“I have just returned from the dubbing studio, where I spoke into a microphone as Severus Snape for the last time. On the screen were some flashback shots of Daniel [Radcliffe], Emma [Watson], and Rupert [Grint] from ten years ago. They were 12. I have also recently returned from New York, and while I was there, I saw Daniel singing and dancing (brilliantly) on Broadway. A lifetime seems to have passed in minutes. These children have become adults since a phone call with Jo Rowling, containing one small clue, persuaded me that there was more to Snape than an unchanging costume. Even though only three of the books were out at that time, she held the entire massive but delicate narrative in the surest of hands. ‘It is an ancient need to be told stories. But the story needs a great storyteller.’ Thanks for all of it, Jo.”

-Alan Rickman-

I think I watched Harry Potter a couple of times as a kid. I’m not a die-hard fan, but I believe it’s a movie/book that you can re-watch and re-read many times and still love the plot as it is—or even more.

Pilot

Stories are easier to remember than abstract facts. A study by Stanford University found that stories are up to 22 times more memorable than facts alone. This is because stories engage multiple areas of the brain, making the information more memorable. Emotions play a critical role in decision-making. By weaving emotional elements into stories, brands can create a lasting impact. Research shows that ads with purely emotional content perform twice as well (31% vs. 16%) as those with only rational content (Institute of Practitioners in Advertising, 2016).

Your brand should be about the transformation customers are looking for—or make them think it is the transformation they are seeking!

You think Nike sells shoes? Nope, they don’t. They make shoes, but that’s not what you buy. You buy the idea of winning and greatness. You buy what it’s like to wear a Nike shoe. You buy how you feel about yourself when you wear it. The same goes for iPhones. Both Nike and Apple tell you a story you can carry with you. This is because a product or service can be replaced, but the story of a brand cannot.

Famous campaigns that used story telling: 

• Nike: “Find Your Greatness”
• Coca- Cola : “anyone can be a Santa” “Share a coke” “Open happiness”
• Apple: “shot on iPhone”

What Makes Your Brand a Good Story?

• It’s important how you position the brand and present it to your audience. As Bruce Wayne (Batman) said, “It’s not who you are underneath; it’s what you do that defines you.” Your brand can be one of the best in the market, offering the best service/product. But if people don’t know its value, they won’t recognize how big you really are. You’ll just be another brand they see in the market.
• We at Buost believed for the longest time that “it’s all show biz.” Don’t you think so? From the most hyped phone brand—Apple iPhones—to the local trend-setting clothing brand in your country, they have positioned themselves with a higher market value and customer perception than they actually have. They make you think FOMO is real—you’ll be left out while everyone else is carrying their brand. This is all because of how they have presented themselves to you, because of how they have told their brand story to the audience. 
• Just like you and me, your brand has a personality. Think of it as a person. We all want to present ourselves with value to the people we meet, and that’s exactly what you should do with your brand. Identify the brand personality and communicate based on it through the brand voice, leading everything toward the vision of the brand while highlighting and emphasising the value of the brand.

What Can It Actually Bring to Your Brand?

At the end of the day, the main purpose of everything we do is to grow sales and bring in more money for the business. Storytelling can create an audience around the brand. This audience will be loyal to the brand, even though some may not actually be paying customers. There will be loyal customers who stand with the brand, always looking forward to the services/products it provides. On the other hand, there will be an audience that hasn’t become paying customers yet, but their engagement opens the door to potential future customers, which can lead to future sales. Storytelling connects with people in this process by bridging customer needs and the services offered by the brand.