Why does storytelling matter in performance marketing?

Performance marketing is often discussed purely in terms of data, optimisation, and conversion metrics. But D'Altorio argues that the most effective performance marketing is still built on a compelling brand story because humans make purchasing decisions emotionally and then rationalise them rationally. Brands that stand for something, that inspire a feeling of purpose and belonging, have a starting advantage in every performance channel because the creative resonates at an emotional level.

Why does human emotion not change at the pace of technology?

Technology evolves rapidly, creating new channels, formats, and measurement capabilities. But the neural and emotional architecture of human decision-making changes very slowly. People still make decisions for reasons rooted in identity, belonging, trust, and aspiration. These fundamentals were true before social media and will be true after AI agents. Marketing that understands this remains effective across platform transitions.

What risk does AI pose to authentic brand storytelling?

D'Altorio raises the concern that the proliferation of AI-generated content, including avatar-based influencers, could disrupt the equilibrium between technological capability and human connection. If audiences cannot distinguish AI-generated content from genuine human expression, the trust that underpins brand storytelling is eroded. The philosophical question of what is real has practical commercial implications for brands.

Tell the Human Story

Darren D'Altorio, SVP of Paid Media at Wpromote, on why studying journalism and falling in love with Nike as a kid shaped his conviction that great marketing is fundamentally storytelling, why human emotion is the unchanging constant beneath all technological change, and how to keep the spirit of curiosity and creativity alive in a performance-driven world.

Listen to the episode

Apple Podcasts Spotify

November 2025 Season 3, Episode 60 40 minutes

"I studied journalism. For me, building a brand is really about telling a story and building a community."

The Conversation

Why journalism, Nike, and the unchanging nature of human emotion are the foundation of great performance marketing

Darren D'Altorio grew up picking golf balls out of the rough and selling them back to golfers, found his way into social media marketing through web analytics at a TV station, taught himself Facebook Ads and Google AdWords, and has been at Wpromote since 2013. He leads the paid media organisation across 200-plus clients spanning CPG, retail, and consumer brands.

In this conversation he argues that while the technology of marketing changes constantly, the human emotion that drives purchasing decisions does not. Great brands stand for something, inspire a feeling of purpose and belonging, and build communities around a story. That conviction, rooted in his journalism background and the brand love he developed for Nike as a kid, is the throughline beneath all the performance marketing complexity.

Key Takeaways

Great brands stand for something. They inspire a feeling of purpose and belonging. They build communities around a story. That starts with journalism, not a dashboard.

Human emotion does not evolve at the pace of technology. Our decisions are rooted in emotions. That never changes. Technology serves that truth; it does not replace it.

The proliferation of AI and avatar influencers is a genuine philosophical challenge for authentic brand storytelling. The question of what is real has commercial consequences.

I drew the Nike swoosh on every notebook as a kid. That is what good branding does: it creates emotional memory that outlasts any campaign.

Keep the fun spirit in the business. Data is powerful. But people want to feel inspired and have emotional connection.

In this episode

01Why great brands tell stories and build communities around a shared identity

02Human emotion as the unchanging constant beneath all technological change in marketing

03The AI debate: keeping human connection alive in a world of avatar influencers

04Performance marketing philosophy: how to be data-driven while staying human and creative

05The entrepreneurial spirit: from selling golf balls to leading paid media at a 200-client agency

01 What shaped your philosophy on how brands should show up online?

"I studied journalism and for me building a brand is really about telling a story and having a community that feels like they are part of something bigger than the individual. Great brands stand for something, inspire, create a feeling of purpose and belonging. I think about Nike. I drew the Nike swoosh on every notebook as a kid."

The journalism background and the Nike love story are the two pillars.

02 What stays constant as social evolves?

"The technology changes, marketing gets conflated with data, everything is data-led. But humans really do not evolve at the same pace as technology. Our minds, the way we make decisions, root back and tie back to emotions. What has largely remained the same is that the work we do is a human powered endeavour for humans on the receiving end."

The unchanging anchor beneath all the platform evolution.

03 What concerns you about AI and avatar influencers?

"You are starting to now see content that is avatar-based influencers. There is a real paradigm shift in what is reality and how we perceive it. At a philosophical level that is an interesting debate. But in a pure business context, it is always powerful to remember that people want to feel inspired and have emotional connection and resonance."

The commercial consequence of the philosophical question.

04 What drew you into performance marketing?

"I started at a TV station working on content production and got into web analytics. Taught myself Facebook Ads, Google AdWords. Joined Wpromote in 2013. But the through-line was always the same: the brand story and the emotional connection. Technology made it more measurable. It did not change what it was for."

The consistent thread from TV station to paid media leader.

05 How do you keep the creative spirit alive in a performance world?

"We try to keep that fun spirit in this business and have fun with our clients and drive results. I really want to help brands go inward and understand who are you, what do you stand for, how do you want to attract and build that community. Then translating that through the tools and tactics. The joy is in marrying the story to the data."

The balance that defines his approach to performance marketing.

40 Minutes

S3 E60 Season & episode

200+ Clients across CPG, retail, and consumer brands at Wpromote

10+ Years at Wpromote since joining in 2013

"Humans do not evolve at the same pace as technology. Our decisions are rooted in emotions. That never changes."

Hear Darren on

The Business of Marketing

Season 3 Episode 60 40 min

Apple Podcasts→ Spotify→ Darren D'Altorio GUEST PROFILE→ Darren on LinkedIn→

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Full Transcript SEO & AI indexed

Season 3 E60 · Darren D'Altorio, SVP of Paid Media, Wpromote

Lightly edited for readability.

Host What shaped your philosophy on how brands should show up?

D'Altorio I studied journalism. Building a brand is about telling a story and building a community around something bigger than the individual. Great brands stand for something. Nike. I drew the swoosh on every notebook as a kid. That is emotional memory. That is what good branding creates.

Host What stays constant as technology changes?

D'Altorio Humans do not evolve at the same pace as technology. Our decisions are rooted in emotions. That never changes. The work we do is a human powered endeavour for humans on the receiving end. Technology is in service of that truth. It does not replace it.

Tell the Human Story

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