Kelley O'Brien, Former Director of Social Media at Krispy Kreme

#146: How Krispy Kreme Delights its Fans Through Digital Storytelling

#146: How Krispy Kreme Delights its Fans Through Digital Storytelling

In 2011, Kelley O’Brien made an ironic transition: she left her career at a health agency to work for one of America’s favorite guilty pleasures: Krispy Kreme.

That’s because Kelly, the former Director of Social Media at Krispy Kreme, is all about bringing joy to her customers, whether through an inventive community health center promotion she used to produce, or planting a donut Easter egg in your Instagram feed. 

Any business can hop on Instagram and post a photo of their product in hopes of reaching a customer. But it’s through storytelling that you give the customer something to really connect with, beyond just that photo.

My mom always said, “Everything in moderation.” But when it comes to a brand’s digital storytelling, believe me, there is no moderation to be found.

Kelley says it’s all about finding a little moment in time and using it to your advantage. For example– Krispy Kreme took Tom Brady’s infamous “deflate gate” scandal and turned it into a viral ad that stated “Ours are fully filled. #deflategate.”

Now that’s how you capitalize on a moment.

On this week’s episode, Kelley shows you how the doughnut giant uses entertaining digital storytelling to connect with 11 million people through branded social media channels to live out the brand’s mission of bringing joy to fans. 

In This Episode, You Will Learn

• The “Power of Occasion” in your brand storytelling
• The value of using user-generated content to your advantage
• How to use evolving platforms to tell your story

Key Quotes

“Without the history, you can’t move on to the future.” –Kelley O’Brien

“It’s okay to not have perfect. If you see people having fun, that’s what’s important.” –Kelley O’Brien

“Let the story roll out on its own.” –Park Howell

“Your storytelling can evolve and change, but make sure your voice and the story you have to tell still has that uniqueness to who you are.” –Kelley O’Brien

“It all starts with listening and understanding your customers.” –Park Howell

Mentioned In This Episode

• Kelley O’Brien’s Twitter
• Krispy Kreme Instagram
• Krispy Kreme Twitter
• International Storytelling Center
• Water Use It Wisely
• Deflate Gate Ad

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