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EMOTION IN DIGITAL MARKETING TO CONNECT WITH GEN Z

The Influence of Emotion in Digital Marketing to Create Connections with Gen Z

Consumers

Isabella R. Jimenez

Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California

Consumers

Digital marketing has become an effective tool that brands use to promote their products,

and services. According to Anjum et al. (2020), in 2019 there were over 4.3 billion users in the

world who access the internet and 3.4 billion users who were active on social media. Digital

marketing, such as email, social media, and web-based advertising, allows brands to expand their

marketing tactics to their target audience and grow with the evolving technology and trends

(Anjum et al., 2020). Additionally, using digital marketing can increase a brand’s sales and

profitability (Siddiqui & Warraich, 2021). When brands avoid using digital marketing, they are

missing the opportunity to educate consumers about their brand value and bringing awareness to

their market offerings (Munsch, 2021). Therefore, it is imperative for brands to utilize digital

marketing because this form of marketing can help grow their business.

For digital marketing campaigns, brands must consider their target audiences and how to

drive a lasting engagement with them. One segment of the consumer base that is exceptionally

critical to target is Generation Z, also known as Gen Z. Born after 1995 and into a world in

which the Internet was already invented, Gen Z spend majority of their free time online by

scrolling through social media every day for nearly three hours (Bezbaruah & Trivedi, 2020).

Gen Z tend be more active online, especially on their mobile phones, because the Internet

provides “social connection, entertainment, and information” (Smith, 2019, p. 68). Additionally,

they enjoy having online conversations, especially with brands, as Gen Z consumers like to voice

their likes and dislikes about products (Smith, 2019). Along with these online conversations, Gen

Z users want to be involved in a brand’s creative process by helping create marketing content to

influence others like themselves (Smith, 2019). With a purchasing power between $49 million
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and $148 million and a population of 86.4 million, Gen Z is considered the largest and most

important consumer cohort who have the power to influence marketing communications and

bring awareness to various brands (Munsch, 2021).

Because Gen Z users are continually being inundated with new content, brands must

create the most effective digital marketing strategies to capture their attention. The most

captivating content that can be appealing to consumers involves emotional engagement. By using

emotion in digital marketing, it can create memorable experiences for consumers (Simon, 2017).

Berger (2013) emphasizes on this idea of emotion by stating that the sharing of emotions among

people results in connection and helps maintain and strengthen relationships. Along with

emotion engagement comes storytelling, which Kang et al. (2020) declares is a valuable

advertising strategy to deliver marketing communication and promote meaning. Integrating

emotion in digital marketing can appeal to consumers, like Gen Z, because it can provide a brand

experience that caters to their needs, wants, and aspirations (Kim & Sullivan, 2019).

Digital marketing can help promote a brand’s business, product, and service on a

worldwide platform as opposed to traditional advertising (Anjum et al., 2020). Using this format

of marketing is effective when targeting Gen Z consumers because they have the capability to

connect brands with other consumers online (Smith, 2019). However, marketers must be

strategic in their approach when targeting and engaging with Gen Z. Incorporating emotion is an

influential tool to use in digital marketing as it can bond people together (Berger, 2013).

Therefore, this paper addresses the importance of using emotion and storytelling in digital

marketing campaigns to create connections with Gen Z consumers.

Literature Review
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Using emotion in digital marketing is a persuasive technique to build connections with

consumers. While facts and visible features of a brand’s product or service informs consumers

about the brand’s identity, consumer’s opinions of brands can be more effectively shaped by

personal feelings and customer experiences (Kim & Sullivan, 2019). Berger (2013) emphasizes

on this statement by declaring that focusing on feelings and emotions can motivate people to take

action. Applying emotional engagement to online marketing can be integrated into a form of

storytelling. Simon (2017) identifies storytelling as a compelling story that should be told around

a brand with the aim of planting a positive experience in the subconscious minds of consumers.

Utilizing this format of storytelling can provoke engagement with consumers as it is not

explicitly trying to sell something to the consumers, but rather create a memorable experience for

them (Simon, 2017). For example, when a consumer sees a brand in a store, their System 1

thinking is stimulated and an emotional response is triggered (Simon, 2017).

