The Brand Storytelling Workshop

Derrick DayeAugust 20, 20124 min

We are creatures of evolution. Humans have shared beloved stories since the dawn of our existence. The ancient tradition of storytelling serves to remind us of who we are, and how we relate to each other within the structures of our organizations, our village, our culture and our world at large. Brands are no different.

At the core of every great brand you’ll find a mythological narrative that transcends “marketing” activities. Within the DNA of highly valued brands lies a storyline that inspires the actions, beliefs and behaviors of its devoted tribe members over the long term.

Brand storytelling is about the art of connecting the hearts and minds of internal stakeholders and customers alike to shared values and ideals that define the “sacred truth” of why the brand exists and who benefits from its existence. Sacred brand stories are not veneer slapped onto the next ad campaign. Compelling brand stories serve to reveal and remind all audiences of something sacred and valued about themselves rather than the ubiquitous marketing of new product offerings, features or additives.

Clear and consistent storytelling is absolutely crucial to effective brand communication programs.

The manner in which your brand communicates with customers, employees, partners and investors must be carefully crafted from the unifying principals of a core brand story. Brand messaging must align with and substantiate the brand’s overall positioning, and be nuanced to ensure brand communications are relevant for each different audience the brand needs to engage. Not expressing a clear brand story theme and a messaging plan is a sure way to dilute the effectiveness of your brand building communications.

The Brand Storytelling Platform defines and organizes the verbal and visual message structures of the brand’s universal narrative.

Developing a successful brand-messaging plan starts with defining the components of a Brand Storytelling Platform. This platform distills the essence of all brand communications into a framework that defines the primary and secondary messages for each target audience. Through the processes and creative thinking in The Blake Project’s Brand Storytelling Workshop, participants define key audience segments, and from there, craft compelling brand messages appropriate for each audience segment.

It’s important to know what to say and to understand why what you say is relevant.

The Brand Storytelling Platform includes a definitive statement of each key message, along with criteria and background information outlining why the brand’s messaging will resonate with various audience segments. The basic components of the Brand Storytelling Platform include: primary and secondary value propositions organized by audience, reasons why these messages are relevant to each audience segment, and the key proof points that support and defend each message.

We don’t consider “brand messaging” to be the headlines or specific copy used in ads, brochures or websites. Developing a compelling story line for your brand is not an exercise in copywriting, instead brand storytelling expresses the universal and differentiating truths behind your marketing copy.

The Brand Storytelling Workshop is a one-day-issue-based intensive workshop for your brand. It is designed to guide marketing communications leaders and teams to better define and express a compelling story that informs and guides the verbal and visual development of brand communications at all touch points. The workshop is delivered at the location of your choice.

The power of brands lies in their unique story. How that story is told verbally and visually is critical to the invention or transformation of an enduring brand. Working from your brand’s current positioning in the marketplace, participants will spend an intensive full day in a strategic and creative session building a compelling brand story from these key components:

– Defining the attributes of the key audiences segments who your brand story is targeted to and why the story of your brand matters to them.

– Defining the verbal and visual cues that identify your brand archetype and forms the foundation of your brand’s story.

– Defining the personality, tone & manner in which your brand communicates with customers, employees, partners and diverse audiences.

– Defining brand messaging guidelines that distill the essence of your brand story into a framework that supports your marketing communication initiatives.

The Workshop Deliverable and Outcome

At the conclusion of The Brand Storytelling Workshop, The Blake Project will prepare an Executive Summary of all the decisions and hypothesis defined in the workshop. The Executive Summary is a tool designed for brand managers and marketing communication team members to insure the content they are creating for various marketing materials is built on the foundation of the core brand story properly tailored for each audience segment the brand serves.

Workshop participants will gain more clarity about the components that comprise their brand story, and have more confidence their communications initiatives going forward will be relevant, valued and effective.

The Brand Storytelling Workshop is an important component of The Brand Storytelling Workshop Series

Please email me for more about how this workshop and others can benefit your brand.

Branding Strategy Insider is a service of The Blake Project: A strategic brand consultancy specializing in Brand Research, Brand Strategy, Brand Licensing and Brand Education

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