. It is about whether those headlines are helping to build the reputation and positioning you want,” he said.

Udoh said publicity opportunities should be evaluated against where a brand or personality intends to go, rather than merely reflecting its past achievements.

He urged communication professionals to ask whether a proposed story adds value to the brand, would remain relevant months after publication and would be remembered for the right reasons.

The marketing communications expert explained that effective publicity begins with identifying a compelling and authentic story that resonates with the intended audience.

He cautioned publicists against manufacturing narratives simply because a client wants to trend, urging them instead to identify genuine aspects of a brand’s journey that can generate meaningful engagement and strengthen public perception.

Udoh cited Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing, FrieslandCampina Wamco, OPAY, Power Oil, Mouka Foam, Rite Foods and Elizade Autos as examples of Nigerian enterprises whose public narratives have, at different times, extended beyond product announcements to broader stories around entrepreneurship, innovation, Nigerian enterprise and economic development.

He said the same principle applied to personalities in the entertainment and creative industries, noting that a career transition, for instance, should be communicated within the context of an individual’s broader journey rather than as an isolated announcement.

According to him, audiences are becoming increasingly sophisticated and can easily distinguish between authentic communication and publicity created merely for attention.

He added that well-planned campaigns should contain different stories and media opportunities serving specific communication objectives rather than simply repeating the same message across multiple platforms.

Udoh identified credibility as one of the most valuable assets available to publicity professionals, stressing that sustainable relationships between public relations practitioners and journalists must be built on trust, accuracy and professionalism.

He said such relationships could not be developed through indiscriminate distribution of press releases or constant requests for publication.

According to him, journalists should be able to rely on communication professionals for accurate information, prompt responses and transparency.

“You cannot build a sustainable media relationship by bombarding journalists with emails and WhatsApp messages. You build it by understanding what they do, respecting their deadlines and giving them information they can trust,” he said.

He noted that credibility becomes even more important during crises, when journalists and the public require accurate information within a short period.

While acknowledging the importance of speed in modern publicity, Udoh cautioned practitioners against allowing the pressure to trend to replace strategic thinking.

He observed that social media had significantly shortened news cycles, making it possible for an individual, product or incident to become a national talking point within hours.

However, he said communication professionals must determine whether a viral moment could be converted into meaningful and sustainable visibility.

Udoh acknowledged the growing ability of Nigerian content creators and digital personalities to convert social media moments into mainstream media opportunities, but warned that not every viral trend should be exploited.

“Speed matters, but strategy matters more. If you rush into every trend without considering the consequences, you may achieve visibility today and create a reputation problem tomorrow,” he said.

The marketing communications expert also called for greater collaboration among publicists, marketers, advertising agencies, talent managers, corporate communications teams and brand owners.

He said publicity should not operate in isolation from the broader marketing and business objectives of an organisation.

According to him, the most effective campaigns are those in which all stakeholders understand the desired long-term positioning of the brand.

“For a corporate organisation, the publicity around a product launch should connect with the company’s larger brand promise. For an entrepreneur, media visibility should support the business story. For an entertainer, every major appearance should contribute to the kind of career the person wants to build,” he said.

Udoh urged communication professionals to resist the temptation to pursue publicity simply because an opportunity was available, stressing that every headline should contribute to moving a brand forward.

He maintained that the real measure of successful publicity was not necessarily the loudest media moment, but the lasting reputation created after the news cycle had ended.

“In publicity, the objective should not be to make the biggest noise. It should be to create the right conversation, with the right audience, at the right time, and leave behind an impression that continues to create value long after the headlines have disappeared,” Udoh said.