Winning Hearts and Minds Through Stories: A Look at the 50 Most Valuable Airline Brands

Marketing at its core is an exercise in persuading consumers to purchase a product and storytelling is increasingly viewed as a proven way to persuade because humans are the storytelling animals. Stories are reflected in all aspects of human life over history and in the day to day. It is a never-ending run of stories, whether it be conversations with each other or consuming mass media. In this Major Research Paper, I investigate the use of storytelling among the world's 50 airlines by brand value. First, I code the 50 pieces of content sampled, one each from each airline, to reveal if they are using storytelling to advance their brand. If so, I then analyze what plot they are using in the story and what is the objective of the story. Finally, I explore what are the key themes observed within the stories.