Stories are the original information delivery device. Our minds can recall stories far better than facts and figures. But it’s the stories that create emotional connections — that make us feel — that become a part of us, cemented in our minds.
To quote the highly intuitive. Maya Angelou, “People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel.”
This is why we’re such huge advocates for brand storytelling.
But the devil is very much in the storytelling details and lots of brands hesitate to dive in and tell their story. And we get it! Turning the camera on yourself isn’t easy.
To help organizations get started and find storytelling success, we’ve broken down a recent video story we created with the folks at Tree Pittsburgh, a nonprofit planting trees and lots of happiness throughout the Pittsburgh region. You can watch the video here.
Follow these storytelling steps, starting with creating the all-important emotional hook.
The Emotional Hook: Music That Creates Instant Happiness
Our video story with Tree Pittsburgh had a very tight list of messages to present to the audience. We needed a way to get right into the nuts and bolts of the story while still pulling in the viewer, hooking their attention, and getting them emotionally invested in the story from the very first moment.
We landed on a soundtrack that did all of the above. The upbeat music built instant anticipation, priming the audience to receive the information the organization set out to share.
Danielle Crumrine, Executive Director at Tree Pittsburgh and the hero of our story.
Introducing Our Story’s Hero
As the groundswell of music subsides, we meet Danielle.
Danielle Crumrine is the Executive Director at Tree Pittsburgh, and she lit up the camera with her approachable demeanor, gentle nature, expertise, and smile. You could feel her passion for her work and the impact of her organization come through every word.
(We have more amazing stories with Danielle and Tree Pittsburgh that we can’t wait to share soon!)
To achieve the same instant impact, your story’s hero must be passionate about their work. That’s the simple secret. Camera jitters can be overcome, but you can’t fake passion. Your audience will feel that passion immediately — or be able to immediately detect if it’s missing.
Choosing the right hero or heroes for your brand story is the most important part of the storytelling process. The good news is that with a little coaching and practice, anyone on your team can become a story hero if they’re willing to do the work.
Flowing Our Messages Through the Story
Just like you learned in 6th grade English class, every story needs an introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and conclusion.
This is where your brand messaging comes in and guides that trajectory. Your hero’s story is a device used to communicate key messages about your brand’s values, purpose, mission, expertise, and your products and services.
In our Tree Pittsburgh story, Danielle’s description of Tree Pittsburgh’s services and the funding they received reinforces the organization’s mission and its vital role in helping Pittsburgh achieve a cleaner, more sustainable future. Through this, she makes the case for why the funding is so critical for the city, why even more funding is needed, and why Tree Pittsburgh is exactly the right organization to lead the effort.
Wrapping Our Story Up in a Memorable Bow
As Danielle’s interview comes to a close, we return once again to the same happy music at the open, giving viewers an energy and feeling of hope for the future of the city as a result of Tree Pittsburgh’s work.
If you’d like a little guidance as you craft your brand’s story, we’re here to help! Contact us, and let’s tell your story.
