Categories: Opinion

Brand Storytelling – What it is and Why it Matters

6 March 2023

Kristen Cowell

Lead Designer, Identity Marketing

In our fast-paced and technologically-driven society, we’re spoilt for choice. The choice to consume content digitally, physically, and anywhere in between. Consumers demand businesses not only fulfill the services they offer, but show how their efforts make an impact. What do they stand for? How do they interact with the community? Do they achieve results beyond just profit? These questions can be communicated at mass with the use of brand storytelling.

To survive in the digital era, businesses need to pull at heartstrings. To engage with their audience on a deeper level than was previously possible. A brand story, when executed right, can do much more than discover your ideal audience, stand out from your competitors, or drive profits – it can also create a cultural impact. To do this you need to ask the question ‘what feelings can we provide to keep our audience connected and loyal to our brand?’ That’s where brand storytelling comes in.

So what exactly is brand storytelling?

Brand storytelling is a method used to centre your audience as the main character in the narrative – not your brand, service or product. Sharing relatable real life experiences allow you to create a strong emotional connection with your audience. These create humanising qualities that translate into trust in your business. It’s not an easy gig, but to stand out from the competition, you need to evolve.

“A brand without storytelling won’t allow your audience to feel a sense of confidence or belonging. But the story behind the brand can.”

Your brand is a representation of what your business is and where it stands in the market. Storytelling is the humanisation of not only your mission and vision, but the entire consumer journey. From the scent of your foyer, to the shoes your staff wear, and even the timing of your email responses.

Why is brand storytelling important?

In short, storytelling is your reputation and reliability. The best brands build compelling stories that resonate with their audience. These are stories that are meaningful, memorable, and persuasive. They possess a unique and authentic quality that instantly makes them recognisable. Humans are creatures of comfort when it comes to our emotions. We crave connection, so brands need to leverage these inherently wired parts of the brain to create lasting relationships with genuine honesty.

“In a crowded marketplace where everyone is focused on speed and automation, you can be the brand who dares to be human. Show your audience you’re real by slowing down and doing things differently, take the time to step into your audience’s shoes and understand their wants and needs.”

How can you implement brand storytelling?

Brands need to craft stories meticulously. These breed trust, which in turn creates loyalty: the bedrock of any booming business. So how can you create this emotional attachment to your audience?

Instead of throwing facts, statistics and testimonials at your audience, consider making your brand thoughtful, memorable and real. You can do this by turning your messaging into stories that transport people, simplify information and provoke an emotional response. Show your brand’s history, values, challenges and successes. This is what makes your brand unique, and no other brand can copy this.

Your audience might forget what you say, but they will never forget how they make you feel. So ask yourself ‘what do you want your audience to never forget?’, ‘what do you want to be remembered for?’ and ‘what message do you want to relay?’. Think about what your audience truly needs from you. Take Nike for example. They use brand storytelling without force-feeding a direct narrative. They use emotional responses about the thrill of kicking a goal or the crushing disappointment of a missing free throw.

In a sea of sameness, be unforgettable

If you’re ready to start your brand storytelling, create a roadmap of your strategy. Create a solid foundational story about who you are, what your values are, how you can help your audience and outline meaningful examples and experiences in those spaces. Turn your brand into an experience your audience can consume and trust.