specific to Toyota's target markets, particularly first-time car buyers and families (Lacy, 2010).

The stories used still images, video, first-person narration, and music but most importantly,
they were all personal stories, thus satisfying all the elements of digital storytelling. Moreover,
because these stories occur within a Facebook context, these personal stories are particularly
appropriate in this digital context. In all, then, I am suggesting that this form of personal
storytelling within a Facebook context can be perceived, characterized, and assessed as a
marketing and campaign strategy. Thus, with some sense of how we will be using it as a
strategy, let us be more precise in what we mean by 'digital storytelling' as a genre.
What is Digital Storytelling?
"Digital Storytelling" has been used to describe various forms of narrative that appear in digital
format, from multimedia storytelling to video games, as well as digital news articles, YouTube
videos and digital films. The precise definition adopted for the purpose of this paper is that of
the Center for Digital Storytelling in Berkeley, California. Digital Storytelling is defined as "a
short, first person video-narrative created by combining recorded voice, still and moving
images, and music or other sounds" (Center for Digital Storytelling [CDS], (n.d.)a) These
video stories are usually short; on average, no longer than three minutes. They are also very
focused on the personal aspect of the storytelling. Technology, while undeniably a powerful
tool to facilitate the production of these stories, is secondary to the storytelling process
(Lambert, 2006).
To date, most of the Digital Storytelling programs that are active today are housed within
educational institutions. Therefore, it is not surprising that its utility has mainly been for
educational purposes. However, community-based programs are also realizing the power and
benefits of this new media technology. Digital Storytelling can cater to any of the historical,
aspiring or recuperative agendas that are common among community-based programs
(McWilliam, 2009) and in fact, it has, judging from the number of non-profit organizations that
341