'Storytelling directors', 'brand storytellers', 'customer storytelling manager'… these are just some of the newfangled job titles popping up on the internet that appear to be simply rebranding copywriters. Big tech and global giants like Google, Meta and Microsoft are asking for these roles to be filled so they have a human being 'owning the narrative' of their brand. Presumably because AI is turning out so much slop for brand communications, that something had to give. Even Marks and Spencer turned out an advert for a 'food brand storyteller' at the back end of 2025. So with more of these ads appearing, what does this really mean for professional copywriters?
The new definition of a 'brand storyteller'
Drill down into it and there's not much to get into. It's almost like someone thought of a job title off the cuff without the real reasoning behind it. Marks and Spencer's ad read something like 'producing standout concepts across various media and collaborating with teams to bring ideas to life'. That sounds like a really vague definition of UX writer, content writer and copywriter all rolled into one – potentially with some sales, marketing and design experience too if the person sought is collaborating across several teams. (Typically, copywriters are often asked to wear several hats).
A 'Customer Storytelling Manager' job ad from Google Cloud asked for the following:
- Four years of experience in marketing (such as brand marketing or social).
- Excellent writing and organisational skills.
- Experience in B2B or industry vertical content marketing.
- Ability to take initiative and make decisions quickly amidst multiple stakeholders.
- Ability to build relationships with internal and external constituents (e.g., customers, sales, product teams, etc).
- Detail oriented, and ability to manage multiple priorities.
Aside from the dull corporate jargon, this is probably every copywriter job description we've ever come across in our industry. The first line in the 'responsibilities' section of the ad says: 'Create and implement a holistic strategy for 1-2 industry verticals and develop programmes and opportunities for impact scaling of customer advocacy content.' To translate, this role is about someone deciding which stories to tell, who should tell them, and where to put them (online) so they make the most money.
Brand storytelling is copywriting
Content tells us what a brand did (or does), and a brand story tells us why it matters to the person buying products or services. Customers need a good reason to part with their hard-earned cash nowadays – and they want immediate connection with a brand. They want it to speak to them directly, and they want to know how it can make their lives better or resolve a problem. If these questions aren't answered, why should they care? Stories also bring about human connection, and we're more likely to remember a brand if it tells a story that resonates with us. Amidst the noise of the online and social media environments and companies releasing so many marketing messages to compete with others, storytelling brings everything together.
But here's the thing – copywriters (or at least, good ones) are trained in all of this anyway. They know how to cultivate a brand story and how to construct this connection. They know how to shape a brand's tone, story and messaging to create loyalty. And they should know which content will perform best on certain platforms, so that it drives engagement and reaches more customers who feel understood and heard. This also links to UX writers too, who are leading customers through journeys with digital products and experiences that feel deeply authentic and personal.
How copywriters 'own the narrative'
There are many ways in which copywriters use narrative in their writing to make copy more personal and immersive. They may target specific product or service details and use empathy to resonate with an audience's own life experiences. Instead of simply stating the facts and features of a product, the copywriter may also guide an audience through a brand story that leads potential customers to realise they need a product or service to make life easier. This makes the audience feel understood and 'seen'. The copywriter may use sensory language, anecdotes and hooks to pull the reader in, while ensuring the story focuses on the customer's own journey, needs and emotions.
Within their job as a copywriter, they'll also act as a brand guardian when it comes to the tone of voice a brand uses across all communications with customers. A copywriter will make sure that every email, in-app notification, line of web copy, CTA and blog has consistency in tone of voice based on a company's values and what it wants to communicate to its audience. If the copywriter also has UX experience, they'll be looking at quantitative and qualitative data to understand customer desires, needs and pain points.
In terms of knowing where to post the right brand stories, good copywriters have been taught the foundations of copy structure, marketing and SEO. They will know where to intentionally post content for maximum engagement and impact, and how to read analytics.
So, the next time someone tries to tell you that a 'brand storyteller' role is somehow different from copywriting. It isn't. It really isn't. After all, the aim of any copywriter is to provoke emotional responses, to persuade an audience to make a specific action, and most of all… to sell products and services.
