brand strategy and storyline series 4 · september 27, 2022
Every Story Has Already Been Told
But that is a good thing for you, your business, and your brand.
“We tell ourselves stories in order to live” -Johnathan Alter
I was looking at the highest-grossing movies for this year and realized that the top eight were all remakes or sequels. Batman was number four on the list, which marked the fortieth Batman movie (I would argue that it’s closer to 42 if you count Zak Snyder’s Justice League). It struck me how much we like to read, hear, or repeatedly see similar stories.
Stories are woven into our human DNA, and we love certain stories that get told again and again. Ancient humans realized this power and used stories to teach lessons, set rules, hand down values, and essential life lessons. Even Cinderella started as an ancient Egyptian folktale, and the Odyssey has laid the groundwork for every road trip movie.
Christopher Booker’s brilliant book, “The Seven Basic Plots,” shows that our stories can be broken down into one of the following: from rags-to-riches, the quest, or overcoming the monster. The 12 Archetypes demonstrate how much we like to see the same characters again, from the Ruler, Expert, Explorer, and Outlaw. And there isn’t a marketer out there who doesn’t know how to use the Heroes Journey to sell or market.
So, what does that mean for you and your business? How can you break through if all the same stories are already out there?
Stories are our primary tools of learning and teaching, the repositories of our lore and legends. They bring order into our confusing world.
–Edward Miller
brand strategy and storyline series 4 · september 27, 2022
You can stand out from your competition and connect if you realize that people’s love of similar stories can work in favor of your brand, business, and customers.
Here are five simple steps you can use to do just that.
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Who's your audience?
What makes a successful movie, makes a successful brand—knowing your audience. Bring this to life so everyone in your organization can see them and connect.
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What are they seeking?
What brings them joy? What do they care most about? What are the problems in their life?
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What kind of story are you telling?
Is it about a journey and returning home? Is it a comedy with a happy ending? Or maybe your narrative is about a dramatic rebirth to a new and better life.
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Who's the hero of your story?
We have some work ahead if you think YOU are the hero (more on this later). Simply put, your customer must be the hero so they can see themselves in the story.
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What's your character in this story?
It should be someone that the hero can rely on to help them triumph over their challenges and reach their happy ending. The choices are endless from the best friend, magician, or the comprehensive guide that shows the way. Your character is evident when considering your brand’s greater purpose and mission.
If you’d like to learn more, please check out the free e-book—- Brand Strategy, How to Grow Your Business for Years to Come. , Just go to the Resources section on our website.
And remember, Branding Changes Everything.™
The universe is made up of stories, not of atoms.
–Muriel Rukeyser
