The Story About Stories

Much is made about brand storytelling and how brands should incorporate storytelling into their content strategy. The truth is, brands can’t stop telling stories. Every brand has a story; the story that’s told and the story that “is” and the story that “is” is ten times more powerful than the story that’s “told”.

Dyson

Dyson tells a compelling story. They tell a story about being obsessed with quality and producing a vacuum that never loses suction. The story was so compelling, I was comfortable spending more than twice as much as a comparable vacuum. But when I ran into issues and the customer service rep I spoke with was of no help and in a hurry to get me off the phone, the story changed very quickly. Now I view them as a company that cuts corners instead of investing in quality. When I see a Dyson commercial, I am reminded of how they did not live up to the story they tell.

Esurance

Like many, I viewed car insurers as a commodity where the lowest price for the most coverage wins. I had an instance where I wanted to switch from Esurance a few days after my policy renewed because I found cheaper coverage. Esurance could have had me pay a penalty for switching after my policy renewed but instead they waived the fee and were extremely cordial through the whole experience. When it came time for my policy renewal, I switched back to Esurance because I now tell myself a story about how they handle business and look out for their customers best interests.

Brands should use storytelling as part of their marketing efforts but it’s always best when the stories match the experience.