How to craft a memorable brand story & identity. And why do you need one?

Let's start with what brand identity & story actually is.

Branding is the process of creating a unique name, design, and image for a product or service in order to differentiate it from others in the marketplace. It is a way of establishing a company's reputation and building trust with customers.

Brand identity is the visual aspect of a brand, including its logo, typography, color scheme, and other design elements. It is the way a company presents itself to the world and how it wants to be perceived by its customers.

Both branding and brand identity are important because they help a company stand out in a crowded market, establish a clear and consistent message, and build a loyal customer base. A strong brand can also increase the perceived value of a product or service and make it more attractive to potential customers.

Brand story

To develop a successful brand, it is important to consider the target audience, the competition, and the overall goals of the business. It is also important to consistently apply the brand across all marketing and communication materials, including the company website, social media, advertising, and packaging.

The best stories are ones where the audience can relate to the hero or heroine of the story. Your audience doesn't need to be exactly like them or share their experiences but they should feel like they understand them in some way. So that, after experiencing the story, they feel like they know you better than before.

Let's analyze some of the biggest stories. Some popular and successful brand stories include:

Nike: The Nike brand is known for its "Just Do It" slogan and its focus on sports and fitness. The company has built a strong reputation for producing high-quality, innovative products and has a loyal customer base. Nike's brand story centers around the idea of pushing boundaries and overcoming obstacles.

Coca-Cola: The Coca-Cola brand is one of the most well-known and recognized in the world. Its red and white color scheme and iconic logo are easily recognizable, and the company has a long history of successful advertising campaigns. Coca-Cola's brand story is centered around the idea of bringing people together and spreading happiness.

Old Spice: Old Spice is a consumer goods brand known for its masculine scents and personal care products. The brand's marketing campaigns are known for their humorous and over-the-top tone, often featuring absurd scenarios and catchy slogans. For example, Old Spice's "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" campaign featured a series of ads in which actor Isaiah Mustafa delivers humorous monologues while engaging in various activities, such as riding a horse through a forest or playing the piano.
Kia: Kia is a car brand that has a reputation for producing affordable and reliable vehicles. Its marketing campaigns are known for their humorous and lighthearted tone, often featuring catchy music and memorable slogans. For example, Kia's "The Power to Surprise" campaign featured a series of ads in which various animals and objects, such as a hamster and a house, are shown driving Kia vehicles and surprising people.

Skittles: Skittles is a brand of fruit-flavored candies known for their colorful packaging and advertising campaigns. The brand's marketing campaigns often feature absurd and humorous scenarios and characters, such as a talking skittles bag or a giant skittles-covered elephant. Skittles' "Taste the Rainbow" slogan and accompanying ads are widely recognized and have become a popular catchphrase.


So when does a story work?
One of the key things is that the sender of the story (the brand) is actually sticking to its story in all its communication with the outside world. And also, how it is presented to consumers in the smallest detail. That's when the audience will be able visualise the image, even when they close their eyes. 

When you can visualize the brand, that's when it is working.

The more people know about a brand, and the more they feel attached to it, the more likely they are to buy from it.

This can be measured in multiple ways but these are the key figures.

1. Increased brand recognition: If people are able to easily recognize and remember the brand, it is a sign that the brand story is effective.

2. Customer loyalty: If customers consistently choose the brand over competitors and are willing to pay a premium price for it (this can also be the opposite), it is a sign that the brand story is resonating with them.

3. Positive brand perception: If customers have a positive perception of the brand and associate it with desirable qualities, it is a sign that the brand story is successful.

4. Positive word-of-mouth: If customers are willing to recommend the brand to others and talk positively about it to their friends and family, it is a sign that the brand story is effective.

5. Increased sales and revenue: If the brand is experiencing increased sales and revenue, it is a sign that the brand story is working and resonating with customers. This is the most obvious one of course.




Ultimately, a brand story works when it is able to effectively communicate the values and personality of the brand and connect with the target audience in a meaningful way. This can be as a product or a service in everyday life.

At the brink agency, we believe that brand identities and stories are always a work in progress. Whether your company is big or small, we want to understand every detail of what it does, how it wants to position itself, and how this can be visualized in something beautiful for the eye and digitally pleasing to interact with.

That's why our process begins with live sessions: we want to hear your voice. We want to understand your vision for yourself and your company—and then help you make it happen.