brand storytelling
Post on 22-Oct-2014
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Brand Storytelling: Creating seamless experiences in a volatile media environment
Photo Credit: Olivander (Flickr)
What is the last brand message you remember and where did you see it?
Photo credit: Toni Blay (Flickr)
You probably can’t remember, and it’s not a surprise. WHY?
Hard Realities For Brands
Media fragmentation
is growing
Messages do not resonate
Attention is a hard currency
to earn
Photo Credit: Freedigitalpohoto.com, Madd0 (Flickr)
The Communication Conundrum
Consumers and brands rarely, if ever, walk in the same direction.
Messages won’t break through the clutter unless delivered differently.
Brands care about
messaging
Consumers don’t
remember brand messages
Marketing Fixes
Brand storytelling
Reconfigure how we approach the marketing mix
Why Stories Matter
“Stories are important cognitive events, for they encapsulate, into one compact package, information, knowledge, context and emotion.” Don Norman, Author, Things That Make Us Smart
“The story’s power is twofold: it provides stimulation (knowledge about how to act) and inspiration (motivation to act).”
Chip and Dan Heath, Co-Authors, Made to Stick
“Services and goods are satisfying only if they deliver the food of human connection. The stories you tell, and the stories people tell themselves about you and your product or service, enhance or minimize your ability to deliver satisfaction.” Annette Simmons, Author, Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins
Speak to the Mind
“The eyes are not responsible when the mind does the seeing” – Publilius Syrus
• Stories provide context around facts, and context awakens the senses
• Attention is a currency – people value their time – and we are willing to give attention to stories
Photo Credit: Illuminaut (Flickr)
Stories Build Perception
Illusion Reality
Emo
tion
Perception
Fact Fiction
The Problem
All I wanted was a fun story. Somebody
please save me.
Most brands stories are dull and fail to inspire emotional connections.
Brand Story Test
• Industry pros talk about “humanizing brands.” But when was the last time you tried writing a brand story with the brand as a character? Or, better yet, writing a story about how the brand’s audience relates to the brand?
• “Once upon a time, brand X…”
Building A Brand Story
Gather as much information about
the brand as possible
Map the brand’s character – the
values, attitude,
Define the audience and map
characteristic
Find the commonalities
between the brand and its audience
Comprehend the challenges
Draft the brand story in narrative
form
Approach From Two Angles
• Think of the brand as a hero
• Define the brand characteristics as if it were a character in a book
• Plot vs. themes
• What is important to the prospect – Functional vs.
emotional needs
• Match attributes
How do both sides
match? Brand Audience
Telling The Brand Story
Think of campaigns as episodes or chapters – Remember, brand stories are a work in
progress
It’s time to rethink how the brand story is distributed
– Recalibrate the marketing mix
– Making sense of the ever-expanding world of media
Thinking in 3D: New Marketing Mix Is Like Layered Cake
Augmented
Social
Mobile
Digital
Traditional
Physical
Story and Design = “Icing”
Augmented
Social
Mobile
Digital
Traditional
Physical
Brand story and Design
Brand story and Design
Brand story and Design
Brand story and Design
Brand story and Design
Photo Credit: Anrea_R (Flickr)
Slicing the Cake: Media Types
Shared Owned
Organic Paid
Photo credit: probonobaker (Flickr)
Through People’s Eyes
A consumer’s response or reaction to a brand will always be based on experience
Story is a way of creating memorable experiences and integrating facts in a manner that will better resonate if executed well
Brand
One last thing….
We are the scribes and narrators of the
brand story because as communicators
our role is to serve as
a bridge between
brands and
their audiences.
For more information, contact us at
630-932-4242
Presentation developed by
Miguel A. Cano, Digital and New Media Director