The Brand Narrative – it’s about how we connect

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Stories. That’s what everyone remembers. Stories tell us what matters, who’s the underdog and who’s the hero. The most memorable brands are all about stories and meaning. They create meaning through all their marketing, in their ads, and how they engage with customers and employees. More than ever, brand stories shape the value of the company, the image of founders and the positioning of products. And, it’s essential that the brand story story connects with what matters to customers.

Stories. That’s what everyone remembers. Stories tell us what matters, who’s the underdog and who’s the hero 

Perceptions and Value– What Guides Consumers

What we perceive when we see a BMW vs. a Honda is something totally different: perceived value, driving experience and price point reflect this. This is all about the connections we make to brands through their stories and the experience that gives us. Culture, education, geography and family history all shape the perception of value. And, we turn that value into a narrative – the story about the brand, the company, the product, and consumers incorporate that brand story into their personal story. This is a subtle, yet key, company asset that can grow customer relationships and sustain loyalty over time.

When we hear that awesome story about how that artisanal olive oil was made, or that hand-made Sicilian sausage, it all conveys images of something unique, one of a kind. Look at Nike and their brand stories. It’s all about the individual – the hero – and stories of athletes and experiences that we want to connect with. Each athlete featured conveys what the Nike brand stands for. The passion that drives athletes and brings success or even banishment can become a hero’s story – look at Kaepernik. As of today shoes carrying his name have created a 31% boost in Nike sales worldwide.

How Consumers Drive the Brand Narrative

In developing a brand strategy in today’s world, companies need to share something real that customers connect with over time. The company mission, its long-term commitments to the community and to people. Everyone looks beyond the packaging and the store experience now. They want to see what’s really there in the soul of that brand. Besides the product, what else are they committed to? Think of Subaru and their ongoing campaign that connects to the national parks. They’ve built a relationship with the outdoor experience that conveys their commitment to America’s treasured assets, the national parks. They know who their customers are and what matters to them. Consumers want their values to lead in the brands they are loyal to.

Creating That Authentic Story that Lasts

How do companies and products build this equity into their brand? It’s more than just creating brand identity, it’s really understanding what matters to customers and the business you’re in. It’s not just delivering a product. You’ve got to strategically look at where you exist in the customer’s life and how the branding conveys that connection through advertising, a store experience, a phone call or social media that connects to customers. The brand needs to be aligned with and support the customer’s values.

In developing a brand strategy companies need to share authentic stories that customers connect with over time

Companies do invent and reinvent themselves all the time but how do they keep their brand story authentic? In today’s world, it’s about everything you do and everything you’re about. Keeping true to this is a constant challenge but the result is a sustainable narrative based on core values that can carry you forward through time, connect your brand to customers and deliver results to shareholders.

Building Brand Narrative and Sharing it

Here are the keys to discovering and shaping a brand narrative and value that reinforce a brand’s unique focus and also gives an internal focus on what strategies to best implement in moving a company brand forward over time.

Mapping the Brand History – Look at what’s real and what drove the company, the product, and founders to create what mattered to them and what they believed would be desired by the market. What are the simple core values that can connect the origin story to what the company does now?

Defining Real Commitment – Be clear about what you are committed to and why, over time. This is what matters at the grand scale. Keeping those brand values at the forefront of the mission and the products is key to an authentic, lasting brand narrative.

Shaping Clear Positioning – How do you shape the focus and strategy in building your brand? And to whom? This positioning is critical and it’s about mining the smallest nuggets of value: words that keep the brand unique and memorable in the minds of consumers.

Knowing What Matters to Customers – It’s essential you know who your customers are and what matters to them. It’s that promise you make that they seek to have fulfilled. Being clear and true – this is the key.

Creating the Consistent Narrative – Create a lasting brand story, a show and tell that ends up having a life of its own because if it’s authentic and driven by consumers sharing it. The value of social media is that it can spread the narrative organically, supported by the loyalty of customers.

 

 

 

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