Instagrammer Lee Samantha is a storyteller. But she doesn’t tell stories with words. She tells stories with food.
What started out as a fun way to encourage her oldest daughter to eat healthy meals has turned into more than half a million Instagram followers and several brand partnerships.
Look closely at her photos and you’ll see a number of remarkable things: a tortilla turned into a dress, strawberries turned into hearts, noodles turned into hair, and seaweed sliced into a seemingly infinite number of shapes. That’s because Lee doesn’t see things for what they are. Her talents lie in seeing the potential in everyday objects.
Connection is the Key to Storytelling
And that is the key to being an exceptional storyteller. It’s easy to tell people about what’s right in front of their faces. The challenge lies in showing your audience a connection it wouldn’t normally make.
Think about the most memorable campaigns as of late. Dove Real Beauty Sketches isn’t selling bath products, the brand is selling confidence and the idea that you’re more beautiful than you think. Coca-Cola isn’t just selling a soft drink with names on the cans. The brand is selling friendship and thoughtfulness (and if we’re being honest, a touch of narcissism).
And Lee Samantha isn’t just selling food. She’s selling complicated concepts like joy, romance, adventure, nostalgia… all with a “simple” plate of food. That is why her photos are so remarkable.
So, when you’re creating content, sure you can sell the features and the price and the practicality. But with today’s audience, it’s much more effective to sell your brand when you create a narrative that connects on an emotional level.
Look at the examples below to see her beautiful work and you might just be inspired:
