THOSE WHO TELL THE STORIES RULE THE WORLD
Shane Snow, technology journalist and CCO of the brand marketing company, Contently, was the guest speaker at a TEDx event this year at Columbia College and this video of his talk on the value of storytelling is well worth seeing.
Snow makes the point that storytellers are not only well-liked and admired in every culture, but are often regarded as more trustworthy than social leaders as well. Why? Because they reveal themselves to the world through their stories. And that makes us feel like we know them and therefore can trust them.
That’s why politicians leaven their speeches with stories of their childhood, their parents’ childhoods and how their constituents have been positively affected by a policy (theirs) or hurt by another (presumably, their opponent’s) in every political campaign.
Of course, marketers also use stories for brand building. For example, Subaru tells real life horror tales about drivers who lived through terrifying crashes. ProActiv is the magical element in the story of how Adam Levine went from being a pimply, self-conscious musician to People’s “Sexiest Man of the Year.” And then there’s the classic tale of an unknown cereal whose good taste was proven by a little brother brave enough to experience “Life” before his older siblings did.
At Crux Creative we understand the power of storytelling to enhance customer experience with a brand. We believe that some of a company’s most important stories are how it began and the biographies of its leaders. Because knowing a company’s history and the expertise of its staff creates a sense of trust that is the very best foundation for long term customer relationships. Testimonials too, are stories that every company should consider presenting whenever possible. And all of these tales make perfect copy content for a website.
Unfortunately, all too often, companies overlook the importance of these narratives. Perhaps they’ve forgotten that the value of a brand depends on how well it is known. For more information about how we can help you tell your story to enhance your brand, call Michele Allen at 414.289.7180 for a consultation.
