Abstract
M.A. (Strategic Communication)
The role of brands in the digital age is to innovate their brand-business in creative, relationship-orientated ways which requires a clear understanding of their consumer and the digital context. The 21st century strategist’s role has and will continue to change due to the digital revolution. For brands to understand the importance of building meaningful connections in the minds of people, between brands and consumers, they will begin to find themselves better positioned and valued in the digital environment, thus achieving resonance. Digital communication technologies have facilitated the growth of brand storytelling through the engagement capabilities of social media networks, content generation and content marketing. There is still however, a scarcity of research on how South African brands deliver digital content strategies focused on brand storytelling. The applied research methodology has considered the nature of the research topic in accordance with the qualitative nature of the research objectives. In the case of this research, the objective was to explore how South African brands utilise data-driven brand storytelling, to understand what is required to achieve brand resonance in the consumer context and why. A purposive sample comprising of eight social media managers responsible for the digital content strategies for the most valued brands in South Africa as ranked by Brand Finance (2018) has been utilised in this study. The applied methodological orientation has accommodated for the credibility of the research findings as these were tested for trustworthiness. Research has shown digital content strategies as being referred to as the foundation of data-brand storytelling. Literature has revealed that brand resonance is the ultimate goal for brands in the age of digital communications. The brands of focus in this study such as MTN and Vodacom, have focused their use of data-driven brand storytelling on brand objectives, with a key focus on consumer needs. How South Africa’s most valued brands utilise data-driven brand storytelling in their digital content strategies to establish brand resonance, has been demonstrated by this research as based on relevant consumer data directed at brand objectives focused on consumer demands.