Storytelling is extremely beneficial to our brain. We've been conditioned to listen to stories and to tell stories. Every business must communicate a story to the public that captures the spirit of its brand. In order to sell your product or service, you must have a brand story. Let's look at some of the most effective brand narrative examples.
What is a Brand Story?
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A brand story entails more than just information and a plot. The story goes beyond a website's material, a brochure's text, or a presentation's pitch to investors or customers. Your brand's story is more than just what you say; it's also what people believe about you based on the signals it gives out. The story is a whole picture made up of facts, feelings, and interpretations, therefore you aren't even telling part of your story.
Everything you do, from the colors and textures of your packaging and business cards to the people you hire, is part of your brand story, and each aspect should reflect the truth about your brand to your target market.
You must begin with your story if you want to develop a successful, long-term business and a brand that will inspire loyalty and if you're lucky, love.
What Is the Importance of Brand Story?
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The practice of building a meaningful connection with your customers via the use of a narrative that expresses your values and what your brand stands for is known as a brand story. Consumer behavior is directly influenced by effectively communicating your brand's values.
According to Headstream, 55% of customers are willing to buy from a brand if they like its story. 44 percent will tell others about the tale, and 15% will buy the product right away.
To build a lasting relationship with your target audience, focus on real and memorable communication, and you might just find yourself with a loyal group of consumers and brand advocates.
The following are four reasons why brand story is critical:
• Emotions are More Important than Words
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People may forget logos, but wonderful brand stories are remembered.
Tell a story that connects with your audience on an emotional level. The tale can be about anything: a time when you went above and beyond to aid a customer, a story about the individuals who built your product or service, or the moment when your company was founded.
Emotions like joy, hope, and even sadness can be incorporated into your brand story. Emotions give your brand a more human face, allowing you to build stronger bonds with your customers.
And a consumer who believes in you will demonstrate that belief by entrusting their money and time to your company. A well-written story entices readers and keeps them engaged, making them more likely to respond to the call to action.
• Empathy Resulting In Empowerment
How can you create narratives that continually resonate with your customers? By emphasizing empathy in all of your marketing messages.
Empathy is the factor that will make your tale stick, whether you're writing content or having a brief consumer interaction over Twitter or the phone. Be aware of world happenings and demonstrate your knowledge of the consumer experience in your material.
Leading from a place of empathy can feel contradictory at times.
"Shouldn't I be delivering my story instead of guessing at the customer's emotions?" you might wonder. But not right now. People, not products, are the ones who buy better versions of themselves.
You can convey your narrative in a way that fulfills your clients' requirements, establishes a connection, and encourages them to take action by understanding who they are and putting yourself in their shoes. It's a win-win situation.
• Humanize Your Brand Using Stories
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Humans are hardwired to comprehend and enjoy stories, and every great brand story is a journey — a journey filled with surprises, disappointments, conflicts, pleasure, love, blunders, and everything in between! Express your brand's journey in a way that encourages interaction. To help your customers connect with you more effectively, get comfortable being vulnerable.
People can empathize with you and create trust in your brand when they see that your firm is made up of genuine people. Be genuine and speak exactly what you mean. It should go without saying, but your story must be based on facts.
• Brand Stories Inspire The Monkey Mind
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We'd all want to think of ourselves as reasonable individuals who make perfectly sensible choices. We don't, however. Our emotions are far more important in our daily lives than we'd want to accept or believe. This has an impact on purchase decisions as well. Your customers are people, and people can be illogical at times. Brand stories are an excellent approach to appeal to people's less-than-perfectly rational side.
Is it really necessary to buy a new iPhone every year? Probably not, but you want it, so you get it anyhow. Perhaps it will assist you in becoming a better designer, programmer, or creative. It allows you to stay ahead of the competition and deliver your best work every time. In your mind, you reason this want into a must. Why? Because Apple is telling you this story.
