Posted by Sting Communications on June 11, 2021 in Advertising
‘Who are you?’ the answer can be as simple as telling your name, where you stay, your nationality and so on. And deep thinking to answer that question can take you to great philosophical heights. Most people spend their entire lives without envisioning about such thoughts. But when it comes to brands, the answer to this question is mandatory before even the first batch of products roll out and the first advertisement is published. The answer to this question for a brand lies in building up a brand story.
Brand storytelling is a chronicle that includes facts and feelings that are created by your brand. It is also your brands guiding principles and impacts every sphere of the business. It includes your product or service, price, quality, marketing and in-store sales experience – all encompassed in a single value system that is your brand story. Here, I would also like to mention the most crucial factor about brand stories is not what you narrate but how other people say about your brand. This is the true narrative of your brand story. It exists, whether you like it or not.
Now how to write a successful brand story? The process begins in day zero, when the idea of creating a brand starts creeping inside you. You must try to identify what your brand stands for and communicate those values in all your brand communications, be it your website content to traditional ads to social media. You groom your brand up and present it to the world. Now the people outside your brand sphere should be able to identify you in the same way as you want it to be. If they think you are not what you present yourself as, it is a failed brand story. Careful research must be done to find the truth. And if feasible, rethink.
A brand story must inspire emotion. That is, it must be a narrative that is much more than traditional advertisements where sweeping stories about how good your product is, with broad description about the physical benefits they offer. An example may clear any doubt. Say we are promoting a financial product. Rather than shouting out the percentage of interest benefit it is offering, if we try and develop a brand story around how the taker of the product will have a peaceful and secure retirement life, the message is more likely to drive home.
There are a few basic guidelines for effective story telling. You need to create a brand personality. It must be appealing to if not all, but some. This will create a fan base that will support and engage with the brand communication in social media. Study the different aspects of the story. Create the main focus characters of your story. Create a compelling story with specific and vivid narratives that makes a watcher feel the emotional ups and downs. Add supporting visuals and stay consistent in what you portray. Then, when you are ready with your outline, activate your story.
A very good example of a brand story is Nike. Their storytelling is compelling and has successfully created a huge audience who are a part of their collective storytelling by using Nike products and sharing inspiring Nike videos. The Company has forced in a strong statement for positive social change with their campaigns on equality.
In another example, we can look at Uber. The company has come up with a wonderful alternative for traditional taxi and redefined transportation. It has empowered, not only commuters but also drivers, by giving more possibilities for rides and more business for the drivers.
So, all you need is to create a valuable brand story for your brand that has the ability to sting the consumers mind. This advertisting, which projects a much larger picture than just advertising, will help your brand grow. If you think you want to create a brand story of your own, we are ever ready to help. Visit our website www.stingcommunications.co.in to learn about how we are focusing on our clients.
model courtesy: elearnmarkets.com shoot from our portfolio.
Tags: #brand #brandstory #sting #advertising #advertisting #EmotionalConnect, #kolkata, marketing