Story: Key 3 to a memorable brand

Story time. Gather round.

From cave walls to cinema screens, Homeric odysseys to HBO dramas and everything in between, storytelling has come a long way. Stories are the single most enduring way that we share ideas and communicate our experiences as humans. It’s how we transform the personal into the relatable, the momentary into the memorable, and the everyday into the emotive.

Good stories stay in people’s minds; the best ones live on in our collective consciousness.

Storytelling isn’t just a buzzword. It’s the heartbeat of your brand. It gives meaning to interactions with your audience.

Like any human, your brand can use storytelling to take people on a journey. Unlike the majority of the stories you hear from the average person, this is storytelling with intent. It transforms products and services from mere commodities into desirable experiences. An Amex is more than a piece of plastic, it’s a gateway to exclusive rewards and travel experiences.

If emotion is the North Star of your brand, then storytelling is your GPS. It’s how you reach your target audience in the most direct and efficient way possible.

Whether you want to be trusted, loved, or even feared, a strong narrative delivers that emotion in a more human-friendly way across every part of your brand, from verbal to visual assets, and from physical to digital activations. As a marketer, building memorable stories should be the red thread that connects it all.

Culture isn’t static, so brand stories shouldn’t be either. Today, your brand isn’t just competing with other brands, it’s competing with Hollywood celebrities, viral influencers, and multiversal entertainment franchises. So many stories, so many feeds, so many touchpoints.

Brands like Nike excel by adapting their storytelling to stay relevant wherever they play, actively shaping content around culture. Crafting your own story gives you the opportunity to respond to and take part in the world, influencing where it can go.

Know your audience: Understand how they think, what they respond to, and how you can most effectively deliver on your emotional goal through the stories you tell.

Define your core narrative: Identify the central story that aligns with your brand’s values and goals. This narrative should reflect your brand’s mission and resonate with your target audience.

Structure your story: Acknowledge where you’ve been, why you do what you do, the obstacles you’ve faced, and what moves you’re making towards the future. Like any good story, a sense of progression is key.

Create a relatable persona: Develop a character or persona that your audience can identify with. This character can embody the values and personality you want to convey, inspiring how you speak and show up, to make stories more engaging and memorable.

Utilise multiple channels: Spread your narrative across various platforms, from social media and websites to advertising and physical experiences. Consistency in storytelling across channels reinforces the message and enhances memorability.

Engage with culture: Stories do not exist in a vacuum. Ensure your narratives extend into cultural conversations and collaborations, staying relevant to current events, trends, and societal values. This adaptability keeps your brand’s story fresh and engaging.

Your brand’s story is its golden ticket to memorability and impact. It allows you to express ideas and emotions in the most engaging and relatable way.

Well-crafted stories bring people closer to your brand’s emotional North Star, creating lasting impressions that go beyond functional or material value. Remember, the stories you tell your audiences are just the start, it’s the personal stories they build around your brand themselves that are the true measure of whether you live on in their hearts and minds.