Three Things that Kill Brand Stories
By Levina Kusumadjaja
I was wrong.
I've been a writer for over 8 years now and throughout those years, I have learned so many things that I should and shouldn't do in my writing. I’ve had to write many things for companies from all sorts of industries and looking back, I realized the mistakes I’ve made along the way. To be honest, re-reading some of my old work was kinda of embarrassing. Not because I didn't do my best, but because it just wasn't a good deliverable.
That’s why I’m writing this article for you.
I confess that I’m guilty of everything I'm about to share in this article. And that’s why I can tell you today: DON’T DO IT. Don’t do it the way I did. You don't have to repeat the same mistakes that I made when I developed brand stories for my clients years ago. You can start applying these principles so that you don't end up developing brand stories that are useless, brand stories that don't connect with customers. Are you ready?
Here are three things that kill brand stories:
1. Too much information
Facts won't get you anywhere. Brands don't need to inform, they need to connect.
Will knowing about the company's history help customers feel emotionally connected to the brand? Sure, maybe. But for most customers, the company's achievements, the licenses of the machines they use at their factory, and the titles of the founders won't really catch their attention. What matters is whether what the brand is offering can answer their needs. Even if the brand was established yesterday, but if the customers believe in what the brand believes, they will want to get to know the brand. When you strategize for brand stories, don't be so caught up in mentioning all the facts. Stick to the heart of the brand and the core message. You are helping brands build an emotional connection, not an information library.
2. Too general
The more general brands try to be, the more irrelevant they will become.
If possible, every brand wants every person on the planet to be loyal to them. If possible, they want the whole world to buy from their brand and their brand only. Unfortunately, that's not how it works with brand stories. If brands want to write brand stories that connect, you cannot be general, you need to be specific. You need to target the brand's super fan and aim to get a personal and emotional connection with them.
Uniqlo, for example, doesn't target everyone. Uniqlo tells a story for a specific group or audience: people who want to look good, in almost timeless fashion items, with good quality, at an affordable price. If you are like me, you will fall in love with Uniqlo. But if you are more like a fashion influencer on Instagram, you won't fall in love with Uniqlo. If a fashion designer talks to me, he or she might recommend Uniqlo for me.
3. Too over-the-top
Brands don't need to sound like they own every single aspect of the industry.
There is always the temptation for brands to explain themselves with every available adjective in the dictionary. I used to think that more thorough I can be in describing the brand, the better it would be for the brand. Obviously, I was totally wrong. Brands don't need to be comprehensive in their stories. They need to be honest, clear, and consistent in their messaging.
Brand stories need to communicate what the brand is promising to the customers, but it doesn't have to be flowery or sophisticated. No fancy words needed, as long as you get the message across. Look at Nike, look at Apple, look at Target. They don't make their messaging complicated. Simple, everyday conversation words. An elegant description doesn't lead to customer's loyalty, a fulfilled promise does.
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So there you have it. Three things that kill brand stories. Read them, memorize them, apply them. If you have applied these principles, congratulations and keep up the great work. If you realized you have been doing these mistakes, don't panic. It's never too late to make changes and start new.
Cheers!
Levina
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About the author:
Levina is a writer based in Indonesia. Because of Melinda Livsey, she recognized the power of brand strategy for every creative. She is sharing about her learnings as she goes to help creatives have fun in their growth and journey of building brands. Connect with her on LinkedIn and say hi!