Master storytelling with a purpose
When SA Executive Creative Director Chris Bettin thinks of Las Vegas, he said he pictures the bright lights and excitement of a world-class destination. When he thinks of Atlantic City, no image comes to mind. Although the cities offer comparable experiences, and the cards were stacked in Atlantic City’s favor logistically — located on the coast and near large population bases — Las Vegas used intentional storytelling to build an international reputation.
“Las Vegas created a place for people to ‘sin safely’ – and told that story consistently in their marketing for decades,” Bettin said. “Atlantic City doesn’t have a consistent story, and you see the difference from a business standpoint over the long-term.”
Storytelling with a purpose works as an effective marketing tool when the brand resonates with its audience.
Connect emotionally
“What storytelling really means to me is finding a way to emotionally connect with an audience – to get into their hearts, their minds, their worlds,” Bettin said.
Marketers often get caught up in the “what” of their business. Creative storytelling is an effective method of connecting the logistics of your brand with how it benefits consumers.
“What gets forgotten is this idea of what it means to the people we’re trying to reach,” Bettin said. “What problems are we solving in their life? What comfort are we providing? What entertainment are we giving them? That’s storytelling.”
Don’t overcomplicate
You don’t need to overcomplicate your brand storytelling or turn it into a lengthy process. In fact, it is often more effective when brands have an established, consolidated version of their story.
“If you can identify your brand’s purpose and get that brand story down to one short, consistent phrase, that makes it easier creatively to be more flexible in how you deliver that message and translate that into whatever medium you need,” Bettin said.
Connect with product, service
Stories are more impactful when they are true to the brand. Oftentimes, businesses focus so much on the emotional aspect that they forget to make the connection to their product or service.
“A memorable or fun commercial or ad may have a great story, but if it has no authentic tie to the brand or product, it won’t resonate or create that long-term affinity or connection to the brand,” Bettin said.
Build brand equity
By telling your business’ story in a concise, memorable and consistent way across channels, you build brand equity. The most well-known brands use their stories to create a baseline of brand awareness, Bettin said. Volvo’s story is safety, Nike’s story is empowerment and Disney’s story is magic.
“A good story insulates you from the ups and downs of economic turmoil because it builds a cushion. You’re top of mind, you’re in people’s brains, you stand for something consistent,” Bettin said.
To ensure your brand’s story aligns with shared purpose, values and tone, SA offers brand workshops with key stakeholders to align key messages. When evaluating prospective products, services or partners, SA can help you decide whether these align with your existing story.
Whether your business needs to refresh its existing story or build one from scratch, Strategic America can offer key insights into how to use storytelling to establish brand awareness. With a full-service, integrated team — including creative, brand and communications specialists, SA can use storytelling as an effective tool across multiple platforms.
Chris Bettin is Executive Creative Director at Strategic America. Learn more about our services.
