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Why Contrast Is the Core of Product Storytelling
How communicating contrast should be the focus for product marketers
Elliott Rayner
June 09, 2025
Why Contrast Is the Core of Product Storytelling
What you will learn…
[Part One] - What is narrative contrast?
[Part Two] - Why do our brains love it?
[Part Three] - Which brands do it best?
[Part Four] - How can PMMs amplify it?
Telling the story f contrast
Part One
Moments of Transformation
At its essence, storytelling is about contrast. Every compelling story moves from a before to an after, from struggle to resolution, from confusion to clarity. In product marketing, contrast is what turns an abstract value proposition into a visceral, memorable transformation.
Science backs this up:
Memory: Stories boost memory retention by 20x compared to facts alone.
Preference: 92% of consumers prefer messaging delivered as a story.
Speed: The brain processes images (and stories) 60,000x faster than text.
In other words, stories don’t just engage; they accelerate understanding and preference—crucial in product marketing where attention spans are short.
There are countless definitions, tips, and quotes about storytelling. But for product marketers, Matthew Dicks offers perhaps the most useful:
“Storytelling can be summarised as a singular moment of realisation, revelation, or transformation.”
Product marketers are obsessed with simplification, and when it comes to understanding the true value of storytelling, it doesn’t get much clearer than this quote from his book, Storyworthy.
There are dozens of storytelling frameworks out there. In my research, I’ve studied and experimented with most of them. While each framework has its nuances, there’s one element at the center of them all: Communicating a clear contrast.
Part Two
Universal Story Structure
Most storytelling frameworks, from the Hero’s Journey to Freytag’s Pyramid, follow a simple universal structure:
The Universal Structure: Order → Chaos → New Order
Stage | Story Structure | Customer Journey |
|---|---|---|
Order | Known World | Customer’s current struggles |
Chaos | Conflict, Disruption | Pain points and unmet needs |
New Order | Transformation, Resolution | How the product delivers better outcomes |
For product marketers, this maps perfectly to the customer journey:
Current state: Inefficiencies, frustrations, unmet needs.
Tension: The pain of not solving these problems.
Resolution: Your product as the bridge to a better future.
Formula: "Here’s the life you have now. Here’s how much better it could be."
Without this clear contrast, you’re not telling a story—you’re describing a feature list.
For product marketers, the purpose is to build this contrast around our differentiated value. And once we have a clear understanding of it, it can become very easy and quick to communicate it. We can see reflected in the example case study from AirBnb
Part Three
Case Study:Airbnb Vs HotelsAir BnB released a series of animations. These were well made, on brand, customer targeted. but what really stood out where the length, most not lasting over 6 seconds.
Through simple, six-second visuals, they demonstrated — not told — the stark difference. Instead of pushing product specs, they invited customers to imagine a more personal, meaningful experience. The lesson? Contrast turns options into obvious choices. |    |
Practical Steps
How to Build Contrast in Your Product Story
Product marketers dont need to get lost in several frameworks to get the contrast effect. We can achieve the saem results of just asking soem basic questions and attaining the right customer insights.
Define your customer’s current reality - What frustrations or inefficiencies dominate their experience?
Highlight the cost of inaction - What risks or losses accumulate if they stay where they are?
Paint the "after" picture vividly - How does life improve with your product?
Anchor the story in emotion, not just logic - Memory and motivation are tied to emotional impact.
Simplify to amplify - Show the contrast in one image, one sentence, one visual if possible.
Why Product Marketers Must Master Contrast
In the age of information overload, clarity wins. And contrast is clarity’s secret weapon. It distills the complex into the compelling, transforming your product from ‘just another solution’ into an irresistible new reality.
Great product marketing doesn’t sell products. It sells a story of transformation—powered by contrast.
