Storytelling Can Create Brands

Innov8 Talks: The Power of Storytelling held at IIJS Tritiya on Saturday, 18th March 2023 witnessed a packed house of industry players looking for tips to build their own brands. The proportion of SMEs and MSMEs in the audience showed that even there is growing consciousness of the importance of branding.

The session was moderated by Communication Specialist Anil Prabhakar, a PR professional for luxury and lifestyle brands.

Arvind Sahay, Prof of Marketing, IIM – Ahmedabad, opened the session by talking about the connection between Brands and the Brain. Ameen Haque, Founder, Storywallahs, highlighted the significance of how the brain behaves with respect to absorption, retention and assimilation of ideas.

Sahay said that Brain likes stories. He pointed out that the brain always tries to reduce energy consumption; leave something behind for consumers interventions; and explores patterns, associations and connections. He said that stories come from insights into consumer behaviour.

The key to success in marketing and branding is to communicate a story that is different, captures attention and makes consumers buy from you – said Sahay. He added that the heart does whatever the brain advises – so when brands seem to stir the heart it is actually the brain that is advising the heart to react.

Sahay also pointed out that the jewellery industry is unique as there are leading national brands such as Titan, Kalyan, Malabar and TBZ at top end but a lot of space in between. Every jeweller can capture the mid space.

Ameen Haque conducted an interactive session where he had the audience in splits. We tell ourselves stories in order to live – was his proposition to the audience. He established that the brain only remembers stories and visuals not theory or theorems. He made a very crucial point that every jeweller has to learn the brand storytelling himself/herself as ownership has to be taken Haque clearly said — No outsiders or outsourcing in one’s brand storytelling. You know your story best and it is best if you construct and say it yourself. Other consultants can help build the brand story but only oneself can create the best brand story.

Story is like muscles in the body and takes time to build, Haque said. The participants asked several questions to the panelists seeking quick solutions and remedies. But the experienced panelists hit the nail on the head when they said that brand storytelling is a long term task and there are short cuts or quick fixes. Haque and Sahay asked everyone to be patient and positive. They pointed out that it takes years to build brands.

 

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