Storytelling and the Brand Narrative

The Backstory

Even my father says so, at heart, I am a storyteller – and there are stories everywhere. Being “creative” on demand and rolling things in narrative glitter are my bread and butter. Giving an organization a clear message and a clear voice in which to tell it is the crux of my nine-to-five. Making that message resonate, giving it life, making it visual, making it stick, stimulating a conversation, and giving people a reason to actually give a damn, is a disciple in itself. 

 

Please excuse the somewhat flavorless tone of the following post. This was initially written as part of my 2013 visiting lecturer series at Nottingham Trent University, but I’m trying to post something relevant at least monthly, and alas, October has run away with me. 

 

Flippancy and professional irreverence will be resumed as soon as possible.

 

Crafting Connection and Distinction

 

The Power of a Story in Branding 

 

Ideas are cheap, nay free, and products are plentiful. And boy, the marketplace is crowded. What makes you stand out?

A "brand narrative" is a consistent and compelling story that encapsulates a brand's values, mission, and unique identity, designed to provoke an emotional connection with its audience. A compelling brand narrative isn’t just a luxury; it's a necessity. If you don’t have it, you don’t have a connection, so you have no emotional value to your audience.

 

The art of brand storytelling - yes, I did say art - goes that step beyond just advertising; it creates an emotional bridge between us (the brand) and our audience (probably a buyer or prospect), fostering a deeper, more meaningful connection. It’s not esoteric, it’s just basic psychology blended with creative journalism. It’s about wearing our brand values and product journey on our sleeves and cutting through the hyperbole and marketing speak.

 

Emotional Engagement Through Storytelling and Design 

 

Emotional engagement is the cornerstone of effective storytelling, and there is an interplay between storytelling and design. Admittedly, this is the natural angle I come from because my roots are in graphic design, English literature, messaging, filmmaking, scriptwriting, etc., and technology and theory are moving forward all the time. It is, however, in my somewhat jaded experience, true.

 

A well-crafted story, combined with visually striking graphics, be they AR animations or magazine copy layout, can evoke a range of emotions, from trust and comfort (John Lewis) to apprehension and anxiety (the pro-Brexit campaign) and from excitement and aspiration (Nike’s "Just Do It") to simple FOMO (Apple tapping into their existing consumers' desire not to be left behind in the latest advances in shiny tech). 

 

Obligatory 1984 Apple's Macintosh Commercial playing in the background. Not because it’s related or illustrates a specific point. Just because it’s awesome.

 

Brands like Apple have mastered this blend, using minimalistic design and poignant narratives to create a loyal and passionate customer base of like-minded souls. Apple's narratives often focus on innovation, creativity, and the human element in technology, resonating deeply with their tech-savvy audience. 

 

Crafting a Compelling Brand Narrative 

 

I don’t have the great British novel in me. I get my dopamine fix in other ways, and with more regularity. I imagine, however, that creating a compelling brand narrative is akin to a plotting a captivating book. 

 

It should have a clear theme, consistent characters (your brand's voice), and a plot that unfolds over time. The narrative should be authentic, reflecting the brand's values and mission. 

 

NB: Brand values and a clear mission statement are crucial as they define a company's identity, guide its business practices, and inform its relationship with customers. They serve as a compass for decision-making and communication, helping to build trust and loyalty by ensuring consistency and authenticity in all aspects of the brand's operations and messaging. There is no brand narrative without them.

 

Anyway, par exemple, the fashion brand Patagonia's commitment to environmental sustainability isn’t just a marketing strategy. It’s a core narrative and brand equity that influences all its business decisions and marketing efforts. It’s their “shtick,” their “hook,” and their base identity. In many ways, it is its audience, and it supports the same ideals and standards. 

It attracts that audience by saying, “We are who we are, and we’re passionate about it. We take a stand. We’re on your side, our side, and the planet’s side.” 

Many folks say Patagonia “goes against the normal,” but customers in most sectors are bored of normal. Normal doesn’t stand out. Normal doesn’t sell. Who wants to wear normal?

 

Standing Out with Stories 

 

Our increasingly skeptical consumers are bombarded with obvious and targeted advertisements. A unique and creative story can cut through the skepticism (if it’s told with sincerity and consistency) and legitimately raise a brand above the heard. Customers are savvy and can see when they’re being sold to, but an honest and compelling brand narrative with real motivations and an obvious human behind the curtain adds credibility, passion, purpose, and trust.

 

Good stories make good brands stand out. Take, for example, the then somewhat revolutionary storytelling approach of Dove with their 'Real Beauty' campaign. By focusing on real stories of diverse beauty, with real people at the fore, Dove instantly distinguished itself in a market saturated with unrealistic beauty standards and created conversation around the topic of its detrimental effects. We know that the use of impractical and unrealistic ideals of physical perfection in advertising fosters negative body image, low self-esteem, and mental health issues among consumers. It perpetuates narrow and unattainable ideals, contributing to a culture of exclusivity and discrimination. Dove used their campaign to make a stand and to stand out, sparking conversations and creating a strong emotional response. It broke the mold in a good way, immediately promoting the likes of online retailers to use common and plus-sized models, which we now think of as the norm.

