The immutable laws of brand storytelling
Brand storytelling is having a moment, thanks in part to this somewhat viral Wall Street Journal article and some lucrative job postings.
“Storytelling” is one of those things that gets tossed around in the business world occasionally
But what does it actually mean?
A lot of brands understand the need for storytelling but just end up defaulting to product messaging and basic positioning.
To me there are three “immutable laws of brand storytelling” that define if a brand is using storytelling properly.
Brand storytelling is about values
Storytelling is about exploring the conflict of values. Don’t believe me? Ask one of the most influential experts on story, Robert McKee (or just read his excellent book Story).
Justice/injustice. Kindness/hatred. Freedom/subjugation.
These are universal human feelings that people intuitively understand.
Storytelling is about elevating the discussion beyond product features.
Brand storytelling instead explores the values you stand for (and, perhaps even more importantly, the values you are against).
Brand storytelling is about people
One of the first things you learn in journalism school?
Storytelling is about people.
You don’t turn on the nightly news and see them just read off a bunch of statistics or explain a new law. They tell stories about people. They show how that new change in the labour market is impacting someone’s ability to buy a home or get a job.
What does that mean for brands?
It means moving beyond talking about products (or product features). It means using something only humans can experience: Emotion.
They tell stories that appeal to human emotions. And no, you don’t need to aim to create a LinkedIn post that aims to make people cry (that would probably be weird or terrifying).
It could be something simple like making people laugh. Or making them curious. Or even just making a poignant observation about the nature of human existence (like how funny and annoying it can be when your kids are yelling in the backseat of your car).
Emotion is the hallmark of brand storytelling.
Brand storytelling is about sacrifice
Storytelling is about revealing true character.
Let’s take a common example from a storytelling medium we’ve all experienced: Movies.
The climax of a movie almost always revolves around the main character needing to make a choice. What makes that choice interesting is it forces that character to sacrifice something. The story wouldn’t be interesting if the character gained something but didn’t have to give up anything in return.
Now, let’s be clear about something: there’s never a climax for organizations. They don’t follow a story structure that is neatly wrapped up in a two-hour period or over the course of a 500-page novel.
What they can do, though, is make a choice about their values. They can sacrifice.
Consider the case of U.S.-based outdoor equipment provider REI. Black Friday is the Super Bowl for retailers. But not for REI. They close their stores for Black Friday every year and instead encourage people to get out and explore the outdoors.
In other words, they give up something and, in the process, reveal their true commitment to their core mission and values.
