Narrative analysis of the seven pillars of storytelling in the new experience of InJourney video: An emotional branding approach in Indonesian tourism promotion

Abstract

The tourism sector has emerged as one of the leading global industries in recent years, characterized by the increasing importance of destination branding efforts that emphasize destination uniqueness, cultural richness, and travelers’ emotional experiences. Within this context, the present study contributes to scholarly discussions on narrative-based destination branding while providing insights relevant for tourism managers, content creators, and government institutions in formulating communication strategies aligned with Indonesia’s evolving tourism landscape. The New Experience of InJourney promotional video represents one of Indonesia’s strategic initiatives to strengthen its tourism image through a narrative approach that highlights service integration, natural beauty, and cultural diversity. This study examines how storytelling elements are employed in the promotional video as a strategy for constructing destination identity and emotional branding in Indonesian tourism promotion. Using a descriptive qualitative method grounded in Walter Fisher’s Narrative Paradigm and Lindsay’s Seven Pillars of Storytelling, this research analyzes the video’s narrative structure, visual composition, audio design, and symbolic messages. The findings indicate that the storytelling techniques used in The New Experience of InJourney successfully construct a coherent and emotionally engaging narrative through key elements such as emotion, plot, structure, and voice, thereby strengthening the brand’s emotional connection with its audience. Nevertheless, consistency of messaging and the implementation of sustained communication strategies remain crucial to ensuring the optimal functioning of the destination branding process.