The Death of Discounts, The Rise of Stories
For decades, pubs and restaurants leaned on the same promotional trick: slash the price and hope people show up. Two-for-one cocktails, £2.50 pints, half-price curries — all designed to grab attention fast.
The problem? Discounts are short-term fixes. They attract bargain-hunters, but they rarely build loyalty. Customers come for the deal and vanish when the price goes back up.
David Ogilvy, the advertising giant, understood this decades ago. His belief was simple: people don’t buy products — they buy stories. The same is true for pubs in 2025.
Storytelling makes people feel connected. It makes them see your pub as “their place” instead of just another venue on the high street. A good story lives longer than a half-price pint. And when your pub tells the right story, customers don’t just show up once — they come back again and again.
https://rss.com/podcasts/pub-marketing-unplugged-stories-strategies-smart-tools/2184332
The Psychology Behind Storytelling in Pubs
Humans are hardwired for stories. Neuroscience shows that when we hear a story, our brains release oxytocin — the chemical linked to trust and empathy. Discounts don’t trigger that. Stories do.
In a hospitality setting, this matters even more. When customers choose a pub, they’re not just buying drinks or food. They’re buying an experience — one they can tell their friends about.
- A deal is forgettable.
- A story is shareable.
Ask someone why they love their local, and they won’t say “because the beer was £3.” They’ll say:
- “Because the landlord remembered my name.”
- “Because that’s where I met my partner.”
- “Because the quiz night is chaos and everyone laughs.”
That’s the difference storytelling makes.
Ogilvy’s Take: Big Ideas, Not Big Discounts
Ogilvy hammered home that advertising needed a “big idea” to stick. He criticised lazy marketers who relied on gimmicks. Discounts are gimmicks. They work for a day. Stories, however, build brands that last years.
For pubs, a “big idea” might be:
- Community: “We’re the pub that knows your name.”
- Nostalgia: “The 90s never left — and neither did Britpop night.”
- Passion: “Every pint is poured with pride.”
Once your story is clear, every ad, post, chalkboard, and event feeds into it. Instead of being known as “the cheap pint pub,” you’re known as “the place that…” — and that reputation is priceless.
Why Discounts Fail in the Long Run
Discounts train customers to value you less. Here’s how:
- You Lose Margin – Every pound off erodes profit.
- You Train Price Shoppers – Customers wait for deals instead of paying full price.
- You Cheapen the Brand – If you’re always cheap, customers assume you’re low-quality.
- Competitors Copy You – They run the same discount and undercut you.
Meanwhile, pubs that tell better stories can charge full price and still pack the house.
How Storytelling Wins – Real-World Pub Examples
1. The Local Hero
A pub highlights its history: “Serving Washington since 1892.” Old photos on the wall, stories of regulars past, even menus named after local landmarks. Suddenly, customers feel they’re part of a legacy.
2. The Underdog Pub
One venue in a crowded town branded itself as “the little pub with the biggest heart.” Instead of cutting prices, they told stories of regulars, staff birthdays, and charity nights. The story of being scrappy and local drew crowds.
3. The Experience Pub
Another pub leaned into being “the place where memories are made.” Every live music night was framed not as a gig, but as a story in the making. Customers shared videos, tagged friends, and told stories for them.
The Framework: How to Tell a Pub Story
Here’s a six-step approach landlords can follow:
1. Define Your Core Story
Ask: Why should customers remember us? It might be history, community, entertainment, or quality. Pick one.
2. Find Characters
Every story needs people. Your staff, your regulars, your bands, even your chef. Highlight them.
3. Capture Moments
Document, don’t create. A customer laughing, a staff birthday, a band’s first gig — all gold.
4. Share Consistently
One story isn’t enough. Build chapters. “This week’s quiz winner,” “Throwback to last month’s band,” “New chef’s favourite dish.”
5. Add Emotion
Show pride, humour, or nostalgia. Dry posts don’t sell stories.
6. Invite Participation
Encourage customers to tell their stories — selfies, reviews, hashtags.
The Storytelling Advantage Over Discounts
Let’s put numbers to it:
- A £1 discount might bring in 10 extra customers. But they’ll leave when the price goes back up.
- A storytelling-driven campaign might bring in 5 extra customers a week, but they’ll stick. Over a year, that’s 250 loyal visits.
Discounts = spikes.
Stories = compounding growth.
Storytelling Platforms That Work for Pubs
- Facebook – Great for long posts, photo albums, event stories.
- Instagram – Perfect for visual storytelling: reels, stories, staff highlights.
- TikTok – Fast, authentic, quirky storytelling. Behind-the-scenes and customer reactions.
- Chalkboards & Posters – Don’t just promote; tell micro-stories. “First pint poured at 5pm — will you be here for it?”
Story Angles Pubs Can Use Immediately
- The History Story – “We’ve been here since…”
- The Staff Story – “Meet Sarah, the heart of the bar.”
- The Regular’s Story – “John hasn’t missed a quiz in 10 years.”
- The Event Story – “Last Friday’s band nearly blew the roof off.”
- The Food Story – “Our curry night started because…”
- The Challenge Story – “Can you beat our giant burger?”
- The Local Story – “We’re proud sponsors of…”
Each story sells more than a discount ever could.
Common Mistakes in Pub Storytelling
- Being Too Corporate – Stories must feel human, not scripted.
- Only Posting Promotions – Nobody shares “2-for-1 tonight.” They share laughs and memories.
- Forgetting the Audience – Don’t tell stories that only matter to staff. Ask: will the customer care?
- Inconsistency – One story a month isn’t enough. Build a habit.
Storytelling Case Study: From Empty Mondays to a Packed House
One pub struggled with dead Monday nights. They ran “cheap pint” offers. Margins were thin and turnout stayed low.
They switched approach:
- Branded Mondays as “Local Legends Night.”
- Each week, they told the story of one local: a band, a charity leader, or a long-time customer.
- They shared stories on Facebook and Instagram before each Monday.
Result? Mondays went from 10 customers to 60+. No discounts, just stories.
Image Prompt 5: Pub stage with a small band playing, spotlight on them, crowd smiling, atmosphere of community storytelling, photorealistic cinematic.
Checklist – Storytelling Over Discounts
- Have you defined your pub’s core story?
- Are you showing real people?
- Are you capturing authentic moments?
- Are you posting stories weekly, not monthly?
- Do your stories trigger emotion (humour, nostalgia, pride)?
- Are you inviting customers to share their own stories?
If yes, you’re building loyalty that lasts longer than any happy hour deal.
Conclusion – Ogilvy Was Right, Stories Sell
Ogilvy’s advice was timeless: advertising isn’t about gimmicks, it’s about ideas that stick. Discounts might fill a room for one night, but they never build loyalty. Stories do.
For pubs and restaurants in 2025, storytelling is the only real long-term strategy. Customers crave connection, community, and meaning. A pub that can tell a good story — and invite its customers into that story — will always beat the one shouting about £2 pints.