We spend a lot of time talking about what makes a story, but what is not a story? For over two years I became intrigued by the power of storytelling applied to strategic messaging. The difficulty of defining what is not a story becomes a serious conceptual problem. I had many patient discussions (well, not always patient!) with my daughter Jennifer, a Stanford GSB professor, who has done extensive research and teaching on storytelling.

What Is and Is Not a Brand Signature Story?

We found a conceptual breakthrough: a set of facts is NOT a signature story. That idea broke the dam and allowed our work and my book, “Creating Signature Stories,” to proceed. A signature story as we defined it is a “Once about a time” narrative that portrays actual or fictitious events or experiences with a beginning, middle, and end (not always portrayed in that order) that provides an organizing framework for its components and implications. The signature story often has explicit or implied emotional content and detailed sensory information as well.

A signature story as I define it here is not a description of facts. It may incorporate or communicate facts but does so in the context of the narrative. The facts might be integrated into the narrative and must be deduced by the audience. Facts could appear after the narrative to add elaboration and credibility. Or the narrative could be used to add depth and meaning to facts already presented. But facts by themselves are not a story.

To illustrate the problem, think of executives that eagerly tell you their brand story. What they usually mean by that is to address questions like:

• What does the brand stand for?
• Who are its customer targets?
• What is its value proposition for each segment?
• What is the point of difference?
• What organizational values or core programs or policies provide substance and clarity to the brand?

Brand Facts Do Not Communicate a Brand’s Signature Story

Answers to such questions almost always involve lists of facts. These fact lists should be perused, as they provide a solid underpinning for a brand vision and business strategy that will drive success. They should be crystal clear and communicated. But communicating a list of facts, efficient though it may seem, is difficult and sometimes impossible as people are simply not interested. In fact, such a fact set is often perceived as boring rather than intriguing, as conveying puffery instead of authenticity, and is too similar to comparable lists from other organizations to be engaging. Even if an audience’s attention is obtained, they will perceive the communication to be biased and self-serving. 

“Fact lists should be perused, as they provide a solid underpinning for a brand vision and business strategy that will drive success.”

Brand Signature Stories Make Strong Statements

Suppose a firm with quality issues asserted to employees and customers about their “new quality” priority. It would be likely greeted with disinterest and skepticism. Compare with the power of the following true story that is now a signature story: Zhang Ruimin was promoted in 1984 to lead a then-struggling Chinese refrigerator manufacturer that would later be renamed Haier.

After a customer brought in a faulty refrigerator, Zhang and the customer went through his inventory of 400 refrigerators –only to find that nearly 20 percent were defective. A defining moment. Zhang promptly had the 76 bad refrigerators lined up on the factory floor and asked employees to destroy them all with sledgehammers. A dramatic decision that led to a change in the firm’s culture and reputation. It also became a platform from which Haier become a leading appliance maker in the global marketplace. The story was and is a big part of Haier’s success and one of the original sledgehammers is enshrined at the home office.

My new book Creating Signature Stores emerged because of an idea spawned by three powerful forces:

• The critical need to communicate strategic messages
• The growing difficulty of doing so
• The new realization that stories are powerful communicators

The Idea: Applying the Power of Storytelling to Strategic Messaging

Strategic messaging has never been more important, both internally and externally. Internally, employees are searching for and often insisting on meaning in their professional lives. (The why? question.) Providing an answer involves communicating the values, culture, customer value proposition and strategy of the firm. Externally, there is a growing segment of customers that are willing and sometimes eager to have a relationship with brands that they admire and share their values. Strategic messaging can create or support such relationships.

Why Is Communicating Strategic Messages So Hard?

It is largely because customers and employees are often not that interested in your message so they tune it out. Even when the message gets processed, it is often viewed as lacking authenticity and credibility. In addition, there is the challenge of media clutter and the realities of the social world with an empowered audience. As a result, it is hard to break through.

Why Stories Are More Impactful Than Facts

In the context of this challenging communication task, the knowledge that stories are amazingly more impactful than facts becomes very relevant.  Hundreds if not thousands of studies have confirmed that assertion. Stories provide a way to break through all the distractions, disinterest and content overload and make an audience take notice, stay engaged, change perceptions, be inspired, and remember. People perk up when they hear someone say, “Let me tell you a story.”  If you have facts to communicate, your best strategy is telling it via a story that allows the ultimate message to emerge.

