Once upon a Brand

Once upon a time in a competitive market called Reality, there was a savvy organization led by people who understood the power of storytelling. They knew that humans have been touched by stories since their childhood. A wonderful narrative set in a place of comfort and significance with familiar, friendly characters could convey important life messages -- and even sell the concept of going to bed on time.

What begins as a short fable as the brand emerged grew into a legend, one that is consistently told throughout the land by the brand ambassadors, understood by the market influencers, and embraced by loyalists.

I've always been a big fan of a good story. But not until I met Doug Stevenson, a storytelling guru, did I fully grasp its potent power in brand communications. Doug, a former actor and now storytelling coach, teaches professionals and corporations how to build and tell stories using his own story theater method.

In 2000, I attended one of his programs in Seattle. While my agenda was on improving my speaking style through storytelling, I quickly saw the correlation to brand building. As I look at the world's greatest brands, the brightest and most distinct, they are clearly masters of this craft.

The goal of a brand is to connect to the market with emotion and relevance. Make it an engaging, enjoyable experience; have a premise or a point; and be memorable. Applying storytelling principles to a brand development strategy simply makes the journey more efficient and effective.

Many brands have a great story -- how they got started, what they do -- but many fail to leverage their unique story in all touch point communications to the buying markets.

In selecting my top 10 brand storytellers, I considered the clarity of story, premise, characters, and the use of multiple communication channels. I also considered a wide range of industries, because businesses from all sectors, regardless of whether they're B2C or B2B, have a story to tell.

The first five are high-profile brands with national or international markets, and big budgets. The second five are smaller organizations -- and may be even more stellar because they achieveed their storytelling greatness with limited resources.

Both groups of companies clearly get it. They set a stage, define the players, consistently recite the message, and deliver a happy ending with distinction and buyer benefit. I've encapsulated their stories as I hear them, see them, and have experienced them. Next month, I'll examine their processes and best practices, and highlight trends that you can apply to your stories, producing more loyalty and equity in your brands.

Apple
From the beginning, Apple has been the story of a maverick company, led by the visionary Steve Jobs. Products have always pushed the cool factor and innovation, bucking the common PC masses. The hip Apple retail store environments further define the creative and renegade-like cultism. The introduction of iTunes and the iPod add the best chapter yet.

Southwest Airlines
More than 32 years ago, Rollin King and Herb Kelleher got together and decided to start a different kind of airline. They began with one simple notion: If you get your passengers to their destinations when they want to get there, on time, at the lowest possible fares, and make darn sure they have a good time doing it, people will fly your airline. The story is now a business legend.

This once small Texas airline has grown to become one of the largest airlines in America. The setting has always been casual, fun, and folksy. The employees are certainly a cast of characters, and the happy ending is one of high customer satisfaction and stakeholder profits (which is rare in this industry).

Aflac
The story of the persistent duck struggling to be heard has culminated into 90% brand recall among consumers since its debut. What started out as a way to generate name recognition, the duck has become the celebrity star behind the Aflac brand -- as well as in a feature film. A voice crying out is something people relate to, especially in the insurance category.

Via television, print publications, radio promotions, philanthropic sponsorships, and product placements in film, Aflac uses various outlets to communicate its story of being there for its consumers when they need it most. The duck's role will continue to be center stage.

Container Store
The Container Store is a story of simplifying and enhancing lives through organization and smart storage. The plot: No mess is too great for the power of niffy products and well-trained troops. This privately held company continues to grow and spread the good word of organizational Oz. The always-bright environments create a wonderland of answers for space challenges and time crunches.