Great, [friendly copywriter], I’m sure you’re saying. My Company has a logo, slogan and an undeniably unique colour scheme.
Yeah, so does every other company in the history of companies. Brands are more than just the surface-level decoration of logos, slogans, or colour schemes. Brands (the ones that last anyway) are complex. They have a deeper sense of purpose, a compass built on their internal key drivers, and care about the emotional connection they are building with their audience.
The foundation of any business is a brand story.
It sets the tone for how your company is perceived and how you speak and interact with prospective customers.
It drives how you make decisions.
It also directs how you adapt to an ever-changing market landscape. And like one of my favourite marketing professors used to say, “If you don’t adapt, you die.”
Staying Out of the Brand Graveyard
I want to take a bite out of Apple here for a minute (don’t be mad, you knew it was going to happen).
As of September 2024, Apple is the most valuable company in the world.
Sure, there are a lot of factors that play into this, but today I’m arguing this:
Apple is hugely successful because they stick to their (brand) story.
A wonderfully academic thesis statement, I know.
But if we rewind to a garage in 1976 where the Apple I was nothing more than a computer kit, you may soon understand where I’m coming from.
Humble garage beginnings are perhaps the start of the emotional connection part of the story. It maybe even feels a little “rags to riches” or “started in the garage, now we’re here,” but in my opinion, Apple’s longevity has little to do with people cheering for an underdog.
Apple has always been a premium brand.
Even when they struggled through the 1980s and were the underdog to a booming Microsoft in the 1990s, their brand foundation led the charge as they adapted to become the technology leader that they are today.
But [rambling copywriter], you may be asking, what is that brand foundation?
Apple continues to thrive in a world that has changed beyond our wildest imagination.
They have remained relevant, found a connection with their consumers, and adapted to changes. They’ve built trust among their audience and transcended trends and fads (and honestly even set a few), and that’s because theirs is a story of innovation and challenging the status quo (we’ll come back to this in a bit).
Before you chastise me for trying to compare Your Company to the most valuable company in the world, I’d like to present my defence.
I know you’re likely not a trillion-dollar company.
Maybe you’re not set in the perfect era of innovation to take over the technological market.
You probably don’t have a category killer (RIP Walkman/MP3 Player).
And you might just feel like “another one” in the crowded market space you’re trying to compete in.
But remember, it’s the WHY we know Apple that matters here and should matter to Your Company.
Because it doesn’t really matter if you’re providing a service or selling actual apples, the takeaway is this:
It’s hard to ignore a brand that knows exactly who they are right down to their core.
So, Where Do We Start?
Brand story is a bit of a misleading term. You might have a whimsical and heartfelt tale about the way Your Company began, which can be great for building an emotional connection with your audience. But if you don’t have that, all is not lost.
As I mentioned above, the brand story is truly built on the foundation of Your Company. It’s the narrative that defines your brand’s mission, values, and vision.
It’s what you stand for and why you exist.
It’s the emotional connection that goes beyond whatever product or service you’re offering.The strongest brand stories are authentic, relatable, and clear. They communicate the ethos of the business and answer key questions like:
- Who is Your Company?
- What do you stand for?
- Why should my customers care?
This is HOW to the WHY the Apples of the world continue to prosper. And if you keep reading, I’ll let you in on a few terribly guarded marketing agency secrets about HOW you can build or reevaluate your brand story.
Let our marketing agency introduce you to brand-building and storytelling.
I dare you to Google “brand story” and look at the millions of articles that offer slightly different advice about brand building and storytelling. I read it for you, and let me tell you—it’s exhausting. So, I’ve done my best to distill research, personal experience, and, of course, the knowledge and experience of my incredible teammates here at STEALTH to provide you with some key considerations when it comes to building a brand that can’t be ignored.
The Core Identity
No clever title here. This is where your story starts. Where you embrace the who, what and why you’re here. Your core identity can include your Mission and Vision, values, who you serve (your target audience), your unique selling proposition or differentiation (what sets you apart), and your visual identity (logos, colours etc.).
