Never has the art of storytelling been more important than it is in today’s complex, challenging and confusing world. Creating the right message, and delivering it in a way that will engage, resonate and leave a lasting impression can be difficult. We teamed up with hosts of The Art of Storytelling webinar, The Conference Board, a member-driven think tank that delivers trusted insights for what’s ahead. Siu Tang, our Creative Director, delivered a session “Content is King”, bringing forth a discussion on how to navigate the “new normal” of brand storytelling.
Content and Brand Storytelling
During our webinar, here were some key points:
- A new approach to storytelling and in particular the art of co-creation.
- How to view storytelling as something that can be used when thinking about your office design, and at an event.
- Hints and tips for how to approach storytelling and the creative.
Due to the high engagement of the session and the thought-provoking questions of our attendees, we decided to answer some common questions and publish them for our readers.
Content is King: Q&A
Q: I’m in the energy business, how do I communicate when the product itself is not interesting?
A: Instead of thinking about your real product, think about the results of your brand’s interaction with customers, all the scenarios where people’s life are better thanks to your energy. For example, our DSD project. “Drainage Services Department” doesn’t capture immediate attention. However, the thirty years of commitment and service that they have to the sustainable development of Hong Kong is noteworthy and interesting. All brand stories require a spark of connection, some are simply more nuanced than others. 
Q: My company puts a lot of effort in developing advanced technical solutions such as autonomous driving. Many competitors are promoting the same thing. How do I stand out?
A: While people’s current focus can be similar, you can ask yourself: what’s our brand’s heritage? Using your unique origins to differentiate from another brand is key to standing out.
Q: Our company provides financial solutions to various businesses. How can I give a bigger influence from a smaller relevant angle?
A: Your clients are your best brand ambassadors. It would be great to ask them to talk about their success story from personal angles to celebrate.
Q: For big corporates like us, communication is routine work: newsletters, WeChat posts, byline articles…how can B2B business communication be sexy?
A: When you work for a company for a long time, you stop asking questions about the company. But you need to ask these questions that everyone is taking for granted. During our Mindshare office project, we interviewed employees about their daily life and made a comic book series out of it. By co-creating with the staff, we’re taking something mundane into something heroic.
Content communicates your brand’s values, voice, mission, and vision. Good content should also solve your target audience’s problems and answers their questions. Did we answer some of yours?
Drop us a line and let us know any questions you have about brand storytelling.
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