Whenever I'm introduced as a marketer, someone inevitably asks: “What’s your superpower? ” I usually answer with confidence: storytelling that scales and sells.

But if I’m being honest, is that even the “right” answer? Can anyone truly claim one single superpower in marketing? And if storytelling is mine, who’s to judge whether it’s the ultimate CMO strength?

The truth is, marketing today demands a mix of data science, creativity, leadership, and intuition. Yet the ability to craft a narrative that connects, inspires, and drives action still feels like the thread that holds it all together.

Sales teams might balk at this answer. They just want to close deals and make money up front. I get it. But the irony is that a great story—when it’s done right—does exactly that. It builds desire before the first sales call, creating a sense of urgency and belonging that no cold pitch can replicate.

Why Storytelling Is a Lost (and Sacred) Art

Storytelling used to be the backbone of commerce, but now it’s a rare discipline in marketing. And yet:

  • Consumers are 22× more likely to remember information when it’s framed as a story rather than as isolated facts (Higo Creative).
  • 62% of B2B marketers say storytelling in content marketing is highly effective (Higo Creative).
  • Brands using storytelling can see conversion increases of up to 30%, with loyalty and retention gains of 20% or more (Higo Creative).

And I’ve seen this first-hand. Some of the best marketing results I’ve led throughout my career have always involved stories.

  • At USAA, we leaned in on member stories when launching the first-ever annuities marketing campaign. Why make things up when our members told us exactly what they valued?
  • At Invesco's SaaS division, we launched more case studies than ever before—and the results spoke for themselves. These stories were consistently the top-converting pieces of content in our arsenal.

If you think about it, every company says they’re great. But it's the story behind the challenge, solution, and results that prospects really want to hear.

The Anatomy of a CMO Superpower

According to leadership experts like Lida Citroën and Anjali Sharma, the most resonant stories follow a structure: compelling opening, meaningful body, cathartic ending all aligned around emotional triggers and audience values (Seramount, Investors. com).

Citi’s CMO, Alex Craddock, recently said marketing needs to blend data-driven agility with authentic storytelling to build real consumer trust and loyalty (Business Insider). P. S. - he's a great follow on LinkedIn, if you're not already following him.

Visa’s CMO, Frank Cooper III, echoed this idea, noting the need for marketers who can marry analytics with narrative to truly “crack the code” (The Australian).

Why CMOs Call Storytelling Their Superpower

Let’s break down why storytelling has become the quiet engine behind high-performing marketing leaders:

  1. Emotion beats logic but both matter. Logic builds credibility, but emotion creates connection. Combining them means you build trust and motivate action (CMO Alliance).
  2. Stories bridge culture and commerce. A well-told narrative humanizes B2B brands, differentiates in crowded markets, and builds loyalty (CMS Wire).
  3. Data needs narrative to be impactful. Data on its own is just numbers. Narrative transforms those numbers into meaning that teams and customers can act on (arXiv).
  4. It scales across formats and teams. Internal briefs, campaign launches, investor decks—all work better when they’re grounded in story (LinkedIn).

What Critics and Champions Say

Seth Godin once said, “Marketing is no longer about the stuff you make, but about the stories you tell” (Hearst StoryStudio).

Gary Vaynerchuk calls business storytelling “the most underrated skill in business” (The Storyteller Agency).

Jay Baer reminds us: “Every business has a story to tell” (The Storyteller Agency).

If storytelling is truly a marketer’s superpower, maybe it’s not about claiming it. Maybe it’s about proving it every day in the work.

The Real ROI of Storytelling

Studies and real-world campaigns show that storytelling isn’t fluff. It’s impact:

  • A strong narrative has closed deals worth millions, because stories create meaning beyond metrics (Business of Story).
  • Brands that tell compelling stories consistently outperform in recall, retention, and word-of-mouth (RooSmith, Toast Studio).
  • In content marketing, 73% of marketers prioritize storytelling, and 55% of consumers are more likely to purchase when brands use stories (Comms8).

So, What Is the Ultimate CMO Superpower?

Is storytelling truly the superpower? Maybe. Or maybe it’s the ability to see the story first—before anyone else can—then connect it to strategy, data, and growth.

I’ll be the first to admit I don’t have every answer. Marketing is evolving too quickly for anyone to crown themselves the ultimate expert.

But I do know this:

Storytelling is what moves people. It’s what connects teams. And in a distracted, data-drenched world, it’s what separates brands that are remembered from those that fade.

Final Thought

So next time someone asks: “What’s your marketing superpower? ” my reply might stay the same, but with a little humility:

“Storytelling that scales and sells. Is it the best superpower? I don’t know. But it’s the one that makes the most impact for me—and for the brands I lead. ”