Telling the tale: applying a strategic brand storytelling process for STP planning

The Segmentation-Targeting-Positioning (STP) process is a central tenet of marketing, yet can be challenging to implement in practice. Moreover, previous studies have identified a gap between academic theory and execution of STP. To contribute to this gap, this qualitative study utilizes storytelling as a window to gain a deeper understanding of practitioners’ lived experience in applying STP. A storytelling training workshop was developed, in which participants create buyer personas, plan out a story architecture, and write a story narrative. Five field tests and corresponding focus groups were conducted with marketing practitioners to examine their experiences in working through the STP process and the value of storytelling as a strategic planning tool. The findings shed light on specific marketing planning challenges and reveal benefits of using storytelling to address such challenges.