distillery presents: Finding and Amplifying the stories that hero your brand
We all know the value of great storytelling. Compelling narratives help us to form deeper connections with brands. And taking your customers on a journey that heroes what you have to offer is a particularly effective way of building a more intimate connection with them.
But how do you ensure that the stories you tell stand out?
Recently we were joined by Alison Norrington, Founder and Creative Director of storycentral Ltd, for an online session exploring this question.
Evolving conversations
Conversations between storytellers and audiences, consumers and brands, are evolving. The broadcast model that dominated media consumption for much of its history has given way to new modes of interaction.
Choosing the right model for your campaign — whether that’s simply listening to and delivering on what your audience wants and needs, or inviting them to become active participants in the conversation and even advocate on your behalf — could be the difference between failure and success.
“Everyone wants our attention, so we tend to zone out a little bit. Back in the day, we had limited options and a few companies had the monopoly. Those days are long gone.”
Expressing your DNA
Making sure you have a clear conception of who you are and what you do is vital to telling your story. But explaining that to the world presents more of a challenge than we might assume. Brands must dig deep and do some soul-searching to define their DNA and the ‘whys’ of what they do, beyond the ‘what’ and the ‘how.’ The results can be transformative.
“It’s the difference between selling a dream, and selling a plan; Martin Luther King had a dream, Trump had a plan. Understanding the ‘why’ connects with us on an emotional level.”
Story fundamentals
There’s a rich and varied universe of ideas out there to play with. But it’s important that we get some of the basics right if we’re going to create a storyworld that’s believable. From the genre we pick to set the tone of our journey, to the archetypes and characters we encounter along the way, choosing these fundamental elements carefully can help to shape an audience’s reaction.
“We used to ask ‘who’s our audience?’, and answer ‘18 to 35-year-old men’, for example, but that’s not good enough anymore. We need to be more specific and consider how deep down a rabbit hole we can take people. What do they need to know before they can engage with us and jump over the line?”
The ‘Big Idea’
Every story needs a heartbeat, something that elevates it and brings it to life. It needs to have a human warmth, that universal truth that speaks to something inside all of us. Having a unifying theme, a strand we can weave to tie dramatic events together is crucial to any story’s appeal.
When we look at great storytelling, this heartbeat is never far from the surface. Whether it’s a flawed character that’s living a lie, or someone struggling with the fight between light and dark, we relate to people and events that on some level ring true to our experiences of the wider world.
“Whether you’re living in a penthouse apartment in Dubai, or under a bridge somewhere, we just get it. Intrinsically, as human beings, we just understand ‘that’ feeling.”
Building your tribe
Appealing to universal themes and emotions is all well and good, but memorable moments are often associated with a kind of tribalism that Alison terms ‘exclusive inclusivity.’ It’s the power of a shared experience that we’ve all felt, whether at a football match or a festival. And it’s particularly important when it comes to crafting a brand identity.
A great example of this in practice is the Sorting Hat in Harry Potter, which Alison says creates competition in the storyworld while building a community outside of it.
“Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin all have their own set of unique roles, branding and mythology. So the kids who were fans could really find something to get behind. To be able to create something like that for people to be a part of is huge.”
Mickey’s 10 Commandments
Disney has mastered the art of storytelling over its history, spinning yarns that aren’t just enjoyed by children. In fact, Walt Disney himself once said: “You’re dead if you aim only for kids. Adults are only kids grown up, anyway.”
Here are some golden rules set down by the entrepreneur and animator to steer the running of his first resort, which Alison believes apply equally to great storytelling.
Know your audience
Wear your guest's shoes
Organize the flow of people and ideas
Create a weenie (design elements that draw the attention)
Communicate with visual literacy
Avoid overload
Tell one story at a time
Avoid contradiction
For every ounce of treatment, provide a ton of fun
Keep it up
Final Thoughts
We hope you enjoyed this brief glimpse into Alison’s insights as much as we enjoyed sharing them with you. To round things off, we’d like to offer some final thoughts that Alison (with a little help from Robert McKee) left us with that we feel perfectly summed up great storytelling:
“Eternal universal forms, not formulas. Archetypes, not stereotypes. Originality, not duplication. Thoroughness, not shortcuts. Master the art, don’t second guess the marketplace. Respect the audience every time. They’re not there to serve you, you’re there to serve them.”
Alison is a storyteller, writer, producer, and experience designer. Over her 25-year career, she has worked with leading brands and organisations; from CBS, Disney, and Fox, to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and the UK Metropolitan Police Force.
During the session, Alison shared her insights on crafting credible dialogues that will resonate with your audience. We’ve picked out some of our favourite moments from the session that we hope you’ll find useful:
If you’d like help telling your story and making your audience feel like part of your tribe contact us at steve@wearedistillery.co