Kang et al. (2020) identified storytelling as a narrative transportation. This concept of

narrative transportation theory is described as “a viewer’s experience of being lost in context or

immersed in a story’s plot” (Ching et al., 2013, p. 415). This immersive experience can include a

person’s emotions and attitudes changing to reflect the storyline (Kang et al., 2020). To achieve

narrative transportation though “an individual must (1) invest cognitive effort, (2) feel a sense of

empathy for story characters, and (3) imagine a story plot” (Grigsby et al., 2022). Kang et al.

(2020) claims that narrative transportation is more persuasive because people are more likely to

gravitate towards emotion rather than facts and arguments. Ching et al. (2013) adds that narrative

transportation reduces fewer negative feedback and instead, provokes more positive affective

responses, such as favorable attitudes and warm feelings towards a brand’s ad.
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When a brand engages in emotional branding, especially in storytelling, they are

appealing to the feelings of their consumers while also increasing their brand trust and loyalty

(Kim & Sullivan, 2019). Additionally, incorporating emotional storytelling in a brand’s

marketing strategy is persuasive as it can influence consumer’s feelings and opinions while also

inspiring consumers to live a certain lifestyle (Kim & Sullivan, 2019). While emotional

storytelling involves narrative transportation, narrative persuasion also plays a crucial role in this

theory. Narrative persuasion is defined as “the effect of narrative transportation, which manifests

itself in story receivers’ affective and cognitive responses, beliefs, attitudes, and intentions” (van

Laer et al., 2014, p. 801). Winkler et al. (2022) further explains that emotion drives narrative

persuasion by first attracting consumers with engaging content. Consumers then enter narrative

transportation and afterward, are involved in post-narrative engagement (Winkler et al., 2022).

This type of engagement can include imagining oneself within the storyline, parasocial

relationships with the characters, and even the social sharing of emotions with other people,

either online or in person (Winkler et al., 2022). Since storytelling involves narrative

transportation, narrative persuasion, and emotion, this type of marketing strategy is effective to

use to captivate consumers, especially the Gen Z audience.

According to Anjum et al. (2020), personalized marketing is the most effective marketing

strategy that entices Gen Z to engage with brands. Personalized marketing, also known as one-to-

one marketing, is identified as personalizing products and services to the needs of consumers

(Anjum et al., 2020). Considering Gen Z are mainly active online, they prefer to have a more

interactive and personalized experience with the marketing content that brands advertise (Anjum

et al., 2020). Because Gen Z prefers online personalization and authentic interactions, narrative

transportation can captivate this consumer segment through the art of storytelling or drama
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(Ching et al., 2013). Crespo et al. (2022) states that storytelling is a persuasive marketing

technique to use as it can improve the consumer-brand relationship experience. Additionally,

when a brand engages with their customers through the act of storytelling, it strengthens their

connection with their customers and influences their purchasing decisions and consumption

(Crespo et al., 2022).

Emotion is a persuasive marketing tool to use, as found in a study with the fashion brand

Burberry. By analyzing five digital campaigns that Burberry implemented between 2009 and

2014, Straker & Wrigley (2016) were able to comprehend the customer engagement and

emotional responses that were evoked from these campaigns. With Burberry using Facebook,

Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube, they were able to interact with their customers and

implement emotive brand content, such as music and movies (Straker & Wrigley, 2016). This

type of content was also customized for Burberry’s target audience. The study of Burberry’s

digital campaigns and engagement found that positive emotions, such as satisfaction and

admiration, were stimulated by consumers (Straker & Wrigley, 2016). Additionally, because

each of Burberry’s social channels consisted of unique, interactive messages, the brand made

customers feel a part of their story, which included their British heritage and their signature

product, the trench coat (Straker & Wrigley, 2016). As a result, a community of “Burberry love”

was created (Straker & Wrigley, 2016).

The study of Burberry’s digital campaigns reiterates that using emotion in storytelling

and marketing creates a brand image that can appeal to and inspire consumers (Kim & Sullivan,

2019). Moreover, using emotion and personalization in digital marketing allowed Burberry to

develop a strong customer brand engagement, which was primarily initiated by a consumer’s

first interaction with the brand (Siddiqui & Warraich, 2021). This interaction could lead to
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affection towards the brand, and it could result in activation, which can be the decision to

purchase Burberry’s signature trench coat (Siddiqui & Warraich, 2021). By incorporating

emotion in their online marketing, Burberry was able to establish itself as an influential brand

that consumers can resonate with.

