10 Brands with Phenomenally Innovative Brand Stories That Attract and Retain Loyal Customers
Let’s talk memorable brand stories!
Think back to your childhood. Do you remember the exact price of, or number of times you used your favourite toy, bike or music player? Unlikely! Probably what stands out in your memory is a story or event that this object was part of or associated with.
According to researchers at Stanford, “stories are remembered up to 22 times more than facts alone.”[1] An astounding statistic, but why is this the case?
First, facts and numbers don’t trigger or create emotional resonance, nor do they remind, relate to, or connect times, places, and objects to its audience. But, phenomenal and innovative stories do!
Second, it all boils down to the science behind story memory. As stated in an article from Buffer, when listening to a story “not only are the language processing parts in our brain activated, but any other area in our brain that we would use when experiencing the events of the story are too.”
This means humans, consumers, your customers, everyone is hard wired to listen to a strong story that resonates with them. When brand stories are compelling enough they embed in the mind of its listeners — they are then shared and re-shared.
Related: What Game Of Thrones Can Teach Us About Brand Story
The truth is, when it comes to attracting and retaining your ideal customers, story memory is invaluable to your brand. In fact all powerhouse brands are underpinned by strong brand stories so it’s a critical part of your brand strategy too and a key component in the Persona Brand Building Blueprint™.
We know that sometimes it’s a struggle to build a strong brand strategy and story that really engages your ideal customers effectively so we’ve developed three different ways of working with us to help you build your brand and increase your sales, depending on your preferences, so if you’d like us to:
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Most marketing gurus, including AdWeek agree there are 7 types of brand stories. “The challenge becomes finding which one best suits your brand, and then telling it skillfully, believably and—if you’re going to invite customers to join in the story—extremely carefully.” [2]
Related: Brand Stories: 5 Compelling Examples That Sell Themselves (Part 1)
Top 10 Brand Stories with Brand Strategy Lessons
The following is a list of 10 brands with phenomenally innovative stories. Most importantly we hope these examples will help you in developing your brand strategy, vision, and ultimately the most memorable brand story!
1 Thule Brand Story
A brand built on passion, this particular outdoor gear company fulfills a need for reliable equipment that customers use to create lifelong memories. It grew by telling a story that connects its products to favorite past times and a thirst for adventure. From a solo fisherman who needed equipment to carry his gear to a multinational incorporation,
Image via © Thule
Thule has created a loyal community based on enjoying the world the way it’s target audience desires and dreams of.
2. Tom’s Brand Story
The feel good aspect of this brand has customers returning to buy the products time and time again. After a trip abroad the founder of Tom’s identified a need to supply poor children with shoes.
Image via © Tom’s
With a simple business model not based on quality but rather on greater good, this shoe company grew and continued to grow. As buyers purchase one pair of shoes another is donated, this makes all customers feel emotionally connected for the human condition.
Related: Social Responsibility, How to Build a Socially Conscious Brand
3. Beardbrand Brand Story
Much more than a beard company, Beardbrand is on a mission to foster confidence. Founded by a guy just like any other guy, this company has a strong ethos that talks to all men from all walks of life.
Image via © BeardBrand
Beginning as a simple community and place for discussion, it grew based on the common thread that all men grow facial hair and most do not know how to maintain it. Using education, this brand story relies on simple beginnings, self love, and communication.
Related: Use Psychology in Your Brand Strategy to Create Irresistible Brand Experiences and Increase Sales
4. Salesforce Brand Story
Built on a vision to connect people using tech space, this brand uses success stories to tell their story. Similar to their humble beginnings in a garage, the companies and people Salesforce works with have a dream and goals too. Using the stories of others, this company builds and maintains a community. Most importantly these real life community stories relate to and spark similarity with the business professionals who use their technology.
Related: Brand Disruption as a Business Framework for Future Growth
Burt’s Bee’s Brand Story
What happens when art and nature collide is a company that finds its roots in transparency and dependable products. Almost as though its customers could make the products themselves, Burt’s Bee’s was founded by a bee keeper and an out of work/ hitchhiking artist.
Image via © Burt’s Bees
Making candles at first then other simple bee products, decades later what helps this unlikely duo remain relevant with a large group of loyal customers is being completely open with who they are as people as well as what goes into their products. Customers trust this brand and feel safe using its products.
Are you a business leader, manager or entrepreneur who wants to re-evaluate or build your brand strategy so you can effectively leverage your story to increase your sales? Are you curious about how to build or scale a highly successful standout brand? Join one of our agile branding workshops because they empower you to build your brand, enhance customer experience, expand your market impact and create higher perceived value so you can command a premium.
In fact, the Persona Brand Building Blueprint™ Mastermind is all about fast-tracking you, your brand and your business through the brand building, brand strategy process using big-brand know-how with proven agile branding systems that get results so you can grow your business faster and more effectively.
If you want a tailor-made solution specifically for your brand then we also provide inhouse bespoke Persona Brand Building Blueprint™ Intensives working with you and your team so you can grow your business faster and more profitably. Contact us to discover more [email protected] or +353 1 8322724
MailChimp Brand Story
Laughter can certainly go along way. When it comes to MailChimp, even they are very serious about delivering a great product solution, the entire brand is light hearted and comical. With humour and creativity at its forefront, even the brands name is designed to make people smile (picture a monkey delivering your mail).
