To truly reach the hearts and minds of an audience, it’s essential to respect their intelligence. Developing a genuine connection with the people who support what you do will foster loyalty and a relationship that endures: we examine three brands telling authentic and memorable stories.

There are many ways to tell a story. Ensuring you have an intimate understanding of both your existing and desired customer base is key—as is careful consideration of what makes you unique.

Inviting customers to step into an experience will help to win their hearts. Relatable, unforgettable brand stories mean that when people think of that particular product, they’ll think of you. Let’s take a look at a few of the best.

Chupi
The branding of Chupi jewellery is all sparkle and romance, bejewelling the hearts of people around the world. The company’s social posts feature mini-vignettes, with beautiful quotes and thoughtful little stories about individual customers who have purchased rings and other pieces from the collections.

Founder Chupi Sweetman is the recognisable ‘storyteller’ of the brand, and her journey and process is weaved throughout the website and on social. The feeling of intimacy the company engenders with their pieces is pure gold: within a matter of a few years, they’ve grown from a solo venture to an internationally beloved brand with 35 employees.

Burt’s Bees
The story of Burt’s Bees is infused with motifs of nourishment and the natural world. They say they are guided by a single principle: that nature has the best answers. Burt, the late co-founder, was working as a beekeeper when he picked up artist Roxane as she was hitchhiking—hence the name and the bee and honeycomb imagery found on their products to this day.

The story of their humble business beginnings at craft fairs adds to the caring, holistic feel of their work—and projects the opposite impression to a cold and uncaring large-scale business. Burt’s Bees has remained trustworthy and consistent in its message over the years, becoming one of the world’s leading natural personal care brands.

GoPro
GoPro projects an image of community. In the company’s own words: “From cameras and drones to apps and accessories, everything we do is geared to help you capture life as you live it, share the experience and pass on the stoke. We believe that sharing our experiences makes them more meaningful and way more fun.”

The message here is clear: this isn’t just a brand, it’s a movement. Generating this communal feel is a clever marketing tactic—the more consumers share, the more GoPro itself is simultaneously promoted. And the brand takes its own advice—they themselves have shared a seven-minute ‘about us’ video, giving people some insight into their journey. Their approach to the notion of storytelling is essentially collaborative, encouraging GoPro owners to tell their own stories and inspire others to do the same.

The common thread running through the above stories appears to be relationships. A truly successful brand message will aim to form a reciprocal bond with consumers, involving them intimately. Any branding that involves hollow promotion simply won’t work—the customer is not only always right but also very, very smart.

read more from the experts →