What’s your brand origin story? Do you even know? Have you ever thought about it?
There are enough studies about how people don’t want to be sold to, they want to be engaged with. That means your brand needs more than a great product or service to stand out. It needs a compelling story, and a narrative that captures the heart of your audience and sets your brand apart.
One of the most powerful tools in your brand storytelling arsenal is your brand origin story. Many of the brands you know and love have you invested in their brand origin stories. Think about Nike, Apple, and Starbucks. We all know something about how they began and what those brands stand for.
But brand origin stories aren’t just for large global brands and enterprises. If you engage audiences in any meaningful way, you also can leverage a powerful brand origin story. By sharing the journey of how your brand came to life, you humanize your business and create a connection with your audience that goes beyond transactions.
For those of you who haven’t thought of crafting your brand origin story, don’t sweat it. There’s still time, and we’re going to look at what a brand origin story is, why it’s important, how it integrates with strategic PR efforts, and how to craft one that drives results for your company.
Think of a brand origin story as the narrative that explains how and why your brand was created. We all came from somewhere and for some purpose. This is the story of your beginning. From the inspiration and struggles to the triumphs that brought your brand to life.
What this is not is a simple company history or overview. This isn’t a timeline where you can look back at when the company was founded. An origin story goes deeper and taps into the emotional reasons behind your brand’s existence. The point is to reveal the human element behind the business.
While every brand story should be different, a strong brand origin story typically includes some key elements.
First, the spark of inspiration. What inspired you to create this company and what problem did you set out to solve. This is where you can tap into why you’re here.
Next, your brand’s vision. What are you aspiring to be? Look at how do you want to help your audiences, and what’s the north star that guides your brand values?
Then the challenges and milestones you’ve experienced. Let’s face it, starting a company can be a bumpy road. People, all people, experience challenges, and they relate to brands who face and overcome challenges, too.
Next, how about a breakthrough moment. When did you realize that your brand has come to life and what was that moment about?
These elements and questions may shift from brand to brand, but authenticity is key in developing your brand origin story. This should reflect your brand’s true journey, even if it includes struggles and setbacks.
Remember, your audience is the hero of the story. Make sure your origin story connects with their needs, desires, and pain points.
I was just reading an article about how consumer trust is at an all-time low and people are craving authenticity. At the same time the Edelman Trust Barometer says “81% of consumers say trust is a major deciding factor in purchasing.”
What an interesting time to be a communicator. Has there been a better time to focus on brand storytelling?
Not only are our audiences overwhelmed with choices and content daily, they don’t trust most of what they see. So, what’s a communicator to do?
The answer lies in the emotional connection you build with your audience. Nothing does that better than a well-crafted origin story.
Your brand origin story sets you apart from competitors and breaks down barriers between you and your audiences by highlighting your unique journey. We said it earlier, but people don’t want to sold to, so your story becomes a valuable asset that no other brand can replicate.
And because people connect with stories, you’re able to tap into the emotional side of decision-making. This is important because you don’t just want people to make the decision to support your brand. You want them to feel good about making that choice.
Building that kind of authentic trust and credibility, that can only come from an emotional connection, creates a sense of loyalty and advocacy that can’t be found elsewhere. They become more than just consumers, they become invested in your brand because you’ve brought them on this journey with you.
But, getting them to that point takes more than just creating your brand origin story. This is a narrative that should be carried through to your website, social media, press releases, and other marketing and communications materials.
You have an amazing brand origin story, but what now? Effective brand storytelling is about proactive communications. Don’t let it sit on your shelf like that crisis communications plan that you haven’t dusted off in five years (figuratively speaking).
This shouldn’t be a piece of one-off content that you pat yourself on the shoulder for and then move on. This is part of your brand’s DNA and needs to be treated as a critical part of your strategy. To effectively weave your brand origin story into your strategic PR and communications efforts, it is important to treat the story as more than just a narrative to be deployed in marketing materials.
Begin by identifying the core values and themes from your origin story that align with your long-term business goals and use these to guide your communications and public relations strategies. For example, if your brand was founded on principles of innovation, that theme should be central to how you position yourself within the market, and it should be reflected in your messaging, partnerships, and media engagements.
Another example of integrating your origin story into strategy is consistently reinforcing it through thought leadership and executive content campaigns, not to mention proactive owned media storytelling, internal communications, and more.
All of these integrated efforts should draw upon the values, challenges, and milestones that are central to the brand’s origin. This helps ensure that your story remains relevant, resonating with both external audiences and internal stakeholders as part of the brand’s larger mission.
Ultimately, weaving your brand origin story into your strategic efforts helps cultivate a cohesive identity, ensuring that your messaging consistently reflects who you are and why you matter in the marketplace.
Your brand origin story is more than a history lesson, it’s a powerful tool that can drive engagement, build trust, and set you apart from competitors. By crafting a compelling brand story that resonates with your audience, you create deeper emotional connections, which lead to loyalty and advocacy.
As communicators, our jobs are to bring these stories to life in a way that drives meaningful results for the brands we represent. When integrated into your strategic public relations efforts, your brand storytelling can become a key driver of success, shaping the way your audience perceives and interacts with your brand.
Whether your goals include increasing revenue, expanding market share, boosting brand awareness, or enhancing customer loyalty, your brand origin story can be a powerful asset in reaching those targets. Brands like TOMS and Warby Parker, for example, have successfully used their origin stories centered around social good to foster customer loyalty and encourage repeat business.
Ultimately, a brand origin story should serve as a consistent thread throughout your strategic PR and communications efforts, driving tangible results aligned with your business objectives. Whether your goal is to drive revenue, increase market share, or enhance awareness, ensuring your story is authentic and woven into the core of your messaging will help you stand out, create meaningful connections, and achieve measurable business success.
