DESCRIPTION
This one is for building a strategic storytelling framework for businesses and organizations and helps humanize your brand’s identity.
The method is a structured way of crafting and communicating your company’s identity, values, purpose, and promise through storytelling rather than only through facts or features. It helps brands move from “what we sell” to “who we are and why we exist.”. The framework positions the brand itself as a character within a bigger narrative: one with a mission, conflict, journey, and resolution that customers can emotionally connect to. It is far more than colors and forms.
Its value is that it doesn’t just differentiate products or services and it builds long-term trust, loyalty, and advocacy by weaving a coherent, emotionally resonant story across all brand touchpoints. Unlike advertising slogans or campaigns, a brand story becomes a guiding compass for culture, marketing, sales, and customer experience.
ORIGIN
The concept of “brand storytelling” began gaining traction in the 1990s with the rise of emotional branding (notably from authors like Marc Gobé). Many agencies and strategists formalized “brand story frameworks” in the 2000s–2010s, but there is no single inventor or creator as it’s an evolution from marketing + storytelling theory applied to brands.
USED BY
Brands! Brands! Brands!
If it comes to roles and functions: Marketing & branding teams in consumer companies adn especially startups. Corporates defining culture and purpose. Same as agencies building campaigns or even HR employer branding units to attract talent.
Approximately needed time
- Step 1: 2 hours
- Step 2: 2 hours
- Step 3: 3 hours
- Step 4: 3 hours
- Step 5: 2 hours
- TOTAL: 12 hours
METHOD
MATERIAL YOU COULD NEED: Brand purpose statements, mission and vision documents. Customer data and research results clustered in personas. Story canvas or storytelling frameworks (worksheets, templates). Whiteboard, sticky notes, or a virtual/digital equivalent. Some examples of strong brand stories for inspiration (CAUTION: not for replication, unless the provocative touch is your goal as “attacker” or “competitor”). Corporate identity and all existing creative assets (logos, visuals, tone guides).
STAKEHOLDER GOOD TO KNOW: Management, HR and of course all respective markeing and communication units. As feedback, customers. 😉
STEPS
CORE & PURPOSE
A brand story must be anchored in why the company exists and who it serves. Messages like in law enforcement and police cars “To protect and serve” underlining the reason of their existence. Clarify your brand or product purpose (beyond making money) to a minimalistic message. Map target audiences, their values, needs, fears and what they aspire to.
Example: Patagonia defines its purpose not as “selling clothes” but as “saving our home planet,” aiming at eco-conscious consumers.
IDENTIFY VALUES
Every strong story has a protagonist. Here, the brand takes that role and is developed and perceived as positive addition to customers life, with distinct traits, voice, and values. Choose archetypes (e.g., rebel, caregiver, explorer). Articulate brand values matching to the best reach of each persona or archetype. Set the frame for the overall style: serious, playful, bold, or something else.
Examples: Harley-Davidson frames itself as the “Rebel/Outlaw” archetype, while Dove embodies “Caregiver/Nurturer.”
SHAPE NARRATIVES
Stories thrive on tension and resolution and customers buy more instinctively more into missions that solve real struggles. Define the conflict and point out how your brand steps in to solve it and clarify your brand or product promise as better future, transformation.
Example: Airbnb’s brand story: travelers feel like outsiders in hotels. The mission: create belonging anywhere. And thet is where Airbnb steps in with their promise to be authentic home-like, but staying a worldwide player.
TOUCHPOINTS
A story must live across every channel and touchpoint. Logo, website, ad copy, social media, product design, even customer service have to transport the same message and use same visuals. Develop storytelling guidelines and start creating the first narratives for campaigns, sales decks, onboarding materials. Align visuals and language with the story arc accordingly.
Example: Apple’s brand story of “challenging the status quo” shows up in minimalist design, bold ads, product launches while underlining how it takes this role in customers life. Brand can also mean “switch on and connect without worries” one of the strongest Apple USPs…
ALIGN ACROSS STAKEHOLDER
A story that doesn’t resonate is ineffective. Testing ensures emotional impact and consistency across departments (and customers 😉 ). Therefore: Share story drafts with employees, customers, partners and collect feedback to adjust for clarity, authenticity, and resonance.
Example: Nike tests campaigns with athletes, focus groups, and global partners before launching worldwide.
Patagonia (eco-mission as brand story). Nike (“Just Do It” woven into empowerment stories). Apple (story of challenging status quo and empowering creativity). LEGO (from toy blocks to creativity & imagination movement). Coca-Cola (global storytelling around happiness and connection).
PROMINENT BRANDS USING IT:
Patagonia (eco-mission as brand story). Nike (“Just Do It” woven into empowerment stories). Apple (story of challenging status quo and empowering creativity). LEGO (from toy blocks to creativity & imagination movement). Coca-Cola (global storytelling around happiness and connection).
ANECDOTES:
When Howard Schultz pitched Starbucks investors in the 1980s, he didn’t talk about coffee beans, but told a story about recreating the warmth of Italian espresso bars in America. That story helped secure funding and became Starbucks’ DNA.
In 2009, Airbnb’s founders reframed their pitch around a story of belonging rather than “cheap stays,” which helped secure investor buy-in and global growth.