 

The Role of Brand Voice and Personality 

 

This will be in the quiz, so write this down as I say it: “A brand's voice and personality are essential elements of storytelling.” 

 

This voice should be consistent across all platforms, whether it's the witty and irreverent tone of Old Spice (wow, you can tell when this was written) or the inspirational and aspirational tone of Under Armour, Tesla, Airbnb, L'Oréal, or Peloton. 

 

The brand voice is a critical tool in making any narrative relatable and memorable. 

 

Discovering Brand Stories 

 

Finding stories within a brand can seem daunting, and some of the examples I’m using above are, in reality, obvious extremes, but stories often lie in simple places: the origins of the company, customer experiences, the journey, employee stories, stakeholder passions, or the creation of a product. 

 

For instance, the story of how the microsegmentation and zero-day protection provider, TrueFort, was founded: “It all started with a breach” at a major banking organization, which revealed a problem, so two clever guys in the trenches fixed that problem then took their solution to market - is a narrative that speaks of innovation and industry-focused solutions. It’s honest, simple, true, and says, “We’re real people on the side of CISOs and the security team.”

 

I’ve talked about finding inspiration for stories previously in my Staying Creative as a Content Marketer post, which might have some nuggets worth mining, and here are some further notes on finding your brand story.

 

Leveraging Thought Leadership Content 

 

Thought leadership is a simple and recognized way to build a brand narrative. It positions a brand as an expert in its field, adding depth to its story. 

 

A tech company might share insights about emerging technologies, or an interior design firm might discuss future home trends. Essentially, a small brand can have a big voice and become a source for opinion and news on their specialist topic. This content, while informative and of value to the customer, also tells a story of expertise and foresight. Rocket science it ain’t.

 

Using personality is useful for companies of all sizes, and personality can be used for used to leverage the distribution of the message. 

Consider a project I did with renowned opticians Vision Express: Then CEO, Jonathan Lawson, connected with all 500+ employees on LinkedIn. That was a lot of clicking, trust me. He then began to use the platform to share Vision Express posts, silently promoting brand content. He blogged on LinkedIn, ghost-written by me, to showcase new technology, his leadership style (keeping it human/personal), and company achievements. He shared company PR and HR ideals from a personal perspective. His connection to the organization, and a transparent and accessible (managed) voice from behind the curtain, was the story.

While I was working with Vision Express, I went to a store opening and had one of their free eye tests with their new visual fields testing equipment, and the ophthalmologist found I had early-stage glaucoma. Catching this at the beginning, with their new in-store technology, probably saved my vision, and treatment stopped the headaches I’d been ignoring for months. Stories are everywhere. I shamelessly jumped on this, crafted a raft of related video and written content, and I was happy to be the poster boy for that month. “Go and get a free eye test.” After all, I kinda owed 'em one.

 

Creating Written and Visual Brand Journalism 

 

Brand journalism combines storytelling with journalistic principles. It's about creating content that's informative, engaging, and newsworthy. The key is to focus on stories that interest your audience, not just your brand. 

 

Red Bull is a prime example, with its magazine and media company focusing on extreme (non-combative) sports and lifestyle, which aligns with the brand's “adventurous spirit.” 

 

Cohesive Storytelling 

 

The art of storytelling in branding is a multifaceted endeavor. It's about striking the right balance between emotional engagement and informational content. A successful brand narrative should be consistent, authentic, and above all, compelling. 

 

Consumers are more discerning and better informed, and a well-told brand story is what will ultimately resonate and endure.

Here endeth the lesson.

How to Find Your Unique Selling Point and Brand Story

I'm head of colouring-in at a large workshop design and automotive equipment supply firm.

When I started 12-months ago I didn't know the first damn thing about tyre changers, wheel balancers, ADAS calibration, wheel alignment or how Porsche liked to have their workshop tiles laid out - but now I do. In fact, it's my round-one Mastermind specialist subject.

Coming to a technical topic like this I was tasked with making our portfolio stand out from the heard. I needed to know the story points in order to be able to tell the story. Here's how I've done that and how I found the unique selling point of us, as a brand, and the equipment and services we provide.

Make a competitors list.

Start off by checking out your competitors and make a big damn list of what you do differently. Hit their website. Look at what terminology and imagery they use. What are they trying to say and how are they trying to say it? What makes you, and what you do, different? Is it quality? Is it variety? Who is their market? What strengths are they highlighting? What sets you apart?

Emotional needs.

