From Function to Emotion: Elevating Banter’s Piercing Storytelling
As Banter’s Editorial Content Manager, I led a piercing content refresh designed to modernize our storytelling and close an awareness gap in the market. While Banter has been The Original Piercing Pro for over 50 years, competitors like Studs and Rowan were winning share-of-voice with polished, socially native content. My goal was to reposition Banter as both the trusted professional and the destination for expressive, stylish piercings.
ROLE: Editorial Content Manager
SCOPE: Content Strategy, Creative Direction, Messaging Development, Pre & Post Production, Outcome Alignment
The Challenge
Awareness Gap: Many consumers did not recognize Banter as a leading piercing destination, despite its nationwide footprint and long-standing expertise.
Content Disconnect: Prior piercing content leaned heavily into functional messaging (e.g., “free piercing”) but lacked emotional storytelling and engaging visuals.
Competitive Landscape: Competitors were investing in creator-led, lifestyle-forward content that resonated more strongly with digital-first audiences.
Insights
Consumer research identified three piercing clusters—Practical Planners, Expressive Creatives, and Mainstream Piercers—each motivated by different triggers, from milestone celebrations to self-expression.
Key insights included:
Piercing is a social activity, often done with friends or family.
Customers value safety, hygiene, and professionalism, but are equally influenced by emotions of excitement and confidence post-piercing.
TikTok is the primary source of inspiration for Gen Z self-piercers.
The content refresh strategy combined authentic storytelling with professional polish to position Banter as both safe and stylish. The plan focused on three pillars:
Celebrate Milestones
Highlighted piercing as a bonding experience (e.g., mom & daughter moments).
Crafted narratives around celebrations, traditions, and rites of passage.
Champion Self-Expression
Featured expressive personalities like Shaun and Madison to embody different customer personas.
Positioned Banter as the go-to for customizing and evolving one’s personal style.
Showcase Professionalism & Safety
Clearly demonstrated sterile piercing methods (device and needle).
Educated consumers with approachable aftercare and FAQ videos led by trusted piercers.
Strategy
Execution
The content shoot (March 2025, Dallas Galleria) produced a comprehensive library of video and photo assets:
Experience Videos: 30-second narratives showcasing milestone piercings, male self-expression, and vlog-style journeys.
Educational Content: Aftercare tutorials, FAQs, and “Why Banter?” explainer clips.
Emotional Storytelling: Natural audio moments, playful in-store vibes, and peer-to-peer style TikTok edits.
Still Photography: 20+ piercing experience shots and 10+ store lifestyle images.
Roles were carefully defined across creative, production, and talent, ensuring consistency across organic social, paid media, and in-store/local assets.
VIDEOS & STILLS
Results
Persona Alignment: Content mapped directly to Banter’s core personas, ensuring targeted relevance across audiences.
Increased Engagement: Social-native video formats positioned to drive reach on TikTok and Instagram.
Brand Differentiation: Messaging around safety, heritage, and professionalism set Banter apart from competitors.
Evergreen Library: Built a versatile content bank for FY26 campaigns, enabling efficiency across paid, organic, and retail channels.
Conclusion
By reimagining piercing content around celebration, expression, safety, and personas, Banter bridges the awareness gap and modernizes its digital storytelling. The refreshed content library creates a versatile foundation for campaigns across social, paid, and retail channels—cementing Banter as both the trusted professional and the destination for expressive, stylish piercings.