The narrative transportation theory contributes to the concept of emotional storytelling

and should be considered when marketing to consumers online. To understand this theory, Ching

et al. (2013) created a questionnaire that asked participants to select one product from a list of

four products that they would consider purchasing. Before viewing a narrative online

advertisement that featured the product they selected, participants were asked if the four

narrative online advertising elements, interactivity, vividness, entertainment, and self-

referencing, influenced their perception of the product (Ching et al., 2013). Answering these

questions about the elements would determine if narrative transportation was employed.

The results indicated that utilizing self-referencing in narrative online advertisements

precipitated narrative transportation (Ching et al., 2013). Self-referencing comprises “the

consumer’s cognitive involvement in processing the message of the narrative online

advertisement” (Ching et al., 2013, p. 429). Therefore, by being exposed to a variety of visual

and auditory cues, consumers can relate their experiences to the advertisement’s story, especially

when the narrative is designed in the same way they receive information in their everyday

experiences (Ching et al., 2013). Additionally, a highly interactive and entertaining narrative

online advertisement provoked positive emotional responses, favorable product attitudes, mental

stimulation, and an immersion of oneself in the storyline (Ching et al., 2013). These results

emphasize that the theory of narrative transportation being used in online advertising reduces

negative cognitive feedback and promotes positive behavioral outcomes (Kang et al., 2020).
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Moreover, because viewing the narrative online advertisement created a memorable experience

for participants, their System 1 thinking will be stimulated, and positive emotional responses will

be triggered any time they see the product or brand (Simon, 2017).

When integrating narrative transportation theory in emotional storytelling, narrative

persuasion is also considered as a crucial factor. Huang et al. (2018) administered an online

survey, revolving around Instagram, to understand how the characteristics of a message giver

and a message receiver in an online luxury brand advertisement influences the narrative

persuasion process. The characteristics of a message giver included comprehension and imagery

fluency, while a message receiver included the narrative transportation element (Huang et al.,

2018). Consumers were found to have interacted with the luxury brands through photos, videos,

and texts, especially when the brands integrated consumers through their brand story (Huang et

al., 2018). Because there was positive attitudes and behavioral outcomes, the study found that the

effects of the comprehension fluency and the narrative transportation were facilitators in the

narrative persuasion process. Winkler et al. (2022) emphasizes that the understanding of a story,

as portrayed by the luxury brands in the previous study, and the construction of mental imagery

can evoke emotional shifts towards a brand. These emotional shifts can activate the narrative

persuasion process (Winkler et al., 2022). By including empathy, familiarity, and involvement in

narrative transportation and the narrative persuasion process, consumers will be more immersed

in the message the brand is trying to convey (van Laer et al., 2014).

Grigsby et al. (2022) conducted a survey with over 278 participants to study if single-

image picture ads can generate narrative transportation; this survey simultaneously demonstrated

how emotional storytelling can create connections with Gen Z consumers. Furthermore, Grigsby

et al. (2022) examined if these ads caused consumers to empathize with the characters in the ad
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and if they imagined themselves in the storyline. Grigsby et al. (2022) found narrative

transportation to be incorporated in these ads. Additionally, humanizing the content and showing

high depicted movement elicited empathy and imagination from the participants (Grigsby et al.,

2022). With this being said, Grigsby et al. (2022) also found posting picture-based ads, that

display this type of content, as impactful and persuasive for brands to use, especially when

connecting with their target audience. These results reiterate the claim that Gen Z prefers

personalized marketing (Anjum et al., 2020). However, Bezbaruah & Trivedi (2020) argue that

posting branded content videos are the most effective to use because they provide information

about a brand and can build the consumer-brand relationship. Bezbaruah & Trivedi (2020)

further state that using videos are more enticing for Gen Z users, especially since they were born

into the YouTube generation and consume almost 68 videos a day.

To further understand if videos generate more emotion and narrative transportation than

picture-based ads, Sulestarini et al. (2020) conducted a survey questionnaire to a millennial

segment about a web series that promoted an artificial sweetener to use in beverages. The study

found that the audience underwent narrative transportation as they were able to self-identify with

the characters and immerse themselves into their storylines (Sulestarini et al., 2020). Also, the

audience was able to develop positive attitudes towards the brand as they were interested in

buying the product and living the same healthy lifestyles as the characters in the web series

(Sulestarini et al., 2020). This study can relate to “people like me” stories, in which audiences

view the narratives from online advertisements as events that can potentially happen in their own

lives (Kang et al., 2020). Considering video-based advertising is effective in generating emotion

and narrative transportation, it can also the capture the attention of Gen Z users. According to

Smith (2019), Gen Z users prefer to watch videos rather than read text, in regard to mobile-based
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advertising. Additionally, they prefer mobile-based ads to be simple by having brands explain

their product in an informative yet entertaining and funny way (Smith, 2019). With this being

said, using emotional storytelling in digital marketing, especially through video, can prompt Gen

Z users to engage with new brands and bring awareness to them.

