Brands do not just use storytelling for no reason, as discussed previously, they use storytelling strategically to make an emotional connection to the consumer which has become a need in modern day. The first of these ‘checkpoints’ is the message of the story. This central message, “is an ideological or moral statement that works as a central theme throughout the story” (Fog, 2004:34). Klaus Fog uses Romeo and Juliet as an example of a moral, being “true love conquers even death”. The consumer is able to internalise and fully understand what the brand is trying to portray when a core moral, or ‘message’ is at the central theme of any story.

The second of these checkpoints is the conflict of the story. “Conflict is the driving force of a good story. No conflict, no story” (Fog, 2004:35). What Klaus Fog means by conflict is not something negative, it is a way in which the storyteller, or in this case brands, can communicate their perception of right and wrong. The reason why conflict is such a big factor to play in stories, is because “As humans, we instinctively look for balance and harmony in our lives. We simply don\’t like being out of tune with our surroundings and ourselves. So, as soon as harmony is disrupted we do whatever we can to restore it. We avoid unpleasant situations, feelings of stress or anxiety” (Fog, 2004:35). By having conflict within a story, the consumer can relate to the brand on a more emotional level, rather than just being skin deep.

Thirdly, the characters involved are a key feature to any story. “In order to get personally involved with a story, we, as readers or listeners, must be able to identify with the characters” (Fog, 2004:41). The use of characters helps to create the emotional connection to the consumer as spoken about previously. The way it does this is because as a consumer, we may be able to see part of our self in one of the characters. This makes a relation between the consu