Viewing entries tagged
storytelling
I do a lot of thinking and talking about brand storytelling, because a big part of what I do entails helping brands tell the stories of their who and their why — not just their what. For some brands (like nonprofits) the story is a bit clearer from the start. For other brands, however, it takes a little digging. But once the story reveals itself, you get a whole new perspective on an old thing.
Case and point: the humble pay phone.
http://youtu.be/LH-FqLdqWLo
A wise person once said, "Don't use two words where one will do." Thanks to Instagram, that age-old grain of wisdom seems to be undergoing a revamp, and now advises: "Don't use words where a picture will do." Brands know that Instagram is where the action is, but many are struggling to figure out how to make it relevant to their brand. Sitting squarely at the intersection of artistic expression, inspiration, information and celebration, it's the place to be. But where to begin? Read on for a few examples of brands that are doing Instagram right. But first, a few statistics:
Let's be honest, it's not easy being a humble cup of yogurt in a scoop-of-ice-cream world. Nonetheless, Chobani does a steller job of using Instagram to only showcasing their product, but also to tell a story about the Chobani lifestyle.
Jeni's Ice Cream Speaking of ice cream... With a penchant for unusual flavor combinations like goat cheese + red cherries, sweet cream biscuits + peach jam, and sweet corn + black raspberries, Jeni's Instagram feed reflects the same sense of creative vision, unexpected delight and passion for food the brand is known (and loved) for . (Warning: may cause sudden cravings.)
Billiam Jeans What's more quintessentially American than a pair of jeans crafted in Greenville, South Carolina? Nothing. As a self-professed "company made up of trial and error manufacturers," once glance at their Instagram and it's not hard to believe that this is a brand "learning from rolling up our sleeves and trying to make sense of the process."
Sharpie Everyone loves a Sharpie. No really, everyone. Arguably one of the most recognizable names in pens, Sharpie takes a decidedly different approach compared to most brands. Rather than celebrating their product, their Instagram stream is an ongoing celebration of the things their product empowers fans and brand loyalists to do.
Kittie's Cakes It doesn't take a lot to sell people on the joys of really delicious cupcakes. Convincing them to engage with your brand on Instagram? A little bit harder. Columbus, Ohio-based bakery Kittie's Cupcakes has made Instagram their primary stream for communication. Much like morning announcements in elementary school, each day Kittie's Instagrams photos of that day's baked offerings (they change daily). By 2 or 3 p.m., it's not unusual to Kittie's post a notice that you've missed the rush ... and they're all sold out.
TSA Cupcakes and ice cream were born to pose for photos. But what about a less obvious brand? While the public seems to have, um, mixed emotions about TSA, the agency has started using Instagram as a way to invite the public into their world. Scroll through their stream and you'll discover that it's not all pat downs and body scans...but you will have to leave your cat-shaped brass knuckles at home.
Storytelling. We all know it can make (or break) a brand, but there is a reason it’s often referred to as an “art.” In a world where our brains are bombarded with an estimated 3,000 – 20,000 messages per day, humans have gotten really good at tuning the noise out. Breaking through the grey isn’t just about delivering solid content, it’s about making the ho-hum remarkable, entertaining and memorable. Seeing is believing…
DOLLAR SHAVE CLUB
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUG9qYTJMsI
POOPOURRI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OE5npzhnjJs
SONNET JAMES
https://vimeo.com/85611062
JENI'S SPLENDID ICE CREAMS
And on a micro-level, nobody tells the story of their ingredients quite as gracefully as Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams…
https://vimeo.com/52189344
https://vimeo.com/69265430
https://vimeo.com/76431513
“Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world today. Stories are the creative conversion of life itself into a more powerful, clearer, more meaningful experience. They are the currency of human contact.” | Robert McKee Earlier this week, I stumbled across a spot produced by Thai telecommunications company, True. As I found myself fighting back tears (and failing) by the 0:40 mark, I couldn’t help but reflect on the power of storytelling.
As a brand, you have a choice. You can produce an ad or a commercial…or you can tell a story with the content you put out into the world. I know which one I would place my bet on every time.
Check out the True spot below and let yourself be carried away by story for the next three minutes. After the jump, chime in and leave a comment below. I’d love to hear what other brands or organizations you have seen harness the the power of storytelling.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7s22HX18wDY
This post originally appeared on BrainsOnFire.com
Last weekend a group of us headed out to celebrate my bestie's 33rd birthday. Noticing a wine claiming to hail from an Italian region referred to as "EST! EST!! EST!!" our waitress asked if we knew the story behind the unusual name.
Depending on who you ask, sometime between the 10th and 12th centuries, a Catholic bishop was traveling through Italy on his way to Rome. The bishop sent a servant ahead to scout out village taverns with great wine. When the servant found a satisfactory wine he would scrawl EST (Latin for "it is") on the door. Legend has it that the servant was so impressed with the wine being served at a Montefiascone inn that he enthusiastically scrawled Est! Est!! Est!!! on the door.
Several days (and several glasses of wine) later, the story is still sticking with me.
Storytelling matters.
Cin cin!
Before you dig into this post, take a moment to reflect on the last time you saw a really great, really memorable, really brand-endearing produced television commercial? With the exception of perhaps Dollar Shave Club, I’m hard-pressed to come up with an answer.
I recently read a statistic that noted by age 65 the average American has watched more than 2 million television commercials. At 30 seconds a spot, that boils down to 1,000,000 minutes of life. If my math is correct, that further breaks down to 694 days. This means the average adult has spent nearly two years of their life watching television commercials by the time they blow out their 65th birthday candles.
There is a quote from Mumford & Sons that goes something like, “Where you invest your time, you invest your life.” I don’t know about you, but I can think of plenty of better ways to spend two years of my life than watching lukewarm tv commercials.
Your bran's fans and customers share their passion for your brand through stories about your brand. Whether you’re asking people to give up 30 seconds of their life to watch a tv spot, or hoping they’ll invest 30 years of their life as a loyal fan, your brand’s best stories aren’t those that clever marketers create, they’re the stories you empower your advocates to tell.
The proof is in the VHS.
[vimeo http://vimeo.com/33885096]
