The importance of a brand’s story

People connect with and remember stories better than simple facts alone, and companies should take advantage of this fact in their marketing by building a story around their brand, according to Fast Company. Using Kashi as an example, customers are much more likely to pay attention to a goal like bringing the delicious flavor of fresh blueberries and warming feel of hot oatmeal to the kitchen table rather than merely a list of ingredients and their health benefits.

The reason for this stronger connection is that the human mind is wired in such a way that reading data uses only the language portion of the brain while a story activates that portion plus any others that would be used if we were actually experiencing what we’re reading. For all intents and purposes, the brain doesn’t make much distinction between stories and reality.

According to Forbes, there are many benefits to storytelling, and one of the biggest is letting the personality of the brand come out through not just products but also the employees and customers as they discuss their experiences and feelings about the company. Putting the brand at the forefront of the story is vital and it should be the protagonist in all cases as it shows the audience how it solves a problem, makes life more comfortable, or any other unique benefits.

When creating stories, it is also essential that it is authentic and relevant to the lives of real people. Another company, GymJunkies, frequently shares stories of members who broke bad habits and found incredible success as well as those admitting the vulnerability that even the most highly motivated gym goers sometimes felt too lazy or busy to get in a workout.