You may not know this, but you participate in storytelling every day. When you exchange a thin and torn five-dollar bill for a cup of coffee, you are unknowingly participating in the art of storytelling.
Everything we do as a society revolves around a story. That five dollars you spent on your morning coffee. That green piece of paper, with a few numbers and a president’s portrait is worth five dollars. It’s a story we follow.
The rules of traffic are a story, too. We all agree that green means go and red means stop.
Everything we do is rooted in a story. Humans look to stories for guidance. Stories are at the foundation of everything we do, they allow us something to follow and believe in – just as we believe a piece of paper is worth five dollars and a green light means go.
Brands and products are no stranger to the art of storytelling, and if you have a business, you shouldn’t be either!
For example, everyone knows Budweiser beer. But everyone more notably knows the famous commercials of the Budweiser Clydesdales and the emotional stories they tell on screen. Budweiser has grown an audience that is invested in the story of the Clydesdales.
Another national brand, Nike, sells their products with a million stories that fit under the umbrella of three small words. “Just do it.” This slogan that motivates athletes to push themselves physically has become a storytelling phenomenon, with the slogan molding itself to each customer’s personal athletic experience, and in return gaining a large customer base invested in the brand.
Dove soap also sells their product with a slogan: ‘beauty is within.’ Similar to Nike, Dove emphasizes the story of beauty being different for each customer. This consistent use of storytelling via commercials, social media, and more causes the consumer to invest themselves in the brand as it relates to their own personal life and relationship with beauty.
Sure, there are other brands of beer, sneakers, and soap, but we know these three brands more widely due to their storytelling. But – when you think of soap, do you think of Dove right away? Dove makes us remember its’ name through its’ strong use of storytelling.
Storytelling can be utilized in different forms. It can be blog posts like this, commercials like Budweiser’s famous Clydesdales, social-media posts, or even a simple slogan. Whichever forms of storytelling match your brand, you will draw an audience eager to listen.
Build your brand by telling a story.