You know exactly the scenario I’m talking about. You’re sitting in a marketing meeting, eyes glazing over, while someone proudly declares their new strategy revolves around “storytelling.” Great. Except there’s one tiny problem: there’s no actual story.
Here’s the thing: calling a random collection of brand messages “storytelling” doesn’t magically make it compelling. If your content doesn’t have characters, conflict, or emotional stakes, congratulations: you’ve created a nicely formatted brochure, not a story.
Storytelling has become marketing’s favorite buzzword because it feels warm, fuzzy, and human. Ironically, marketers often strip humanity of it. They slap the label “storytelling“ on anything with a headline, forgetting that real stories need structure, tension, and resolution. It’s not rocket science; it’s middle-school English.
I recently reviewed a campaign that touted itself as “powerful storytelling.“ The reality? It was a disjointed series of product features strung together with flowery adjectives. Where was the struggle? Where were the stakes? Without those elements, it’s not a story; it’s noise.
If your brand insists on storytelling, here’s how to do it right. Start by actually identifying the story:
- Who’s the protagonist? It’s probably your customer, not your product.
- What’s their real challenge? Not the generic “pain points“ you scribbled in your last SWOT analysis. The real stuff.
- How do you meaningfully resolve that challenge?
Once you’ve nailed these basics, the rest falls into place.
Another practical checkpoint: could you tell your brand’s “story“ around a campfire? Would anyone care enough to listen? If the answer is no, you might overestimate your “storytelling“ prowess.
Let’s drop the buzzwords and start creating content that actually resonates. Stories work because they’re inherently human, relatable, and emotional, not because you’ve repeatedly called them “authentic storytelling.”
Using Brand Archetypes to Tell Real Stories
In my experience, one of the most effective ways to create authentic stories is by using brand archetypes. Archetypes aren’t just fancy personas; they represent fundamental human characters and motivations that your audience can immediately recognize and relate to.
When your brand taps into a clear archetype—whether it’s the Hero, the Explorer, or the Sage—you instantly clarify your brand’s role and personality. It becomes easier to craft stories that resonate deeply because you’re tapping into universal narratives and emotions people naturally understand. Brands that clearly identify and consistently embody an archetype tell stories that feel genuine and human, not forced or artificial.
Ask yourself, which archetype genuinely aligns with your brand? How does this archetype shape the stories you tell? When done right, brand archetypes can transform your storytelling from vague buzzwords into powerful, meaningful narratives that truly connect with your audience.
Let’s drop the empty jargon and start creating content that resonates. Stories work because they’re inherently human, relatable, and emotional—not because you’ve repeatedly labeled them “authentic storytelling.”
How are you using archetypes in your brand storytelling? Is your storytelling authentic, or just jargon disguised as strategy?
The Brand Archetype Survey
The Brand Archetype Survey clarifies your brand identity without relying on empty buzzwords or vague labels. It’s a software I built last year to help develop accurate archetypes to use in marketing. The survey will reveal your core archetype clearly and practically, giving you an actionable foundation for messaging and content strategy. Stop guessing at what resonates; use this survey to discover exactly who your brand is, craft genuine stories, and connect authentically with your audience.
So, next time someone confidently claims their campaign is all about storytelling, ask them: Where’s the story? And if they can’t answer convincingly, do us all a favor and call it something else.
How’s your brand using storytelling? Is it genuine, or just jargon disguised as strategy?
