Why Do FMCG Brands Get Stuck in the Short Term?

-The pressure to sell fast and often is intense:

-New products launch constantly.

-Consumers switch brands based on price and availability.

-Sales teams push for instant results.

A recent report by NielsenIQ (2023) noted that over 60% of FMCG marketing budgets are spent on trade promotions—those short-term price discounts and incentives aimed at quick sales.

But while these tactics drive immediate spikes in sales, they rarely build lasting emotional connections. The IPA’s 2019 research on marketing effectiveness found that campaigns focusing on brand-building are more likely to achieve long-term profit growth than those purely driven by activation.

So why does this matter?

Because long-term growth depends on more than price—it depends on meaning.

The Power of Strategic Storytelling

-Storytelling is not just a buzzword—it’s a way to frame your brand as part of something larger. Psychologist Jerome Bruner estimated that facts are 22 times more likely to be remembered if they are part of a story. And in the cluttered FMCG aisle, the brands that make us feel something are the ones we remember.

-Strategic storytelling means telling stories that are:

-Consistent with your brand’s purpose

-Relevant to your audience’s lives

-Adaptive across changing trends

-Instead of telling people what to buy, you’re showing them who you are and what you stand for.

Examples That Inspire

Take a look at how some FMCG brands are embracing storytelling:

1. Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign—rather than pushing discounts, Dove focused on authentic, relatable stories about real people and self-esteem. This strategic storytelling has given Dove a strong emotional connection with consumers for nearly two decades.
2. Amul’s iconic “Amul Girl”—a playful, consistent narrative that taps into current affairs while reinforcing Amul’s everyday relevance.
3. Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke”—a campaign that wasn’t about discounts or price cuts but about connecting people through personalization and nostalgia.

How Strategic Storytelling Fuels Long-Term Brand Building

1. Emotional resonance: FMCG purchases are often subconscious. People buy what feels familiar and comforting. Storytelling builds that feeling.
2. Consistency across channels: In a world of fragmented attention, stories provide a unifying thread—from social media to packaging.
3. Differentiation in a crowded market: A 2020 McKinsey report highlighted that brand-building activities—like emotional storytelling—can drive price premiums of up to 20% in certain FMCG categories.
4. Brand loyalty and advocacy: When people relate to your brand story, they’re more likely to buy repeatedly—and share that story with others.

Key Ingredients of Strategic Storytelling for FMCG

• Start with a clear brand purpose.

What’s the “why” behind your product? It could be sustainability, health, heritage, or community. Purpose-led brands build stories that feel authentic, not forced.

• Know your audience deeply.

Beyond demographics, understand their values, beliefs, and aspirations. Even small daily rituals—like making tea or snacking—can be powerful storytelling moments.

• Use content pillars.

Instead of random posts, create a few core themes that reflect your brand’s story. For instance: For a beverage brand: hydration, social occasions, active lifestyles. For a home care brand: family, cleanliness, sustainability.

• Be visually consistent.

Storytelling isn’t just words—it’s visuals too. Your packaging, videos, and social media posts should feel like chapters of the same book.

• Adapt across platforms.

Your brand story should be flexible enough to evolve for Instagram reels, blog articles, in-store displays, or email campaigns—but the core message stays the same.

Challenges to navigate:

- Short-term sales pressure: You’ll still need to balance storytelling with tactical campaigns. Because, storytelling doesn’t replace promotions; it complements them.

- Message dilution: Conflicting campaigns can confuse consumers. Ensure your content remains cohesive and anchored in purpose.

- Budgeting for the long-term: It takes time for stories to resonate. But as the LinkedIn B2B Institute has found, long-term brand-building campaigns can yield significantly higher ROI over three years.

Bringing It All Together: A Curious Learner’s Take

As I keep exploring this idea, what fascinates me most is how stories tap into universal human truths—even in the FMCG world of everyday products. A bar of soap, a packet of chips, or a bottle of water can all be part of larger stories that shape how people see themselves.

So think beyond discounts. Think in decades, not weeks. Think in stories, not slogans.

Consider how you can weave strategic storytelling into everything you create. Because, it’s not just about selling more—it’s about becoming more meaningful to the people you serve.