Let’s Talk About a Different “Why”
I’m going to wander into opinion land here for a minute and talk about mission and vision statements. It seems like people often think that Mission, Vision, and Values (MVV) are flowery, just for show, or unnecessary to the course of the business.
I’d like to revisit our favourite fruit for a moment to demonstrate that understanding your business’s Why is so fundamental to its success.
As a quick reminder, the mission statement is what Your Company hopes to achieve on a daily basis, the vision statement is a look to the future and long-term goals, and values are the fundamental beliefs of your business.
Here are Apple’s.
Mission: To bring the best user experience to customers through innovative hardware, software, and services.
Vision: To make the best products on earth and to leave the world better than we found it.
Core Values:
- Accessibility
- Education
- Environment
- Inclusion & Diversity
- Privacy
- Racial Equity and Justice
- Supply Chain Innovation
If you think about Apple and their journey, do you think they are using their MVV as their North Star?
Here are some of the observations I’ve made, and I’d love to know if you agree.
First, Apple has positioned themselves as an innovator. This is evident in their choices about their product lines, how they’ve expanded and their research and development focus. They follow their mission, and it’s all but cemented them as a leader in their field.
Second, their vision statement reads very pie in the sky (another fun idiom from a marketing professor who liked to back dreams with action). What I think is the difference here between a wish and an endgame is that their core values directly support their vision. If you read more about their core values, you see that these are not simply words on a page. There is action and intention behind each one.
You read articles where current CEO Tim Cook speaks about centering decisions based on core values, Maybe you’ve seen this speech from the late 90s when Steve Jobs introduced Apple’s Think Different campaign, which arguably was a catalyst for Apple (honestly, if you watch the video he does a better job talking about the importance of core guiding principle than I ever would).
The point is that there is a pile of evidence that indicates that Apple’s core values are at the forefront from the top down. Do you think it’s working? I do.
I rest my case.
The People Who Drive You
Another key factor is understanding the people who are buying your product and service. Get on their level. Who are they, and what do they need from you? Are your core values going to resonate with them?
Are you solving their problem?
Let’s return the spotlight to good old Apple again. I’m not going to give you a full breakdown of their audience, so you’ll have to go with my conjecture and this great overview I dug out of the digital abyss.
Here’s what I believe is the most important part about Apple’s audience: A 2024 Consumer Intelligence Research Partners analysis indicates that an estimated 85% of iPhone sales are coming from existing iPhone customers (see link above for citations).
Apple, who is striving to innovate and make the best products every single day has a HUGE retention rate. And as we know, it’s more expensive to get new customers than it is to keep the ones you already have.
Why do I care so much about this retention rate?
Because to me, that demonstrates that Apple has built a product, care and community that people are willing to continue to spend exorbitant amounts of money on to be a part of (I’m allowed to say that as an Apple consumer).
It’s a true demonstration of how Apple’s core identity resonates with its audience.
As an aside, they’ve also created this absolutely wild digital ecosystem that just snares and cares for you for your entire life so you don’t want to leave. See next section for more.
Apple has a deep understanding for the people who use their products that extends past the product itself. Anecdotally I had dealings with Apple and another unnamed speedy delivery service of similar size within the last year that involved going a step further than your usual report-a-problem.
Apple’s automated care service was expeditious and utterly magnificent. The unnamed corp of a similar size still remains an unsolved mystery six months later. It was an absolutely terrible experience.
Apple has vowed to be an innovator and have the best products, and this clearly extends to their customer service.
Do you see the foundation yet? We’ve got a couple more bricks to go.
What’s YOUR Difference?
What’s so special about you?
The answer to that question should be on full display. We often call this your unique selling proposition or USP. It’s what makes you stand out from your competition. “But why, [longwinded copywriter], is this part of my core identity?” I know you’re wondering.
Because, like your mission, your USP should seep into every connection you make. Your message should be drenched in your USP, even as subtly as showing off your expert team in a series of “getting to know you” posts (because your team is what makes you different from everyone else).
Understanding your USP is critical to creating a cohesive brand message and strategy, which will allow consistency throughout every interaction with your customer base, from online to customer service to brick-and-mortar.