Brand Application

The concept of utilizing narrative transportation to appeal to Gen Z consumers can be

applied to the digital marketing strategies implemented by the delivery company, DoorDash.

Founded in 2013 by four Stanford students, with its CEO Tony Xu being one of the co-founders,

DoorDash offers door-to-door delivery services and online food orders to consumers (DoorDash

Inc, 2021). While many consumers believe DoorDash to be an avid contributor in the food

delivery business, the company describes itself as a “technology-enabled local logistic platform

that enables local brick-and-mortar businesses to address the consumers’ expectations of ease

and immediacy and thrive in today’s convenience economy” (DoorDash Inc, 2021, p. 13).

The company’s Marketplace enables consumers and restaurants to connect on their

platform; merchants can operate online and create their own branded exposure, which drives

consumers to connect with them and place customized orders from their business (DoorDash Inc,

2021). Other services that DoorDash offers through its Marketplace include merchandising,

insights and analytics, payment processes, and customer support (DoorDash Inc, 2021). Over the

course of every month, the platform connects over 450,000 merchants, 20 million consumers,

and over one million Dashers in the U.S., Australia, and Canada (DoorDash Inc, 2021). By the

end of 2020, there was a total of 816 million orders that were placed on the DoorDash

application (DoorDash Inc, 2021).

do have some strengths that can aid them to be a strong competitor in the delivery space. One

strength is that they can deliver anything straight to a consumer’s doorstep, whether it is a

restaurant meal, grocery store items, retail, beauty, and even pet supplies (DoorDash Inc, 2021).

Although systems failures in their mobile application, website, and other third-party systems are

threats to the company, DoorDash does have a strong and user-friendly technology structure.

This structure includes a website and mobile software application that enables consumers to

access a variety of restaurants and convenience stores to order from and pay online (DoorDash

Inc, 2021). Moreover, merchants can sign into an online portal to monitor their business and

sales (DoorDash Inc, 2021). Additionally, new in-app services were inputted for Dashers that

would expedite their on-boarding process and facilitate faster payments (DoorDash Inc, 2021).

The last strength is that the company’s platform displays attractive offers and discounts, such as

their subscription service, DashPass.

Inflation in the United States and increasing costs for personnel have become major

threats for DoorDash (DoorDash Inc, 2021). These threats have caused critical weaknesses for

the company, including high delivery costs and a weak profitability. This weak profitability

originated from an increase in administrative expenses, amortization, cost in revenue, and

research and development expenses (DoorDash Inc, 2021). Although the company has its threats

and weaknesses, there are opportunities for the company to grow. These opportunities include

business expansion, especially in international markets, strategic partnerships with beauty, retail,

and convenience stores, and the growth of consumer spending and the food service sector in the

United States (DoorDash Inc, 2021).

network of merchants, increasing consumer adoption, and building a reliable and efficient

logistic network” (DoorDash Inc, 2021, p. 19). To expand their community of merchants, the

company plans to offer more merchant services in the Marketplace that can help grow their

business, facilitate their sales, and create a more branded online order experience (DoorDash Inc,

2021). By expanding their network of merchants and restaurant selection on the platform,

DoorDash wants to increase its consumer base and the use of its service. Additionally, the

company wants to expand the adoption of its subscription service, DashPass, and ensure that

food and convenience store items are available throughout the day on its platform (DoorDash

Inc, 2021). Lastly, to build a more reliable and efficient logistic network, the company wants to

improve their Dashers’ experience and the batching algorithms on its software application

(DoorDash Inc, 2021). On its platform, the company also wants to create tools that can enhance

the speed and timeliness of a consumer’s order, and the accuracy of meals or items being

delivered (DoorDash Inc, 2021).

