From time to time, team members will share their views stimulated from a piece by an industry thought leader. Here, our CEO, Lisa Maier, discusses a Brand Strategy Insider article by Mark Di Somma,“ How To Build A Strong Brand Backstory.”
In this age of social media ascendancy, it is essential to think about the personalization of your brand, and its ability to connect palpably to your target segments. The thesis of this article is that one of the underused ways to build a brand that really connects is to use a backstory approach. This approach is completely different than the usual brand-building done by companies because it looks backwards – instead of forward – and connects seemingly unrelated dots to build a coherent story of who you are.
Because it is a story of discovery, it can be a much more engaging approach, which is a real positive in the sea of mind-numbing boring brands swimming around on the internet today. And because it connects your history with your future, it gives social buyers something to ‘sink their teeth into’… something to join along with… a cause, if you will.
Then, Di Somma offers questions that – when answered – will enable you to build a backstory that really helps you stand out:
- How did you get to where you are now – where did your brand start, doing what, with how many people?
- What happened along the way that was exciting, weird, fun, challenging, extraordinary?
- Who were the main characters – what did they bring to the brand and what did they fail to see? Who proved to be the heroes and the villains?
- When did things look impossible – what nearly killed the company, and what happened to save the brand?
- Who made the (many) decisions that changed your brand over the years and what were the circumstances?
- Why was that important – if the decision was acted on? Where might that have led if others had agreed? (good or bad)
- What are some of the side-stories around what your brand is famous for that you can reveal (and were never able to before)?
- Which other well-known people/events has the brand been involved with in the course of its history? What was the nature of the brand’s involvement?
- How did your journey make you the brand you are?
- What signs of your backstory are visible (even celebrated) in your brand today?
Good luck building your compelling backstory!
