With the introduction of new advertising and marketing channels, brands have the opportunity to tell more complex—and more interesting—stories. Content on different channels and on different devices is consumed in different ways; as a result, there are more challenges for the storyteller—but more opportunities, too.

In integrated marketing campaigns, the (more or less) same message is told across various platforms. But when we adapt a marketing campaign to the unique characteristics of those different channels, we're engaging in transmedia storytelling.

Transmedia is a more appropriate way to consider media planning today, as it takes into account the behaviors, locations, and user journeys associated with the various media.

For example, we might discuss various product features in a newsletter, but not in a way we might in a TV commercial. Or we could ask for an immediate direct response on Instagram, compared with building brand awareness on radio. But, no matter how far and wide the campaign, it's important to keep the message coherent.

In this, the second video of the Context Is Everything* series of interviews, Steve Spence of the London College of Communication discusses transmedia storytelling and argues for the persuasive capabilities of storytelling across platforms:

*The Context is Everything series of videos presents highlights of discussions with neuroscientists, linguists, and behavioral psychologists about how people react to video messages in the digital environment. The series is a project of video intelligence platform vi, which connects publishers, content providers, and brands through video storytelling.