Journal of African Development

In today’s competitive and technology-driven environment, consumers increasingly resist traditional advertising, perceiving it as intrusive or inauthentic. Consequently, brand storytelling has emerged as a powerful strategy for fostering emotional connections, enhancing engagement, and building lasting loyalty. This qualitative exploratory study investigates how consumers perceive, interpret, and respond to narrative-driven brand communication. Using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis supported by sentiment analysis in QSR NVivo, the study identifies key narrative elements that resonate across platforms such as social media, websites, and advertising campaigns. Findings reveal that authentic stories grounded in personal values and relatable experiences significantly strengthen emotional bonds and increase brand loyalty. Additionally, storytelling proves most effective when adapted to diverse media formats while maintaining narrative coherence. The study contributes to narrative marketing literature and offers actionable insights for marketers, advertisers, and content creators seeking to leverage storytelling as a strategic tool for brand expression...