Brand narratives: Authenticity, balance, and consumer connection
Siska: Drawing from your diverse industry experience, how would you define an authentic customer narrative for a brand?
Evan: That's an interesting question. Customer narratives are very important to me. Many brands claim to have authentic stories, but ultimately, consumers are the judges. The key to building a strong brand story is using real customer narratives.
This means creating a genuine story about your brand that includes real experiences and feedback from your customers. Ideally, instead of just talking about what your brand does, you use customer stories to show how your brand has positively impacted their lives. This approach makes your brand more relatable and trustworthy.
For example, many brands use influencers or KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders). It would be great if you could turn your own customers into influencers for your brand Second, if you sell an eco-friendly product, you could share stories of customers who have reduced their carbon footprint by using your products.
Using authentic customer stories helps build emotional connections and increases your brand's credibility. This way, you can win people's hearts and make your brand stand out from the competition.
Using authentic customer stories helps build emotional connections and increases your brand's credibility.
Siska: Some brands might still be experimenting or trying to appeal to a broad audience, which can vary widely. How do you balance this storytelling approach with the brand's values and messaging to ensure everything aligns?
Evan: It's all about striking the right balance. As marketers, we need to carefully consider and harmonise both the brand's perspective and the consumer's perspective. This dual approach is crucial for creating a compelling narrative that resonates with our audience while staying true to our brand identity.
From the brand's standpoint, we naturally want to communicate our unique value propositions to consumers. This involves articulating our promises, highlighting the exceptional features of our products, and showcasing what sets us apart in the market. It's about presenting our brand's vision and the tangible benefits we offer.
On the flip side, it's equally crucial, if not more so, to deeply understand and empathise with our consumers. This means going beyond our own perceptions and diving into what our target audience truly desires, values, and expects. We need to comprehend how they perceive our products, what problems they're looking to solve, and how our offerings fit into their lives. This consumer-centric approach allows us to tailor our messaging in a way that truly resonates with our audience's needs and aspirations.
Let's say you have several problems you want to solve. You create five brand promises to address these issues. You then try to communicate all five solutions to your audience. However, consumers might not notice all five points. Instead, they might relate to your brand because of just one thing you said – maybe just a small part of one of your promises.
To balance storytelling, brand values, and messaging, stand firm in your brand's perspective. But also put yourself in the consumer's shoes. This way, you can create a narrative that aligns with your brand's identity while also connecting with your audience.
I want to also stress that branding and marketing are different. Many people think they're the same, but they're not. Some believe that investing in branding is the same as investing in marketing, which isn't always true.
Some believe that investing in branding is the same as investing in marketing, which isn't always true.
We need to find a balance between branding and marketing. Marketers need to explain what branding and marketing are and show their value. They should demonstrate how these investments can help the company win in both the short and long term. It's important to set realistic goals and use appropriate benchmarks for success.
Engaging customers through immersive brand storytelling
Siska: How can we start creating an immersive brand experience?
Evan: An immersive brand experience is a multifaceted concept that can encompass various elements. It's not limited to just technological innovations or emotional connections, but rather a harmonious blend of both.
The primary objective is to create a profound engagement with customers, creating a deep and meaningful connection between them and your brand. This connection is the cornerstone of a truly immersive experience.
To achieve this level of immersion, we can use several strategies. One effective approach is to seamlessly integrate above-the-line (ATL) and below-the-line (BTL) interactive events, creating a cohesive brand narrative across different touchpoints.
We can also leverage cutting-edge technologies such as virtual reality or augmented reality to provide unique, memorable experiences. Additionally, the creation of compelling digital content plays a crucial role in building this immersive environment.
Content forms a substantial part of the brand experience. It's important to recognise that content consumption patterns vary greatly among individuals. For instance, while I personally don't maintain an Instagram account, I manage one for my dog.
This shows how even those who might seem disconnected from certain platforms are still engaging with content in their own unique ways. Content surrounds us constantly, from the social media feeds on our phones to the billboards we pass on our daily commutes.
It's a common misconception among marketers that content is solely confined to social media platforms. In reality, it encompasses a much broader spectrum. The ultimate aim of crafting an immersive brand experience is to construct a captivating and memorable environment. This environment should serve as a conduit for customers to forge a deeper, more meaningful connection with your brand.
By creating these immersive spaces - whether physical, digital, or a hybrid of both - we invite customers to not just observe, but to actively participate in the brand story. This active engagement is what truly defines an immersive brand experience and sets it apart from more traditional marketing approaches.
Creating a sense of belonging through communities
Siska: Let's discuss building a community around your brand. What role does this community play in establishing your brand's presence?
Evan: Community plays a big role in building a brand. I love creating a community around our brand's mission. This means gathering people who share our brand's values and beliefs. A good community creates a sense of belonging and encourages interactions beyond just buying and selling.
A good community creates a sense of belonging and encourages interactions beyond just buying and selling.
It's important to remember that it's not just about making money. We want to build emotional connections with our customers, not just sell to them. However, the relationship often starts with a sale. That's why the community needs to be built around our brand's mission.
Imagine a company that promotes sustainable living. They might create online groups, use social media, or organise local events. These activities would bring together like-minded people who can connect, share tips, and support each other. As a brand, we can help make this happen.
When we do this well, customers will do more than just promote us. They'll form a strong bond with our brand. This builds loyalty, which is very valuable. It's wonderful when we can make our brand an important part of our community's lives.
