Storytelling and brand communications

VIDEO: Austin Edgington on the importance of brand storytelling

Story has been around since time began. It’s what connects us to one another. It’s easy to mistake technology or events or movies or books as what connects us. But they are only the tools, the vehicles, that carry story to and among us. 

So what is story and why is it important to branding, marketing, and sales?

Two hundred million years ago, ‘Homo Neanderthal’ walked from his valley to the land where ‘Homo Erectus’ was living and said, “the grass is greener in my valley.”

 “Why?" said Homo Erectus. 

“Because the Gods smiled upon me when I sacrificed a goat and blessed my daughter with a son,” said Homo Neanderthal.

“What did you call him?” queried the astonished Homo Erectus.

And so it goes…

Soon a story is being shared among the people about how the Gods smiled down on the folks across the way and brought them good fortune. The valley became known as Happy Valley. Not too much later, Homo Erectus moved over to the valley to get some of the smiling God stuff. 

When the Homo Erectus folks learned of the good fortune just a few miles away, they began to think of the valley as having something they wanted, something that would make their lives better and improve their lot. Happy Valley became a brand. And the brand grew when they moved there and good things started to happen. 

As their lives improved the brand grew stronger, it became important to their identity. They were the blessed people of Happy Valley. They felt important and special. Just the way Levis or BMW wants you to feel when you invite their brand into your life by purchasing their products.
Story moved them into action as it carried the promise of something better.  

If you want to learn more about the development of mankind read Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari.

And to learn how story can improve the value and impact of your brand communications, contact me here.