To say that 2024 has been a challenging year for food companies may be the greatest understatement in recent memory.

Inflation has ravaged the supermarket and foodservice business causing marketing and sales VPs to scramble to battle private label and improve shelf velocities. Meanwhile, consumers are visiting supermarkets more frequently but buying less. Restaurant dine in traffic is down as well, with the casual segment struggling to attract customers who are trading a couple of cocktails and an hour or two at a sit-down restaurant for a quick service drive through.

We’re helping more than a dozen brands navigate the storm through a variety of strategies custom built for them and their target customers. One pillar of all our strategies is brand storytelling. It’s something that Creative Energy excels at activating, from the story to the deployment via every route from CTV to social. Here are some convincing reasons why making an emotional connection with consumers is so important for 2025.

Sprout Social found that 83% of marketers who used social storytelling reported increased customer engagement, particularly when using Instagram and TikTok. According to Edelman’s annual Trust Barometer, nearly 81% of consumers cite trust as a deciding factor in their buying decisions, particularly for new brands. By sharing genuine stories that align with consumers’ values, brands can establish a sense of trust and authenticity.

Neuroscientist Antonio Damasio’s research has shown that emotions play a critical role in decision-making, including purchasing decisions. When consumers feel an emotional connection, they’re more likely to act on impulse and make buying decisions based on how the brand makes them feel rather than purely rational evaluation.

Storytelling is the cornerstone of our agency’s promise of building cult-like followings that compel a purchase beyond price. Here are a few of our favorite stories that evokes emotion.

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Ketchup With A Cause

How does a challenger to Heinz ketchup steal market share within the foodservice business? Our story was to embrace a relevant social cause that connects with at least 100 million Americans that restaurant could share in the halo. This 60 second story was part of a strategy that saw the client set sales records.

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From Starter To Finish

La Brea Bakery literally created the category of branded supermarket bakery bread. It’s story that began with a small bakery by a committed baker begged for a great story to consumers amid rising inflation. The story was so strong it because the brand platform for the client. Take a look.

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The Overtons

The first time I viewed this story I truly shed a tear of joy for our team’s skill at weaving an entire culture into our client’s brand. It’s a true story from Nashville where family get togethers are at their core of true happiness. Watch and let me know your thoughts.

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Go Blue

The client built the most sustainable aquaculture system in the world. Their deep ocean enclosures raised healthier and more delicious fish. It was a story worth telling as an anthem that connect the brand with nature.

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The Coca-Cola Community

Connecting one of the world’s top brands to a universally important cause tells a story that humanizes an icon. We’re telling more great stories on a continuity basis.

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Making Storytelling A Pillar Of Your Brand Marketing

A brand’s true story can make an emotional connection with consumers that private label can never compete. There’s an art to storytelling that few can master but we have. If you are seeking a thread to the heart instead of the pocketbook for your marketing strategy, Creative Energy is worthy of a discussion.