Image via © MailChimp
Originally a joke side project, this platform was never supposed to grow to the size it is today. Giving employees creative freedom (they even came out with a colouring cookbook and t-shirts that they send randomly to customers), Mailchimp dares to be different and allows this difference and humour to speak to its customers. Afterall who doesn’t remember when something makes them smile?
Related: Use Humour in Branding to Create Strong Emotional Bonds so You Increase Sales
HSBC Brand Story
A deep history in taking risks and connecting the globe, the use of the word NETWORK is a large part of the HSBC story. Making a footprint around the world, the founder of this bank saw an opportunity to connect people and money in places never before available.
Image via © HSBC
Beginning with a Hong Kong/European trade connection, today HSBC tells its story with the people that work for the company and use the bank globally. A bank for everyone, they focus on helping customers thrive while maintaining the values they were built on. To the point, it feels good to know this bank is reliable and will be there for you no matter where you are in the world.
Related: How to Use Brand Values to Drive Unwavering Customer Trust and Commitment
Chobani Brand Story
The american dream. Producing wholesome, home-country products, that are useful; Chobani connects with customers at a ground-roots level. Simple and real, the founder is an immigrant from Turkey that started the brand when he realized there was a lack of good greek yogurt in the US. Beginning in a small shop, the company is now rated a top brand in the country. Promising to never change the standards of food they produce, Chobani stands out in the mind of customers because they are the dream so many Americans hope for.
Image via © Chobani
Ace Hotels Brand Story
A story that comes from the unique community that each hotel is built in along with the guests that visit the hotel, Ace Hotels stands out because it creates an edge. Not afraid to be radical, this hotel chain wants its customers to remember their stay not just as a comfortable place to sleep but because of the atmosphere and experience. Renovating buildings that were formerly used for other business functions, the visit lasts in it’s customers mind because of it is uniqueness within the surrounding city environment and not the typically bland hotel chain.
Image via © Ace Hotels
HP Brand Story
From a garage to the globe. Beginning with one product, HP grew slowly and steadily with the goal to make life better for its customers. One of the first companies to have employees share in its success, this brand truly cares for its employees and customers. Respect and innovation is in the DNA of the company and they are always reinventing to stay relevant. Focused on compassion and care, today customers, as well as employees, know they can rely on this ever innovating company.
Related: Brand Stories: 5 Compelling Examples That Sell Themselves (Part 2)
The overarching goal of each of the brand stories mentioned above is to become a lasting memory throughout all stages of the buying process for every customer it engages with. As an article from BigCommerce states, “Come up with a brand and story your customers will love, so they can relate to you, and empower your brand.” [3]
Now time to work on your brand vision and story. But where should you start?
We’ll leave you with this small note of knowledge from Forbes. “The first step in creating a story is to get very clear on your vision — your future state and where you want to get to. Think of your brand as a legacy – what do you want to leave behind?”[4]
If you’d like to discover more about building and maintaining a thriving, high performing, highly profitable standout brand with a great brand story, then get in touch because we’d love to help you make your brand and business into a profit powerhouse.
- Schedule an appointment — we can meet in person or online
- Allow us to create a customised plan for you
- Let’s implement the plan together
- Contact us [email protected] or ring +353 1 8322724 (GMT Dublin/London 9:00 – 17:30 weekdays)
Lorraine Carter is a branding expert and international speaker delivering talks that inspire and motivate along with masterclasses and workshops that inform and support transformational outcomes fast, and consultancy expertise that solves problems — using agile branding strategy underpinned by big-brand know-how — so you can outshine, outperform and leave your competitors way behind.
Final Word
An interesting and memorable brand story is invaluable to the success of any company because its an underpinning part of your brand strategy. A key part to building a branding strategy that attracts and retains customers, using big-brand know-how, is a brand story that shares clearly what your brand is all about, where it came from and where it’s going to.
The use of emotion to draw attention and leave a positive lasting memory is one of the strongest ways to retain loyalty. Without a compelling brand story, your business will not stand out from the crowd. So, just like the 10 examples shared, you need a story that creatively resonates with the ideal audience you want to attract and retain — including your top talent.
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Get in touch today because we’d love to get started helping you build your standout, powerhouse brand so you can increase your profits and leave your competitors way behind.
Email us [email protected] or ring us +35318322724 (GMT 9:00-17:30) and ask about our VIP Brand Strategy Re-Evaluation.
Sources
- https://womensleadership.stanford.edu/stories
- https://buffer.com/resources/science-of-storytelling-why-telling-a-story-is-the-most-powrful-way-to-activate-our-brains
- https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/7-basic-types-stories-which-one-your-brand-telling-144164/
- https://www.bigcommerce.com/blog/marketing-tips-how-to-tell-a-brand-story-people-will-love/
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/celinnedacosta/2018/01/31/how-to-create-a-brand-story-that-connects-with-audiences-and-drives-sales/#4b488bba3d34
