Sell me a story

Once upon a time there was a story It was the story about a young man from a migrant family, in Pennsylvania USA, who took to the streets selling homepreserved pickles.He had a story about the pickles. He sold lots of pickles.He then baked some beans. The same beans everybody else baked.But he had a story about the pork he added to some, the ones he labelled vegetarian, the ones he made Kosherand the ones he produced Boston Style. All his baked beans had a story.He created a story around how many varieties of food hemight be able to make. He liked the sound of fifty-seven.There was a story about how he chose that number.His name was Henry John Heinz.His business was H J Heinz Company.His brand became, simply, Heinz. His brand mark was 57.It became a global brand.It had a story. It became Iconic.There was another family company that took the breakfastcereals that people preferred and made them ready to eat They had a story about flakes of corn. How they werespecially cooked to stay crunchy in milk.They made little bubbles out of rice. They told a story ofhow you should listen closely after pouring on the milk tohear them go snap, crackle and pop.These two cereals lead the Kellogg’s story. The Kellogg brand led the market. Still does.People like stories. And great stories pass the test of time.There have been many stories about companies that became brands.Henry Ford had lots of stories about affordable vehicles, and production lines and cars for all sorts of different people and needs: Aspirational stories.In more recent years, McDonalds grew on a story – of millions of burgers in buns from ‘Hamburger Colleges”.They told a story about looking for the Golden Arches and young Ronald, and how you would always find thesame menu, at known prices, delivered quickly.… with asmile. A story for the hearts and tummies of the young and the budget satisfaction of their Mums and Dads.Today, they have another story. A story for the times, about‘good’ foods and how they care about their new menu. Their brand has earned the right to tell a new story and tohave their story listened to.

Penfolds Grange is built on a classical story.A product with a story of human endeavours and timelessinvestment in grape growing and winemakers skill.A product you pay a globally recognised premium for andthen trust that when opened it will deliver on its promise.And when it does, you can’t wait to tell the story.Bill Gates built a global superbrand and his mammothpersonal wealth as a story of need for the time that wentbeyond the wizardry of the technology.Nike told a captivating story. A contemporary, involvingstory, told graphically.Richard Branson tells a challenging story. His Virgin brandof irreverence and ‘cut to the chase’ offers is an ever-evolving story.A bit like Gerry Harvey and his Harvey Norman brand.The same tongue-in-cheek irreverence colored the ‘good for you’ story of Nudie.Aldi arrived in town to challenge the Big Two supermarkets.With a gutsy price-philosophy story that flowed into theword of mouth of local shoppers.You could go on forever adding to the list of brands built on stories, here and in every country across the world.Why?Because the power base of every great brand is built on a story.Stories live at the centre of all persuasive communication.Great leaders have always known about stories.Martin Luther King said “I have a dream…” and a nationstopped and listened.The Christian churches of every denomination hold up theBible as a focal point for followers. The most read andlongest-lasting stories of all time. In fact, books of storiesare central to all forms of religion.The greatest songs are stories.Poetry is seeped in story telling.The great movies are stories.And the threats to the book industry from every form of new-techology communication fad always fade away as people keep buying and reading….stories.So it should be no surprise or mystery that great brands are also about stories.Similarly, it should not be difficult to understand why‘could-be’ brands remain simply labels when they are born with ‘me-too’ offerings and when 30 second grabs of graphic-based technology overpower any hope of an idea-based story.“I know there’s no story, but it’s about image….” Pardon?Great brands have a story. A persuasive, enduring story.Told well, the story of the brand is central to the positionand the competitive advantage of the brand. Managed well,the story holds consistently to it’s truth but regularlyrefreshes it’s telling.Over time, the story can be retold and its’ interest keptcontemporary in short hand. A page in a magazine, or abillboard, or a 15 second TVC can capture the essence of anestablished brand’s story, without even a word of copy.Sadly, the real story is that this axiom of brand supremacyseems to be either not widely or totally understood, or isundervalued, or ignored.Check the evidence around you in the ‘could-a-been brands’following the leaders.Next time you stop and ponder the commercial health of your brand, ask the old but telling question …… “What’s the story?” Are you telling a great story?Your story is not the facts of your company - how many employees, when you started etc. It is the soul and the why of your company. A few key points to consider:Do you know your story and your audiences?Are you telling the same story with your employees?Are they telling the same story to your customers?Is your story authentic?Is your story engaging your audience?Do your actions deliver on your message?In the end there are three things about a great story:People want to hear itPeople want to tell itPeople want to participate in it.David Polinchock, The Last Word, Entertainment Management Online

Sell me a story - To learn more about this author, visit Frances Davidson's Website.

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