We experience the world through storytelling. Every brand tells a story in the same way every human tells a story. In fact, your brand is putting forth a narrative in the marketplace, whether it’s intentional or not.
Our team of brand experts here at Celtic Chicago loves to help our clients showcase their authenticity in intentional, well-structured, engaging brand narratives. Read on to check out just a few of our brand development insights.
1. Brands need to create a narrative that centers around purpose.
When we say “purpose,” we don’t mean achievement of financial or growth goals, though those can certainly be outcomes of telling a successful brand story. Think deeper. What is your brand’s reason for existing? Who do you serve? What need, want, or desire do you fulfill?
The most authentic brand narratives have a purpose that strikes at the heart of those questions. Let’s unpack a purpose statement from a well-known brand as an example.
“To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time.” – Starbucks
Starbucks serves coffee, food, tea, coffee-related things. That’s literally what Starbucks does – but for their purpose, they dig deeper. They strike at the feeling a fresh cup of coffee elicits, what that satisfaction feels like, and how it connects to something we all feel as human beings.
When we speak with our B2B clients about defining purpose, that’s where the authentic brand story begins. That’s when you begin to define who you are as a company.
2. Being true to your brand core will make you authentically special.
There are trendsetters and trend followers in the marketplace, and if there’s one thing we know about trends, it’s that they come and go. Many brands seek to be trendsetters, and they do this by developing campaigns, collateral or advertisements that shock their audiences, that perform in exact opposition to what their competitors are doing.
There’s definitely a time and place for creating a splash – we’re advocates of being creative and helping brands stand out. But we also believe that everything should come from a place of authenticity. What is your brand core? The philosophy or the values that define everything you do? The story your brand tells should reflect that.
Don’t just react to what you’re seeing from competitors. Act from a centered brand core, from a place of knowledge, confidence, and purpose. This will inevitably make your brand stand out, because no other brand is exactly like yours.
A well-defined brand core is a wellspring of new and creative ideas.
3. Employees become champions when they understand brand strategy.
We’re here to help you develop an authentic brand narrative and roll it out into the marketplace. But don’t forget about your internal buy-in. Does this brand story you’re developing resonate with your employees? Do they share the values you’re defining with your B2B customers?
Bringing your employees in on the conversation and making them feel like a valued part of the strategy development will make them the best advocates for your brand.
At the end of the day, authenticity comes from people. Stories are told by people. And the best stories, the ones that stick around for generations, spring from a kernel of truth.
Let us help you tell your authentic brand story. Send us an email at info@celticchicago.com and say you’re ready to take your brand to the next level.
