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Katie Genockey

Passionate About Stories– Gillette: First Shave

Our Passionate about Stories series looks at storytelling from organisations of all shapes and sizes. The series gives us an opportunity to learn from brands we love and develop our storytelling skills.

Nowadays, more brands are using storytelling to better connect with their audiences. Many brands use stories to convey their values or their history. Some brands use storytelling to build trust. Other brands use storytelling to educate people about causes that are close to their hearts.

This week, we’re taking a look at Gillette’s latest storytelling campaign which tells the story of a transgender boy experiencing his first shave. 

How their story began

Thirty years ago, Gillette launched their tagline, ‘The best a man can get”. Since then, Gillette has become more involved in conversations regarding masculinity and gender. This prompted them to introduce a new tagline which is more in alignment with their brand values. Today, their main tagline is “The best men can be”. Gillette is committed to encouraging men to be confident and comfortable in their own skin. Through this initiative, Gillette has been advocates for and donated to many charities which invest in the needs and wellbeing of men. Throughout the years, Gillette has run a variety of storytelling campaigns to empower men to be the very best that they can be. 

The story of Samson

This particular campaign allowed Gillette to continue to explore and redefine the idea of masculinity. Gillette decided to make moves to redefine their brand vision to align with current conversations regarding masculinity. In 2019, Gillette debuted a short film, “We Believe”, which sought to redefine masculinity. The campaign made direct reference to the #MeToo movement. The creative expands the brand’s traditional tagline, “The Best a Man Can Get”, to “The Best Men Can Be”. 

Gillette decided to launch a new ad which shows a traditional rite of passage: a father teaching his son how to shave. What makes this story unique is that this heartwarming moment features Toronto-based transgender activist Samson Bonkeabantu. Samson’s story shows his father coaching him on how to shave and reassures him to not be scared. As his father instils a great deal of confidence in Samson, we are invited into the story to share this uplifting moment with them. 

The Importance of Storytelling

Samson’s story not only depicts a touching moment between a father and son. It illustrates Gillette’s commitment to being thoroughly educated on conversations concerning masculinity and inclusivity. This directly propels their mission statement to empower men to be the best they can be. Gillette’s storytelling approach is intrinsic to creating a more deeper and personal connection with their audience. The story sparked positive engagement especially from trans men who said they could relate to Samson’s experience. 

In the short video advertisement, Samson’s story finishes with a touching sentiment, “Whenever, wherever, however it happens, your first shave is special.” Check it out below!

Why not check out our Storyteller’s Manifesto to discover how you can incorporate your brand’s values storytelling into your storytelling endeavours? Find out how you can get your very own FREE copy here. 

Here at All Good Tales, our CEO delivers inspirational keynote addresses to audiences, teaching them how to tell powerful stories. To find out more or to arrange a consultation you can call us on (01) 454 0090. For more information click here.

Brand Story Hero–Keap Candles

In our Brand Story Hero series, we shine a regular spotlight on different brands that we think tell their story well. Here we take a look at Keap Candles, the sustainable scented candle company.

 

Brand: Keap Candles

Industry: Candles 

Founders: Harry Doull and Stephen Tracy

Year Founded: 2015

Mission: “Keap’s mission is to restore the balance and connection between humanity and the natural world, through products that speak to the soul.”

 

Their story

Keap’s story was born from a simple question– why was it so hard to buy a high-quality candle that is also sustainable? For the Keap founders, candles were their favourite way to unwind from the chaos of New York City. However, the duo never found one that smelled great, looked great or was good for the planet. 

Harry and Stephen then proceeded to take perfumery classes and found plenty of opportunities to make a better candle. After much hard work, the pair designed a one-of-a-kind candle. From this, their business grew to provide candles which are masterfully perfumed with nature-inspired scents and virtually zero-waste. Furthermore, they also established a range of candles that shed a light on communities that need it most through their Igniting Solar Impact campaign. Keap Candles share 25% of their net-profits with SolarAid, an international charity that combats poverty and climate change. Additionally, the pair also share their professional services and employee time to help the impact of SolarAid.

How do they use storytelling?

Keap uses a storytelling approach to make their existing and prospective customers aware of the issues concerning sustainability and the environment. Their story narrates some of these issues and how people can begin to take steps towards remedying the problem. By using a storytelling approach, Keap Candles can resonate their environmental concerns with their customers on a more personal level. Furthermore, Keap uses storytelling to mobilise their customers to help in creating lasting benefits for the planet and its inhabitants. 

Using stories to promote environmentally conscientious consumers 

Keap’s mission is to restore the balance and connection between humanity and the natural world, through products that speak to the soul. Climate change is a growing concern for not only Keap but all of humanity. In their story they state:

“We have reached the edge of our planet’s availability to provide for us. Our climate is at a critical tipping point. Reducing how much we consume is perhaps impossible, and definitely uninspiring. But there is an exciting alternative that taps into our natural, human instinct to express ourselves and solve problems.”

Nonetheless, they are emphatically optimistic about what the future holds. Through their storytelling, they have inspired many people to invest in more environmentally friendly and sustainable products. With this motivation, Keap has committed themselves to build a story that empowers their business values with a regenerative, net-benefit vision at its core. Keap does so through the following four steps. 

#1: Restore balance with nature 

Keap candles describe themselves as a laboratory for the regenerative economy. Their long term goal is to have a 100% regenerative supply chain for all materials, and zero waste across everything that they do. Keap’s current focus is ensuring that all their product packaging contains zero waste. They encourage their customers to reuse the candle jars and reuse or recycle any packaging their products come delivered in. 