Example: Nordstrom’s Authenticity

Consider the classic Nordstrom story, which brings to life the firm’s policy of employee empowerment and prioritizing customers. A customer in the mid-1970s walked into it Fairbanks, Alaska clothing store and asked to “return” two worn snow tires.

An awkward moment! Nordstrom, of course, did not sell tires (although the store site was once a tire store). But, the salesperson that had only been on the job for a few weeks had no doubt about what to do. He promptly took back the tires and refunded what the customer said he had paid. This story is told to this day because it is simply so intriguing and authentic.

How to Create Intriguing, Authentic & Strategic Messages

The idea is to apply the power of stories to strategic messaging through “signature stories.” Create intriguing, authentic and involving narratives that include a strategic message. A signature story is not simply a set of facts but can motivate facts that support the message. It differs from tactical messaging in that it involves communicating the brand vision, organizational values and culture, a business strategy, or a value proposition with a long-term perspective.

“If you have facts to communicate, your best strategy is telling it via a story that allows the ultimate message to emerge.”

The most impactful blogs I’ve written in 2017 fall within three categories that are reflective of my research and writing interests. The first category, brand stories, is driven by my new book, “Creating Signature Stories” which is available now for pre-order. The other categories are about having a higher purpose and business growth strategies. Let’s walk through some of my blogs and explore each topic.

Creating Signature Stories

• Higher Purpose Programs Make For Powerful Brand Stories: Learn how brand stories when tied to a higher purpose – either social or environmental – can resonate with customers and drive brand awareness.
• Four Keys to Gaining Attention for Brand Stories: Get your target audience to pay attention to your content. Learn the 4 key elements to capturing – and keeping – attention for your brand stories.

Higher Purpose

• Why the Failed Unilever-Kraft Heinz Merger is a Very Good Thing: See why the failed merger of two consumer brand giants, Unilever and Kraft Heinz, is a very good thing from a brand perspective.
• 5 Key Benefits of Higher Purpose Programs: Consumers and employees are seeing the importance of social & environmental higher purpose programs. Here are 5 benefits of having one.
• The Battle for the Soul of Capitalism: Whose Job Is It?: The world faces critical social and environmental problems with governments that are limited or paralyzed. Learn how major firms and other players can make a difference.
• What Brands Have Earned Trust?: Prophet’s Brand Relevance Index™ is a consumer ranking of the most relevant and trusted brands. Learn what brands have earned the most trust based on the Index.
• What Brands Inspire?: Pinterest, LEGO and Fitbit are inspiring customers through brand relevance. Learn why they ranked so highly in Prophet’s Brand Relevance Index™.

Growth Strategies

• Creating a New Subcategory: A Story of Two Pizza Brand: I discuss how DiGiorno & Domino’s create new brand subcategories and differentiate themselves in the pizza market with a compelling value proposition.
• What We Can Learn from Dove’s Brand Portfolio Growth: Over the past 20 years, the Dove brand has grown tremendously due to product innovation and expansion. Learn why Dove is a model for brand portfolio growth.

Many brands attempt to inspire customers with energy, purpose or by creating a customer experience that is uplifting. Being inspired is one of the most admired and sought-after brand achievements. What brands have gotten there and which have disappointed?

The new 2017 Prophet Brand Relevance Index™, which measures the strength of 275 top brands from over 25 categories, helps provide some answers. One of the 16 measures in the survey was “Makes me feel inspired.” Looking at the results of that question there are some surprises.

The Brands That Inspire in Prophet’s Brand Relevance Index™

The headline of the 275-brand survey: Pinterest was way out in front in terms of being inspiring. Way out in front! Why? Pinterest is the go-to place if you want to do something new and creative.

You can ask for help with a project important to you, such as cooking for your kids, decorating a room in your home, getting started on a craft, learning about a particular exercise, or really anything you want to do that is beyond your current activities. You’ll be connected with ideas and people that are also interested in your challenge.

When you go to the site, you’ll be greeted with content that’s selected based in part on past requests or interactions. These options, all presented with pictures that draw you in, are personalized to your interests and passions.

“You’ll be connected with ideas and people that are also interested in your challenge.”

Pinterest perceives itself to be the world’s catalog of ideas and has a mission to help people discover the things they love and inspire them to do those things in their daily lives. It stretches boundaries by enabling a person’s creativity and desire to try something new. The experience promises to deliver connection with others and a feeling of a sense of accomplishment.

These Pinterest themes can also be found in at least seven of the other top 15 brands in the “Makes me feel inspired” dimension.

• #3. Food Network provides a way to make a person feel creative and accomplished in the kitchen with ideas and recipes, some from leading chefs, all in entertaining and digestible formats. The brand also inspires by its visible support for the NoKidHungry program.
• #5. An Etsy devotee will admire the creativity and initiative that is abundant on the e-commerce site. Further, there is the ability to “discover” something unique and the satisfaction of finding a new gift concept. Etsy’s mission which includes harnessing the power of business to strengthen communities and empower people is itself inspiring.
• #7. NPR inspires by challenging its audience with issues and stimulating topics, many of which would not be found elsewhere, and presents them with depth and style. Its mission is to promote personal growth, respect differences, and encourage a sense of active participation. It is noteworthy that NPR separated itself from news channels like CNN and others which were near the bottom of the ratings.
• #10. Fitbit becomes an ongoing enabler of living a healthier, more active life by tracking activity, exercise, sleep, weight and more. Using Fitbit, you can design or try new exercise programs with the added motivation generated by the ability to measure progress and results. And there is the promise of a sense of accomplishment.
• #12. LEGO provides children both the joy and satisfaction of creating a new structure. The ultimate purpose is to inspire children to think creatively and reason systematically. Inspiration also comes from LEGO’s sustainability efforts which not only involves wind farms but also the “planet promise” where a kid at any home can commit to be a part of the solution in simple ways, like turning off lights.
• #14. M·A·C allows customer access to vivid and interesting colors that makes cosmetics glamorous, dynamic and personal. It is about being creative, experiential, and proud of their appearance. The inspiration could come in part from the fact that M·A·C since 1994 had a VIVA GLAM line featuring a bright red color, the proceeds of which donated over $400 million to AIDS. #15. IKEA, the “world of inspiration for your home,” has people pick out affordable, stylish, unique furniture and then assemble it at home—an effort which requires creativity and ability to face a meaningful challenge. IKEA has an aggressive sustainability program and, additionally, supports those uprooted such as giving 5,000 beds to refugees.

Again, the common themes are enabling creativity, discovering the new, stretching yourself, interacting with others about a passion, and feeling accomplished.

3 Other Ways Brands Are Inspiring Consumers

Three other routes are suggested by the other top “inspiring” brands. The first is to provide entertaining stories of role models, real or fictitious, that are inspiring. Pixar at #2, Disney at #4 and Marvel at #11 all provide characters and vicarious experiences that can inspire. Each provides entertainment which undoubtedly creates involvement and heightens the emotional response and the potential to inspire.

A second is to be inspired by the mood or feelings that are put in place. Spotify at #7 and Pandora at #13 create music experiences that can add inspiration to the enjoyment of the moment and even contribute a mindset that leads to excelling in other activities. It is noteworthy that Spotify and Pandora, like Pinterest, also personalize content.

A third is illustrated by #6 Apple and #9 Nike. They are both known for being inspiring for their products, personality, message and expectations by their customers. Apple was #6 in part because of its leadership role, its relentless innovation record, its design flare, the fact that its products have enabled people’s lives to do more, and the dazzling retail presence. Nike at #9 is a brand that has always stood for performance that inspires. This consistent message has been long supported by innovative products and visible spokespeople.

It should be emphasized that the subjects in this survey are those that are active in the category and are familiar with the brand. In most brand surveys, many respondents may not be familiar with a brand or it might not be relevant to them and, as a result, brands that inspire their customers do not show well.

Additional Observations from the Brand Relevance Index™

Why are the credit card brands in the bottom one-fourth of all brands? MasterCard has the 20-year-old priceless campaign and American Express is the quintessential statement brand. Have credit cards moved to be functional and taken for granted?

There was a time when the most inspiring products and brands were in the auto sector. Not now. A few car brands like Toyota and Tesla were in the top 15 percent of brands and a few more like Honda, Ford, BMW and Chevrolet were in the top 75, with Lexus a bit behind. But half of the 18 car brands in the survey including Mercedes-Benz and Cadillac were in the bottom half. Why are automobiles not as inspiring as they once were and why do these two brands score lower on inspiration than other car brands?

Why is KitchenAid #27 while Whirlpool and General Electric are not in the top 100; and Frigidaire, Maytag and Haier are not in the top 180? One explanation is that KitchenAid has added dozens of innovative new areas notably small appliances and offer some color options that allow a person to use KitchenAid to make a personal statement in their kitchen.

Why are Betty Crocker, Hershey’s, and Pillsbury in the top 75 and Heinz, JELL-O, Oreo and Kraft in the bottom one-fourth? It might be that the heritage effect of the first three is simply stronger with more warmth and positive memories.

Why is Alexa (#57) so much higher than Siri (#161)?  Is it because Siri is a less robust iPhone?  Or is it because Alexa has a different personality? Or is it something else?

What other questions can advance the brand inspiration conversation? What brands inspire you?

Prophet’s team of experts help brands create customer experiences that inspire.

Trust is considered by many as the bedrock of a brand underlying all perceptions. You need trust for people to believe you will live up to your brand promise. Without trust, your assertions about your brand will ring hollow. And creating and maintaining trust is especially difficult given the fact that trust in brands globally has been eroding for the last two decades. Yet there are brands that have achieved a high level of trust. Who are those brands and how have they done it?

“Without trust, your assertions about your brand will ring hollow.”

Answers to these questions come in part from the new 2017 brand relevance survey conducted by Prophet of the strength of 275 top brands from over 25 categories using U.S. respondents that were active in the category and familiar with the brand. The survey used 16 measures that were combined to create a measure of attachment to the brand that is termed its Brand Relevance Index™ (BRI). One of the 16 measures in the survey was “a brand I trust.”

Top 25 Most Trusted Brands

In looking at the top 25 brands on the trust scale, four groupings seem to emerge. The first are heritage packaged-goods brands, brands that have earned a reputation for reliability over generations. The second are “star” brands that are strong on all of the 16 dimensions and have top BRI scores. The remaining two include a pair of specialty retailers and two package delivery brands.

All the top trust brands are perceived to deliver to their brand promise over time consistently and reliably. There can be a slip-up if it is convincingly corrected so that it is judged an abnormality, the exception that proves the rule. It nearly all the top truest brands, the performance is visible, the brand can be counted on because these respondents have had first-hand experience with the brand or know someone who has. However, the perception of trust is almost always based on more than brand experience.

Reliable Consumer Brands

The first trust grouping, the heritage consumer brands, have earned a reputation for reliability over generations. They dominate the trust dimension and include three of the top five brands (Band-Aid, Tide and Crest), 6 of the top 10 (add Cheerios, Clorox and Kleenex) and 13 of the top 25 (add Dove, Johnson & Johnson, Hershey’s, Windex, Pillsbury, Betty Cocker, and Ziploc).

These brands have certainly earned trust for reasons that go beyond their demonstrated reliability. They have associations of mom, grandmother, family, traditions, support you can count on, warmth, security, and permanence. They are part of a person’s history and values and create feelings that affect judgments. This array of associations creates trust in the brand, a perception that is likely more important in making a trust evaluation that any brand experience.

Those packaged-goods brands sharing the same categories that are much lower on trust are usually new brands like Kashi, Chobani, or Method or brands that have a heritage that is weak or unhelpful in supporting trust perceptions, brands like Pop-Tarts, Axe, or Red Bull.

Star Brands

The second grouping of high trust brands, the star brands, are that have the highest BRI scores. Of the 8 brands in this star category, three are among the top five BRI brands (Apple, Amazon and Netflix) and all eight are in the top 25 (add Pandora, KitchenAid, PayPal, Fitbit, Bose). By comparison, none of the 13-heritage packaged-goods brands were in the top 25 in the BRI overall score, the highest was Dove at 27.

These brands had two other characteristics. First, they occupied meaningful parts of a person’s life and lifestyle. Second, they achieve high levels of performance in a very visible way. A person knows when there has been a mess up.

Strong Brands are Trusted Brands

The power of a strong brand will for sure influence perceptions of trust. It will support a trust judgment because it provides a set of proof points as shown by their scores on the other 15 dimensions. Additionally, there is a halo effect. A brand that is strong on 15 dimensions will be assumed to be strong on the 16^th in the absence of some information that is inconsistent. So again, we see perceptions of trust based on a broad array of brand image elements in addition to brand reliability.

The other four brands in the top 25 on the trust question come from more specialized categories and benefit from the trust engendered by their high performance within those categories. The North Face and Trader Joe’s are specialty retailers and were at the top of the trust measure of a 33-brand set of retailers with brands like Neiman Marcus, 7-Eleven and J. Crew. The final two brands in the top 25 were FedEx and UPS both of which are positioned around reliability and have created the infrastructure and computer system to deliver.