An emotional need can be clarified as a craving that, when satisfied, leaves you with a feeling of happiness and contentment. When unsatisfied, it leaves you with a feeling of unhappiness and frustration. This need (B2C) can be anything from the aspirational ownership of a pair of Manolo Blahniks to having more free time, from the love of your partner/dog/child/parent/hobby to the satisfaction of a job well done.

Make another column on your list and (from your customer's perspective) think about which emotional need is being directly met by your product or service. Some customer persona work might be needed here, to identify the core motivation of the folks who hold the purse strings or make the purchase decisions. Some good, solid, trolling through industry website and having an eye to what the overall business environment wants or how it is changing can help.

With B2B emotional needs, it may be something as simple as "We need to make more money," "We need to sell more Widgets," "We need more footfall," "We need to save time," or "We need to be ready for a legal change in our industry."

Get hands-on.

This is, in my opinion, the most important thing that will help you towards the realisation of your unique selling points.

You're gonna have to put some effort in.

Whatever it is you sell or provide, go and get up to your elbows in it. Go to trade shows. Go to demonstrations. Get the sales team to go over whatever it is, in-depth. Stand in front of the product. Walk around it. Learn how to use it. Imagine you're doing an explainer video and sketch out the storyboard. Get inspired.

I can't emphasise how important this is, especially in an industry like mine where we're talking installations and pieces of technical equipment worth tens of thousands.

Find the time and treat yourself to a training montage.

If I hadn't stood in front of one of our pieces of kit at a trade show, next to lots of similar equipment, I would never have realised it's size - it's footprint being much smaller than that of the competitors - meaning it was perfect for crowded tyre bays and workshops where space is at a premium. That's that particular machine's USP. Finding it, I had to stand in front of it and see it for myself.

You may have a product, like ours, which is large and unwieldy and where the USP may not be apparent until completion or installation. The story (USP) isn't always obvious. You'll need to follow it through the product journey.

Ask questions. Watch the demonstration teams. Hang around in the workshop and training centre. Video it. Learn how to do it yourself. Sit down with the directors and designers and ask questions. Walk the shop floor. Script it. Is it quick? Is it accurate? Does it come with upsell potential for the customer? Can it do two things at once? Is it cheap? Is it gold-standard? Again, how does it fulfil a possible need?

Grab Your Highlighter.

Ok, grab something fluorescent and let's underline the things on your list that your competitors can't replicate or imitate. Where are the current gaps that are going to make you stand out? Get a different colour and highlight anything that that they can't easily copy or reproduced.

Now we're getting somewhere. If not, go back and repeat everything above and spend more time with the product - an epiphany WILL come. Eventually.

What's in it for them?

It's critical to state, clearly, the benefit to the customer.

Key phrases.

Have a go at fashioning some phrases about your unique service or product that are clear, punchy, concise and hit those core 'truths' that make you different. Go over your list and pull out any keywords and phrases. Make them into factual sentences, with emotion. Back them up with facts and stats as necessary. Make sure these can be easily read and totally understood by your potential customers. Write it in their language.

Us as an example.

We have a mantra for our brand: Workshops of the Future. ™

It says that we're the future (obviously). It says that we're more forward-thinking then our competitors. It intimates that we're ready to embrace the likes of automated vehicle workshops, electric vehicle servicing, calibration of advanced driver-assistance systems. It says that we do things differently. It says 'cutting edge'. It helps to set us apart from the 'others'.

We design, supply and install premium garage equipment for many of the world’s most exclusive automotive brands - and we have to show our customers that we're ready to give them what they need as the market changes. We combine product expertise with a dynamic approach to ensure their workshop facilities reflect the impeccable standards of the vehicles they maintain, so our content, imagery, attitude, facilities, messaging, everything, has to be able to mirror that (and the quality they expect).

It also tells our client base - the likes of Maserati, Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Porsche, etc. - that we're ready to give them what they need for the next decade and beyond. We know regulations, manufacturers specifications/standards and how to embrace the petrol and diesel ban being introduced in 2035 (or possibly earlier). This 'attitude' and offer makes us stand out in an industry that, on the surface, doesn't seem as dynamic or glamourous as it is in actuality - there's a lot of Porsche and Jaguar Landrover showroom openings to go to as marketing manager. We've laid out our stall and committed to our unique selling point. This is our brand story.

After establishing the overall brand I went more granular and took a deep-dive. The overall brand is relatively simple compared to the USPs of individual pieces of equipment and departmental services. The story they tell may be one that fulfils the needs of reliability, the quest for and importance of accuracy, OE standards/quality, seamless ease, repeatability, longevity, time/space/energy saving, or a whole different need and want our clients may have.

Everything has a story, it's just a matter of finding it.

In conclusion.

No matter what your product or service just stop and look and think about the problems and industry needs that you (as a brand) and your individual service or product solves for your future clients.

Again, I can't emphasise how important it is to get hands-on and out in the field. Involvement is the key to understanding. Stories don't write themselves.

Boom.