Amorim, EdgarSantos, SaraJorge2026-01-152026-01-152025Amorim, E., & Santos, S. (2026). Once upon a brand: Storytelling in digital telecom campaigns. In J. Remondes (Ed.), Cases on social media marketing engagement tactics (pp. 97–124). IGI Global Scientific Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3373-2357-2.ch0049798337388496http://hdl.handle.net/10400.2/20879Storytelling has been establishing itself as a central strategy in brand communication by providing narrative experiences that foster immersion, empathy with characters, and the emotional involvement of consumers. The ability of narratives to generate narrative transport and positive emotions has proven to be fundamental in strengthening the connection between consumers and brands, especially in digital contexts. This chapter analyses the impact of storytelling on digital advertising campaigns in the telecommunications sector in Portugal, seeking to address the scarcity of studies dedicated to this topic. The research analysed two 2024 Christmas campaigns broadcast on YouTube by the NOS and Vodafone brands. It surveyed 227 participants using a questionnaire that assessed narrative structure, narrative transport, positive emotions, and brand engagement. Statistical analysis confirmed that wellconstructed narratives increase narrative transport, trigger positive emotions and strengthen brand engagement.engStorytellingDigital marketingNarrative transportationAdvertisingbook part10.4018/979-8-3373-2357-2.ch004