Automotive brand marketers can no longer rely on slick magazine ads or expensive commercials touting deep-discount promotions. Today’s consumers are not as persuaded by TV ads as they once were. Instead, modern messaging must focus on emotional narratives that resonate with consumers. Marketers need to consider buyers’ motivations, needs, desires, and values to appeal to their feelings in ways that help them align with both the brand and the vehicle. Consider these tips to use creative storytelling that engages with target audiences.
Why storytelling works in automotive marketing
Emotional connections in marketing can create a profound psychological impact on consumers, regardless of what they’re purchasing. Storytelling in automotive marketing, for example, can help increase engagement and attention, evoke feelings of nostalgia, increase perception of the brand, and build long-term loyalty. Perhaps most importantly, from a brand’s perspective, emotions can help influence decision-making behavior.
Marketers who use data-driven insights on consumer decision-making know that scripted ads no longer work as well as before social media’s advent. In fact, according to a recent IZEA survey of consumers, 77% of consumers favor content created by influencers over professional scripted ads. The top factors increasing trust in influencers’ recommendations? Authenticity (68%), recommendation history (54.1%), and product demonstration (51.5%).
Check out this example in which Toyota partnered with TikTok influencer Madilyn Bailey, who wrote a song using real comments about the 2025 Camry and hired an entire band to play it in the car alongside her.
Types of stories that resonate
There are countless types of stories and approaches that vehicle brands can use to attract, engage, and persuade consumers. Here are four to consider as your team looks to scale your campaigns on social media.
Personal journeys
Some automotive brands—such as Ferrari, Subaru, and BMW—have very high rates of repeat customers. The loyalty of these buyers purchasing their second or third vehicle can be showcased in stories that include the “why.” Customers sharing stories about milestones with their car, such as bringing home a baby from the hospital or sending a teen off to college, can create genuine emotion for viewers.
Consumers don’t just crave this social proof but also actively pursue it before making purchases. Check out this TikTok video from Mikaela Kenady, who, along with her passenger, walked away from her flipped Subaru without injuries.
Legacy and heritage
Another approach is to tell the story of a car company’s history, to evoke feelings of nostalgia and trust. Content that shares vehicles being passed down from parent to teen, that talks about the American-made legacy of the brand, or that focuses on first-generation purchases as a goal for younger consumers can create authentic emotion around determination, pride, integrity, and multigenerational values.
Adventures and aspirations
Beyond getting from point A to point B, what do consumers want to feel when they drive their car? For some, it may be a sense of adventure found in road trips and exploration. For others, it’s about obtaining a high status through hard work to achieve dreams. Others may simply want reliability and safety for their family, knowing their vehicle can transport their loved ones safely through snowstorms or that it won’t require regular trips to the mechanic.
Innovative futures and progressive values
As younger consumers seek out sustainable companies with hybrid or electric options, it behooves marketers to openly tout these eco-friendly features. Gen Z and millennials in particular, lean into brands whose values align with their own, particularly when it comes to the environment, diversity and inclusion, and social responsibility.
Check out this Subaru-sponsored post from The National Park Travelers, which highlights the fact that the brand is the largest corporate donor to the National Park Foundation.
How to craft compelling automotive stories
Now that you understand some of the “why” behind storytelling in automotive marketing, here are some key tips for the “how.”
Know your audience
Let your demographic research inform your content. By tailoring your narratives to smaller segmented groups through influencer marketing, content creators can craft the most appealing and authentic messaging that will resonate with their niche demographics.
Visual and audio elements
Consider the role of video, photography, and car design in your storytelling and choose sound or music that complements those elements. For example, marketing a sports car to adventurous retirees might be showcased using drone footage to demonstrate smooth handling around oceanside curves with music from the 1970s.
Emotionally charged content
Music isn’t the only component that can be used to help generate emotions. Personal experiences can provide authentic moments of connection to consumers with which they can see themselves in a similar lived experience. Allow real customers to share their stories in ways that feel honest and use full transparency regarding sponsorship.
Is your brand ready to use storytelling to sell cars? Reach out to ContentMarketing.com to learn more about scaling your efforts with the support of content production, strategy, or fully managed services.