Because DoorDash’s initiatives for growth caters to their merchants, consumers, and their

software application, which is the product, DoorDash’s digital marketing efforts must represent

these goals; however, their current digital marketing efforts are low in engagement. The

company is active on social media platforms, Instagram and TikTok, yet DoorDash’s marketing

strategies quite differ on each site. For instance, on Instagram, image posts are used the most by

DoorDash. In these posts, the company promotes meals from restaurants or fast-food chains,

celebrity and charity collaborations, contests and giveaways, and the company’s new cause-

related initiatives (DoorDash, n.d.-b). They try to be relatable, especially to the Gen Z audience,

by posting jokes and memes; however, these are the posts that receive low engagement in their
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comments and likes (DoorDash, n.d.-b). The company does utilize the reels feature on Instagram

to showcase some of their merchants; however, they have not been consistent in featuring their

merchants in their marketing efforts (DoorDash, n.d.-b).

Their TikTok account started strong with their videos gaining from 10,000 to almost 1

million views, but their marketing strategy on this platform became inconsistent (DoorDash,

n.d.-a). Many of their early most viewed videos utilized the strategy of autonomous sensory

meridian response (ASMR); these videos involved opening a meal from a restaurant they ordered

and emphasizing the sounds of the food that is being eaten. However, DoorDash limited

themselves to using this type of strategy. Other videos portrayed memes or funny situational

scenarios; yet many of these videos contained a useless number of words that no viewer would

want to read (DoorDash, n.d.-a). These meme videos resulted in low engagement from TikTok

users. Similar to Instagram, there are TikTok videos of merchants who are showcasing their

cuisine; these videos gained much attraction from viewers, but DoorDash also stopped utilizing

this strategy (DoorDash, n.d.-a).

After reviewing DoorDash’s current digital marketing approaches, there is much to

improve on their efforts to grasp the attention of Gen Z consumers. DoorDash should promote

their platform to this target audience, especially since majority of these consumers use a food

delivery service at least once per month (CivicScience, 2021). DoorDash should also change

their digital marketing strategies because Gen Z consumers are more likely to trust brands on

social media and buy from them (Insider Intelligence, 2022). Thus, applying narrative

transportation theory to DoorDash’s digital marketing tactics can facilitate them in creating

connections with Gen Z consumers and have a stronger online presence.

merchants. Bezbaruah & Trivedi (2020) previously stated that posting content videos with

information about the brand can build the consumer-brand relationship. Because merchants are

the key players that drive orders on DoorDash’s platform, it is critical to bring attention to them.

Therefore, DoorDash can spotlight local businesses, both restaurants and convenience stores,

within each state, emphasizing that their items can be delivered through DoorDash. These

spotlights will be executed via the company’s TikTok and Instragram Reels. These videos can

include owners explaining how they started their business, how DoorDash has helped increase

their brand awareness, or showing how they make their top menu item. Posting these types of

content videos can drive narrative persuasion. van Laer et al. (2014) mentioned that including

familiarity and involvement in the narrative persuasion process will engage individuals in the

brand message. Because these types of videos will involve local businesses viewers are familiar

with, Gen Z consumers will be enticed to support them and order from them off the DoorDash

application. Moreover, other businesses will be persuaded to join the DoorDash community.

Kim and Sullivan (2019) stated that integrating narrative transportation can influence an

individual’s feelings and opinions of a brand. Since DoorDash will be creating reels revolving

around their merchants’ stories, they can compile these videos into an Instagram guide. These

guides are similar to a quick newsletter that recommends products, places, and evens posts from

the Instagram profile. For instance, DoorDash can create a guide about their most loved all-stars

restaurants in the United States. Creating guides such as these can induce positive opinions and

emotions, such as surprise and interest, from merchants and Gen Z consumers. Additionally,

Crespo et al. (2022) declared that utilizing emotional storytelling can strengthen relationships

with consumers and can influence their purchasing decisions. Because these Instagram guides
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and videos will involve stories, Gen Z consumers will feel a strong connection with DoorDash

and will be influenced to purchase from the businesses on the platform. Additionally, a strong

connection will be developed between merchants and DoorDash, primarily because the

mentioned merchants know they can rely on the company to bring awareness to their business

and expand their sales. Moreover, these videos can prompt other businesses to partner with

DoorDash.

Along with expanding their network of merchants, DoorDash strives to increase their

customer base and the adoption of their platform. Because Gen Z consumers are their primary

target, the most effective way to captivate their attention is through personalized marketing

(Anjum et al., 2020). Additionally, Gen Z prefer to watch videos of brands explaining their

service or product in an informative yet entertaining way (Smith, 2019). To create a more

personalized and interactive experience with Gen Z consumers, the company can implement

DoorDash hauls on their TikTok and Instagram Reels. Similar to how influencers perform

Amazon or Target shopping hauls, DoorDash can partner with influencers to create short videos

explaining what items or meals they received from DoorDash or DashMart, the company’s

online convenience store.

