6 storytelling lessons from superheroes

This story first appeared on PR Daily in July, 2015. What makes the tales of Superman, Batman, Spider-Man—and now Ant-man—successful is that they incite passion among followers. Their stories transform these followers into loyalists and ambassadors.

Too often marketing and communications pros tap the wrong sources of information from our clients to use in connecting with audiences. Instead, we should look to the pages of comic books for inspiration.

Here are six popular story tropes, along with lessons you can learn from famous crusaders:

1. The Hulk learned to not get emotional. Bruce Banner, alter ego of The Hulk, goes from being the smartest guy in the room to being the biggest, strongest and greenest.

Among many other things, his stories teach us that we should often rely on the scientific approach, rather than the emotional, to address the problem. This is particularly apt when talking money.

2. People love how Spider-Man came to be. A “relatable origins story” always sells.

When you’re launching a brand, get to the heart of the matter by focusing on the people who are responsible for its existence.