Heading back over to Apple again because, of course, we aren’t done with them.
Apple’s USP is a unique, secure and simple-to-use operating system that, over time, has evolved into a digital ecosystem with your phone as the nucleus. It’s a system that few could replicate and would take years to achieve. They’ve accomplished this by keeping their product line narrow and instead expanding into complimentary services and accessories (like wearable tech) that enhance their ecosystem. Again, you can see how understanding their core identity allows them to drive their company in a direction that fully aligns with their long-term goals.
But You’re Missing Something…
You’d be right. I haven’t touched on visual identity. The colours, the logo, the font, the look.
It’s important—and to many people, it feels like the most important thing. Having a timeless visual identity is absolutely one of the bricks of this foundation.
However.
I am not a designer, and this is not that blog.
Time to get emotional instead. Let’s carry on.
The Ties That Bind Us
Imagine for a second you’re buying something. We’ll say an art print for this example. Everything about them is equal: the price, how good it will look on your wall, the delivery speed. Option A is sold by a nameless, faceless company. Option B is sold by a small family-run business that has created an opportunity for local artists to have their work seen by the business’s larger community. Option B supports art programs in schools, and in the artist bios of the available pieces, you can see the passion they have for their craft. You get to know who is behind what you’re buying.
Which one are you buying? (Not trying to be coercive, but if it’s not Option B, I have questions).
This is storytelling.
This is the power of creating emotional connections. People aren’t just buying products or services anymore. They are looking for the feelings and experiences that those products or services are associated with. As companies, we need to remember that our customers are human beings, and we need to understand and speak to them, human to human. We need to forge connections that transcend the transactional relationship and foster loyalty for long-term success.
But [soapbox-wielding copywriter], you must be saying, My Company sells something mundane. To that, I say that everything has a story. Sometimes you might just need to lean on a creative agency to help you unearth it.
Let’s Be Real for a Second
You know what? I hate writing blogs. There’s always so much to say and never enough time or space to say it, because I know you don’t want to be here for another hour. So, I’m going to leave you with this other key component to storytelling.
Authenticity is the glue that holds your brand story and foundation together. If you’re a liar or disingenuous, it will kill your brand before you even have a chance to get your foothold somewhere. As buyers? We know. And we don’t like it.
When you act authentically, you’re staying true to your brand’s values and purpose and being transparent in your communication and actions. Authentic brands don’t just use stories to sell; they share real stories that reflect who they are at their core.
Your Company’s authenticity fosters trust, which is the bedrock of any long-lasting relationship, whether personal or professional. In an online world where customers are being bombarded with scams, and shady selling tactics, trust goes a long, long way.
Also, I know this isn’t a detailed guide about the steps it takes to tell a good story. So I’m leaving this here as a reminder to you and me that there will be another blog about that. So stay tuned!
The Life and Times of a Brand That Lasts
You know what I said above? Adapt or die.
And it’s true. A brand story is never finished. It should weave through the changing years while your core identity remains largely the same.
Markets change, consumer preferences shift, and new competitors emerge. Brands that don’t change die.
It’s the circle of life.
If you think back to a struggling Apple of the 20th century, and you watch and read numerous interviews with their leadership, you see how their identity and values have always remained consistent, even as they bloomed into the global mega-tech corporation they are today.
I would hazard to guess these are just a few of the principles they’ve followed to strive for continued success.
Focus: Staying true to your core identity.
Consistency: using that identity to take action and make connections that are the same across all customer touchpoints.
Listening: taking feedback from your audience and using it to improve Your Company’s ability to serve them.
Being Real: Not making promises you can’t keep. Being open and transparent.
The End…For Now
You’ve done it! You’ve reached the summit of a [keyboard-happy copywriter]’s exploration into creating a brand story (and Apple, I guess).
Here is where I leave you to examine your brand, identity, and story. I invite you to ask yourself, “Do I know my company right down to its core?”
You may discover you haven’t even started to unleash the true potential of what you’ve known about Your Company all along. And if you ever need the help of a friendly neighbourhood marketing agency, you know where to find us.