The company can also partner with food curators to create recipe videos; these videos

will present easy recipes Gen Z consumers can create and how they can purchase these items

from the DoorDash application. Posting these branded content videos are informative and

engaging for Gen Z consumers. Considering these videos will personalize DoorDash’s service,

they will satisfy the Gen Z consumer’s need for a meal or essential item and can elicit a feeling

of relief from them. Winkler et al. (2022) stated that consumers must initially be attracted to

engaging content in order to activate narrative persuasion. Consequently, the DoorDash hauls
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and recipe videos is the interactive content that will persuade Gen Z consumers to use the

DoorDash platform.

To continue with DoorDash’s efforts to increase their consumer base and the adoption of

their service, they can spotlight their Dashers. Kang et al. (2020) found from a study that

narrative transportation can occur in “people like me” stories, which means that an individual

can perceive the story as an experience that can happen in their life. Because Dashers are also

consumers, the brand can use TikTok and Instagram Reels to interview their employees about

their favorite item or meal they like to order on the DoorDash platform. Additionally, the

Dashers can be interviewed about their favorite local business they enjoy ordering from. Posting

videos of the dashers is an example of personalized marketing; however, these can be seen more

as “people like me stories.” This means Gen Z consumers can view the Dasher’s narrative of

ordering from their recommended business as a realistic event that can occur in their own life. As

a result, this authentic content can cause Gen Z audiences to feel a sense of relatability with the

Dashers. Because Winkler et al. (2022) previously mentioned that emotion and attractive content

drives narrative persuasion, the Dasher spotlights and their business recommendations can

persuade Gen Z consumers to utilize DoorDash’s application.

In addition to increasing the brand’s consumer base and the adoption of their service,

DoorDash aims to build a reliable and efficient logistic network. To achieve this goal, the

company must bring awareness to their application and their subscription product, DashPass.

Kang et al. (2020) mentioned earlier that narrative transportation can translate into “people like

me stories.” Therefore, DoorDash can create an ambassador program; these ambassadors can be

active users of DoorDash and subscribers of DashPass. By posting on TikTok and Instagram

Reels, the brand can create quick videos of these ambassadors revealing new merchant partners,
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new application features, and deals that are available for DashPass subscribers. Ching et al.

(2013) found in a study that using self-referencing in online advertisements triggered narrative

transportation. Ching et al. (2013) furthers adds that when a brand engages in narrative

transportation, favorable attitudes are induced among consumers. Consequently, by using active

supporters of DoorDash for their ambassador program, Gen Z consumers will feel connected

towards the ambassadors, be intrigued by the content, and they would be influenced to use

DoorDash’s platform.

Smith (2019) stated earlier that Gen Z users want to help create marketing content for a

brand and influence other consumers like themselves. In this case, DoorDash can extend their

ambassador program to universities and recruit college students to bring awareness to their

DashPass for students, which is lower in price than the regular subscription. In these videos,

ambassadors can act out memes that are relatable to college students and highlight their favorite

local businesses to order from or their favorite items to order from DashMart. Using college

students as ambassadors for DoorDash exhibits personalized marketing (Anjum et al., 2020).

Posting this branded content can elicit positive emotions, such as interest and amusement, among

Gen Z consumers. Winkler et al. (2022) states that emotions like these will provoke narrative

persuasion, leading them to then enter narrative transportation. Afterward, the Gen Z consumers

will engage in the social sharing of positive opinions about DoorDash and will be enticed to

adopt its service.

Integrating narrative transportation theory in DoorDash’s marketing efforts can assist in

growing their number of merchants and consumers, and in increasing the usage of their platform.

Most importantly, due to the personalized marketing DoorDash will be implementing in their

videos, Gen Z consumers will be more inclined to engage with the brand. Because these videos
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will be informative and entertaining, positive emotional responses will be stimulated, such as

interest, surprise, excitement, satisfaction, and even hunger. These emotions will drive narrative

persuasion and eventually, narrative transportation. Essentially, narrative transportation will

influence Gen Z audiences to interpret the content as experiences that can occur in their own

lives; this effect will then compel them to be consumers of DoorDash.

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