Stories develop a connection between the reader and the writer. If it’s a good story, this connection can develop trust, admiration and excitement.
These are three qualities which any brand would love to feature in their interactions with consumers. This is why so many successful companies are starting to use storytelling in their content. Instead of producing boring, product-centric content, brands are trying to create advertisements which will spark an emotional response within their customers. A response which will make those customers remember the advertisement.
However, because more companies are beginning to utilise storytelling in their advertising, it is no longer sufficient to just tell a story. It must be a good brand story, one that your customers will enjoy listening to. At All Good Tales, we help all our customers find the key to telling a good brand story: their “magic slice”. With that in mind, here are our top five tips for telling a great brand story.
Don’t try to be something you’re not
If your business has ever produced an advertisement, people will already have an image of your values and corporate culture in their head. If your brand story diverts too much from that image, your customers will notice your shift and view you as being inauthentic. Try to take the positive aspects of your current branding along with you when crafting your brand story.
This will give your customers a comfortable sense of familiarity. As for any negative aspects, a gradual change as you create your brand story will erase these associations in your customer’s minds while allowing you to continue to be viewed as authentic.
Tell your audience what you can provide them
Many brand stories set up situations where their brand is treated as a character. It can be the hero, such as a toy company’s 24-hour delivery service saving Christmas or it can be a sidekick, such as an online video chat company allowing someone to ace an interview.
After seeing these stories, people will reflect upon their own experience and think that they might be better off if they had that same character in their lives.
Find your unique angle
With brand storytelling becoming more popular, it’s natural to assume that your competitors will be trying it too. Therefore, it’s important that you find a unique angle of storytelling that will differentiate you from your competition in the public eye.
Perfect examples of this are the John Lewis Christmas ads. Every year since 2007, they have had everyone anticipating their usually anthropomorphic, feel-good ads that tell a heart-warming story for the holiday season. No other department store has managed to compete with their Christmas marketing as these ads are so unique, and are therefore permanently associated with the John Lewis brand.
Make it relevant
A great way to avoid being seen as out-of-touch is by connecting your brand story to current events. A famous example of this is the Apple 1984 Super Bowl ad. Due to the year that was in it, George Orwell’s novel Nineteen-Eighty-Four had experienced a second wind of popularity and using this as a backdrop, Apple’s marketing team introduced the world to Macintosh. However, it is important to tread carefully when attempting this, as it can also lead to PR blunders (e.g. Kendall Jenner’s Pepsi ad).
Make it simple
Above all else, remember to keep your story a simple one. A customer will only pay attention to one brand for so long without reward. Your story must be simple enough to instantly understand and engaging enough to make your customer want to stick around. If you achieve these two things, then you have the core elements of a great brand story.