You're speaking to the core reasons why someone would buy your goods or service when your brand presents a great story. It extends beyond the addition of new features or goods. A compelling brand story can assist you in effectively communicating these difficult concepts.
Your story encourages customers to trust their choices and guides them through the process. According to Harvard, almost 95% of buying decisions are made without conscious thought!
6 Brand Storytelling Examples That Worked
Now that we understand why brand storytelling is so crucial, let's look at some instances to see who has done it well.
1. The Equality Story of Nike
Image is taken from WK
Nike has always been a superb storyteller when it comes to brand story. They are masters at capturing the zeitgeist and disseminating timely, high-impact tales.
A good brand story example is Nike's Equality campaign. The campaign exemplifies one of Nike's core values: overcoming prejudice. Nike created a shared collective moment by inviting its audience to participate in a social debate about themes of equality and inclusivity for this campaign.
They use their big platform to educate and disseminate vital messages, and they also show they care about what their customers care about, by building a connection between their brand and the struggle for justice.
2. The Land Rovers of the World
Image is taken from Gaadiwaadi
In this case, Land Rover's brand narrative demonstrates why the finest brand story comes from your customers. It is set in a remote region of the Indian Himalayas, where drivers rely on a perfectly maintained fleet of 1957 Land Rovers to transport supplies and navigate the dangerous Himalayan roads.
The tale centers on the drivers and the communities they serve, and it is told through a visually spectacular video. It only goes to show that if you come across a heartfelt customer tale, you should invest in it. Prioritize the aspects of your brand that make it human.
3. The History of MouthFoods
MouthFoods is a gourmet and artisanal food company that promotes items from enthusiastic creators all around the United States.
Their enthusiasm shines through in their tale.
It tells the story behind each of its producers and products, emphasizing the brand's human side and fostering a sense of belonging.
They give even the most commonplace things a whole new significance by disclosing the intricate history behind them.
4. The Apple Story of 1984
Image is taken from Adage
Apple's 1984 advertising campaign is one of the most recognizable brands in history and one of the most compelling brand tales ever told.
Apple effectively conveyed the story of those who defied the established quo to build something revolutionary, standing against oppression and emancipation of actual human potential and creativity.
By positively identifying themselves with thought leaders and geniuses, they were able to convey these principles to their brand story.
It makes observations not only on their own industry but also about American politics at the time.
5. The Legend of Old Spice
Image is taken from Insightrix
According to Advertising Age, Old Spice's "guy your man could smell like" campaign is one of the best of the twenty-first century.
Old Spice practically invented body wash, but it was quickly followed by a slew of imitators. In a period when the product had almost become commoditized, it was necessary to humanize the brand. They repositioned their brand to be hip, masculine, and, most crucially, compassionate to a younger generation. Result? A memorable brand narrative.
6. YEMA
Image is taken from Storystudio
In this scenario, YEMA teamed together with The StoryStudio to produce an advertisement centered on resilience and empowerment. YEMA clearly expresses what they stand for by using hashtags like #HonorYourself #BreakStandards to convey a body-positive image through their brand.
They put their words into action by contributing a portion of every sale to organizations that support girls' education in Nairobi, Kenya.
When you leave your clients with a greater connection to the brand, you've done your job properly.
YEMA believed in something, articulated it, and stayed true to it throughout the process. This makes all the difference in a congested sector.
Introducing Strikingly
Your brand story can be published on your website or used to inform your overall mission. Strikingly is an excellent place to begin building your brand story website. While many platforms claim to be website builders, just a few are designed specifically for the inexperienced creative or small business owner who is uneasy with coding and technology. Strikingly is a great example of a platform that links ambitious webmasters with their target audiences.
Conclusion
One of the most crucial aspects of marketing is brand story. And those brands who include this into their marketing approach have a clear advantage over their competition. It's not required for the best brand stories to originate just in your head. User-generated brand stories have a significantly greater ability to inspire people than traditional brand stories. In brand story, always use practical and unique ideas. You'll undoubtedly win the game!
