Marketers can understand their customers better by using episodic reconstruction to detail the moments of action and the emotions and mental states in those moments, before, during, and post-purchase.

The narration lets us empathetically understand what the customer is going through to identify specific instances to provide tangible and emotional value. We can then position our products to deliver value propositions at each moment.

Here’s an example of what a narration might look like for a stain removal product and a common situation many customers may have found themselves in.

_____________

Gravy, Guilt, and Glorious Redemption: A Laundry Day Confession

We’ve all been there. That moment of pure, unadulterated temptation when you “borrow” something without asking, convinced it’ll be fine. For me, that moment involved my mom’s absolute favourite silk blouse. You know the one – the elegant, flowy, probably-cost-a-fortune kind she saved for “special occasions.”

Well, a last-minute dinner invitation suddenly felt like a very special occasion, and that blouse? It was perfect. I stealthily swiped it from her closet, a tiny pang of guilt quickly overshadowed by visions of my sophisticated self. I slipped it on, admired myself in the mirror, and off I went, feeling pretty pleased with my fashion-forward thievery.

The Moment of Truth (and Gravy)

Dinner was going swimmingly. I was laughing, chatting, and feeling fantastic. And then, it happened. In a tragic, slow-motion blur, a spoonful of gravy, seemingly with a mind of its own, launched from my plate. It soared through the air, defying gravity and all my hopes, landing with an insidious splat right on the pristine silk.

My heart immediately plummeted. A cold wave of shock washed over me, instantly followed by gut-wrenching dread. My mind raced: No. No, no, no. Not this blouse. Not Mom’s blouse! I frantically dabbed at it, a desperate, futile attempt to erase the evidence, but the rich, brown stain just bloomed, mocking my efforts. Panic set in, quickly giving way to utter despair as I realized the gravity of my gravy-induced crime. This wasn’t just a stain; this was a deeply ingrained symbol of my pre-dinner wardrobe transgression.

The Quest for a Cure

The rest of the evening was a blur of feigned cheerfulness, all while my mind fixated on the ruined silk. As soon as I got home, the hunt began. That initial despair slowly, cautiously, began to shift into a flicker of hope. There had to be a way, right? I was filled with a desperate determination as I scoured the internet for miracle cures, rummaged through the laundry cabinet, and even considered concocting some mad scientist-level potion. Each product I tried brought a fresh surge of anxiety – what if I made it worse? What if I permanently set the stain?

But then, it happened. After what felt like an eternity, I found the one. The product that promised to tackle even the most stubborn stains. With bated breath, I applied it, scrubbing gently, watching, waiting. And slowly, miraculously, the brown began to lighten. It was peeling away, like a bad dream dissipating in the morning light.

Pure Elation

As the last vestiges of the gravy vanished, leaving the silk blouse looking as good as new, a wave of profound relief washed over me. It was like a physical weight had been lifted from my shoulders. That relief quickly transformed into pure, unadulterated elation. I actually did it! I saved the blouse! A triumphant cheer may or may not have escaped my lips.

So, while I learned a valuable lesson about asking permission (and maybe about eating gravy more carefully), I also learned that sometimes, with a little determination and the right stain remover, even the deepest guilt can be washed away, leaving behind only the sweet satisfaction of a job well done. And a mom who still has her favourite blouse, none the wiser.

_____________

Moments in the Story's Plot

Our heroine in the story experienced a complex series of emotional states:

• Guilt: When “borrowing” the blouse without asking.
• Shock/Dread: Immediately upon the gravy spilling on the blouse.
• Panic: While frantically trying to dab away the stain.
• Despair: As the stain set in and seemed permanent.
• Hope: When starting the search for a solution.
• Determination: While actively seeking and trying stain removers.
• Anxiety: With each stain removal product tried, fearing making the stain worse.
• Relief: As the stain began to lift.
• Elation/Triumph: When the stain was completely gone and the blouse was restored.

Each of those moments in the story’s plot, and accompanying emotional states, allows us to create an attention-getting hook and value proposition.

Here’s how the hooks could be crafted on a theme basis. (These are a little clunky, but left in long form to demonstrate the theme.)

• Guilt: “Borrowed a little something without asking? Our stain remover erases the evidence and the guilt.”
• Shock/Dread: “Spill just happen? Don’t freeze in dread. Grab our stain remover and undo the damage in an instant.”
• Panic: “When a stain sends you into a full-blown panic, reach for the solution that brings calm back to your clothes.”
• Despair: “Feeling despair over a seemingly impossible stain? Let our powerful formula turn that despair into relief.”
• Hope: “That glimmer of hope you have for your stained favorite? Our stain remover makes that hope a reality.”
• Determination: “You’ve got the determination to save it. We’ve got the stain remover that makes sure you succeed.”
• Anxiety: “Stop the anxiety of ‘will it work?’ Our stain remover gives you confidence with every spray.”
• Relief: “Experience the pure relief of watching tough stains vanish before your eyes.”
• Elation/Triumph: “From disaster to dazzling. Feel the elation of seeing your clothes perfectly clean again, thanks to our stain remover.”

The above are only a start to your hooks.They are long and not meant to be the final release. For example, we could take a couple of the ideas above, and sharpen them to:

• “Got an Impossible Stain on Your Favourite Blouse? Try this.”
• “Remove the stain. Erase the guilt.”
• “The stain is gone. And no one will ever know.”

Marketers can move beyond generic messaging and craft highly resonant, emotionally intelligent campaigns by meticulously deconstructing the customer’s journey through episodic reconstruction. As the “gravy and guilt” example vividly demonstrates, understanding the specific “moments of truth”—the sequence of actions, emotions, and mental states—allows us to pinpoint precisely when and how a product can deliver not just functional value, but profound emotional resonance. This method empowers us to develop value propositions that speak directly to the customer’s deepest needs, transforming what could be a simple transaction into a powerful narrative of problems solved and satisfaction achieved.