#2: Advocate for solutions to the environmental crisis

Another long-term goal Keap is currently maintaining involves their dedication to helping the U.S. become a leader of planetary regeneration through collective organising and advocacy with like-minded businesses. Keap is a proudly certified B corporation and they are also members of 1% for the Planet and Climate Collaborative. 

#3: Inspiring their community to nurture an inner connection to wildness and the natural world

Keap celebrates nature by helping their community to rediscover the beauty of our natural systems and to reignite their desire to protect them. Through Keap’s Ignite story series, they bring their scents to life through original art and storytelling. This series showcases a number of stories based on the traditions behind some of the natural ingredients and scents they infuse into their candles. You can check them out here. 

#4: Keap reflect their values of love, openness and activism both locally and internationally 

Keap’s storytelling approach effectively emulates their strong internal values and commitment to making the world a better place. They infuse love into everything that they do. Keap encourages their consumers to do the same and to give more love to the environment in any way that they can.

How else do Keap help the planet?

According to Keap, “Nature works in regenerative cycles, with each participant giving back more than it takes”. This idea empowers their view to removing all waste from their business. Keap does so with their zero-waste approach. As we know, materials which bio-degrade are useful for creating a regenerative and healthier environment. All of Keap’s products are made of biodegradable materials which can be easily put into the compost bin after use. Furthermore, their candle holders can also be repurposed as drinking glasses or decorative containers depending on your taste. If you decide not to repurpose the glass, you can send it back to the company free of charge to prevent it from going to landfill. 

Here at All Good Tales, our CEO delivers inspirational keynote addresses to audiences, teaching them how to tell powerful stories. To find out more or to arrange a consultation you can call us on (01) 454 0090. For more information click here.

How to accentuate your brand values through storytelling

Brand values are the base of your branding and the place where your business starts. They define your brand and what you want to stand for. This means you need to define the core ideals you believe in and what characteristics you want your brand to be recognised for. Brand values represent the change your business can offer.

They are the key to creating a story that appeals to your customers. Today, many businesses are using the power of storytelling to transform their brand values into stories which captivate their customers. We’ve devised some tips on how you can use storytelling to accentuate your brand values below.

Building connections

Your brand values express the change that you want to make in the world. Storytelling is the perfect way to build connections with your existing and prospective customers. It helps to easily express your brand values and promote customer loyalty. If people believe they share values with a company, they will stay loyal to the brand. Having strong brand values not only helps causes which you are passionate about, but they also broaden your brand’s appeal. Using storytelling to resonate your brand values is an excellent way to get the word out there about your business and to promote positive engagement. Infusing your values into your brand story is an excellent way to cultivate new connections or strengthen existing ones with your audience.

You can easily build new connections with your customers by including a spectrum of participation in your brand story. Not only will this get more people interacting with your brand and it’s values, but it will also drive social media engagement.

Brand recognition

Using storytelling to accentuate your brand values is a brilliant way to get recognition. Everything your brand says and does should reflect your brand values. This helps your audience to identify themselves with your brand and recognise you for who you are. Your audience reception will continually thrive if you live by your brand story and your values.

Storytelling is a great way to convey your brand values. It allows you to resonate your brand values in an easy way. Businesses often use storytelling to convey their brand values by having an identifiable call to action. By doing so, this motivates customers to engage with your brand and the causes you are advocating for. Using storytelling to showcase your brand values allows businesses to do so in a meaningful and authentic way.

Promote a human element

Good brand values set out to better the greater good of customers and communities. Research indicates that people feel more drawn to brand stories that have a human element or personality infused into them. It has been scientifically proven that people find it easier to relate to stories which emphasise a business’s brand values in an emotionally provoking way.

Have a clear vision

It is important to have a clear and grounded vision when incorporating your values into your brand story. Once a brand has figured out what causes it identifies itself with, it must stay true to itself and remain consistent. This consistency can be achieved through storytelling. It is important to show people what your values are, rather than just telling them. Storytelling is useful to illustrate your values and vision statement in a way that is meaningful and heartfelt. This type of approach will encourage customers to invest in the causes your business aligns itself with and the products you are marketing.storytelling

Align your values with your product or service

This is an important one. Remember to ensure that your brand values are relative to the type of product you are marketing. If your product and values are vastly different from each other, it may confuse your customers and cause a disconnect between your audience and brand. Storytelling can help to subtly combine the product you are selling and your brand values. By using a creative narrative, visuals, or videos you can easily market your product and convey your brand values at the same time.

Keep it simple

Be sure that you are not overreaching when it comes to your identified brand values. Make sure that your values are easily transferable when it comes to creating your brand story. The simpler your brand values are, the easier they will translate into your story. This allows your audience to easily understand what it is your business advocates for and what it is you are marketing. As the saying goes, small is mighty.Marketing

Bringing your brand story and values to life

Creating your own brand story that aligns with your values has never been easier. Here at All Good Tales, storytelling is our speciality. We want to help you excel and get the recognition your business deserves. If you would like to learn more about telling a great brand story make sure to request a FREE copy of our Storyteller’s Manifesto.

Here at All Good Tales, we believe every brand has a story to tell. Unsure of how to tell yours? We’d love to arrange a consultation. You can call us on (01) 454 0090 to organise yours today. We also run one day courses that give you practical information on connecting with customers. For more information or to book a place, click here.