We live in a largely self-aware, consumerist society. Most consumers know that they are caught in a marketplace and that they spend a significant part of their lives consuming goods from it. They also recognize brands when they see them but the ones they choose to interact with come with something special: a human interest angle. When your brand is less product and more personality, no longer are your consumers consuming, they are engaging.

Brand storytelling is absolutely crucial. As marketers, what we must keep top of mind is that it is never simply about a product but about the brand and its unique story.

 

Social Media Boosts Brand Personality

Brands use social media tools often to successfully build stories. One of the easier ways to deal with your social media presence is to think of your brand as a person. Your brand has things it cares about, causes it supports, and people it admires. It likes chocolates and loves porcupine videos (see below). It shares stories it cares about, it posts original work online, and it has a conversation with its customers. When your brand starts to seem like an independent entity—almost human—customers will related to it and engage with it.

Thinking about your brand like a person helps you understand that part of your brand’s story is developing a cohesive brand personality, and then maintaining it.

 

Making Your Story Tellable

Your brand can only be successful when your customers can easily articulate your brand story and tell people what they know. Most large brands today are built on their stories, and have an edge over their rivals. Think of Microsoft and Apple, Google and Yahoo, or even Starbucks. All these brands don’t just pit their products against their competitors, they also pit their personalities. And they are successful because their customers are able to quickly identify and rearticulate their story. When coming up with a brand story, it is crucial that you communicate it clearly to your audience. And just like people, brand personalities can change over time, but make sure any such changes are strategically driven and not too jarring.

 

It’s the Human Element

At the end of the day, your brand cannot go far if it is just a product. It doesn’t matter what the product or service is, every brand needs a story that connects with its audience. If you can craft a story that is memorable and has a human element, your brand has a much greater chance of reaching success.

 

Oh and one more thing. We love porcupine videos too. So we’re going to share this one with you: