Categories: Brand Strategy

Why a Brand Narrative is a Necessary Part of Brand Strategy

Image Source-pixabay.com

A brand narrative is perhaps the most important aspect of any creative brand strategy. A brand narrative is a base that supports the entire brand strategy and determines the direction of the brand as well.

But what exactly is a brand narrative?

A brand narrative can be defined as the central building block of a meaningful brand strategy. A brand narrative is based on the reason the company exists, it’s core purpose, it’s business positioning and more.

So here’s a trick question: what comes first? a brand or a brand narrative? The answer? It’s a brand narrative. A brand narrative is a missing link in the market or the problem that ails many, or one of those things everybody wished were easier to do. This is where the brand starts: with a narrative.

The brand narrative is essentially an idea, or a thought, or a philosophy. Sarah Blakely’s ultra-successful Spanx has a very simple brand narrative: I wish women’s underwear were more comfortable, and I wish they blended in with the body better so I could wear anything that I wanted without being embarrassed.

Based on such a narrative, the entire brand and the branding strategy is built.

That said, there are also several other optional components that can be a part of the brand narrative.

  • Truths: There should be some concrete basis as to why your brand was created. These are the truths. Eg. Women’s underwear isn’t comfortable, or the need for simplicity, user-friendliness, and elegance, like in the case of apple.
  • Promise: There should be a promise statement in your brand narrative outlining the most important thing that your brand intends to deliver. It can be a promise for quality or on-time delivery. Whichever is most appropriate for your line of business.
  • Story: A story is the aspect of a brand narrative that helps justify the truths and promise, and also helps make a connection between the audience and a brand. Compelling stories make for compelling brands. Sarah Blakley’s story was compelling: Women’s underwear used to be so uncomfortable because it was all made by men – so here’s a new brand for you, by women, for women.
  • Emotional Impact: The next aspect is strongly tied in the brand story in the sense that the moral of the story should deliver the emotional impact and evoke a certain feeling in a brand’s audience. Sarah Blakley’s was simple: Women need to be making women’s underwear because they’re the ones who are going to be in it all day long, not the men who used to make it.
  • External expression: This aspect of the brand narrative should be something marketable and current. Something – an issue or a problem – that’s in vogue.

Based on these five points, a creative brand strategy can be created that can help a brand tell its story, convey its message, make an emotional connection with its audience, and advertise and sell its product. As you can probably tell by now, no brand strategy can be successful without a solid brand narrative.

3Minds Digital

Share
Published by
3Minds Digital

Recent Posts

The Biggest B2B Marketing Myths That Are Keeping Brands From Scaling

Every time a business struggles to scale, there’s always someone saying, “You need more leads,”…

1 week ago

These Packaging Mistakes Are Quietly Killing Your Sales

You’ve spent months (maybe years) perfecting your product. The formula is just right, the quality…

3 weeks ago

Are Your Influencer Collabs Feeling Fake?

You’ve spent weeks planning your influencer campaign. The posts are live, the hashtags are trending,…

3 weeks ago

Is Google Secretly Favouring AI-Generated Content?

Every few months, there’s a new debate in the digital marketing world, and right now,…

3 weeks ago

UI/UX Trends Shaping Digital Experiences In 2025

Think about the last time you used a website or an app that just felt…

3 weeks ago

The Unexpected Ways Packaging Influences What People Buy

Packaging is one of the most underrated factors when it comes to influencing a purchase.…

3 weeks ago