Is this the same as the mantra "sell benefits not features" that you find in countless marketing books and articles?

I see the word "storytelling" and "storytellers" being used quite frequently in the product design and UX field and, personally, it sounds a bit over-inflated and maybe even a tad phony.

I don't see the examples in the article as storytelling. They are good, creative examples of copy, but my brain thinks of stories in the traditional sense (a tale, a narrative).

I am not a fan of the way industries sometimes appropriate the meaning of existing words to mean something subtly different. Am I being unfair?

Telling stories is such an important aspect of marketing, but overlooked by many. A good book recommendation is "Make it Stick", by Dan Heath.