Brands are stories

Stories are fundamental in branding. A story can differentiate what would otherwise be an unremarkable brand by anchoring its value proposition emotionally and culturally.

I’ve been reading the autobiography of Phil Knight, the founder of Nike. Throughout the book, Shoe Dog, I caught glimpses into how values and stories can form the foundation of an authentic and differentiated brand.

A running shoe may be a running shoe, but a Nike is something different. What differentiates Nike from other athletic brands is its potent cultural meaning.

At the centre of the brand is a story of deep archetypical relevance — a lone athlete, the protagonist, who finds the inner strength to overcome the barriers and limitations of mind, body and society.

While the meaning that powers a brand’s story may be mythic in nature, it cannot be fiction. In other words, the values that shape the story need to be the values at the heart of the organisation. For Nike, this is evident.

Otherwise, a brand risks the loss of trust, as the market will eventually pick up on the incongruence. Ultimately, only something real can be sustained.

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I founded Aegis, a relational design firm. We help create emotionally-intelligent brands and organisations.