Using Story Arcs
Did you know that concepts or ideas illustrated within stories are up to twenty-two times more memorable than simply providing facts or making statements? Your brain loves stories because they can be easily relatable, and they make learning new material easier.
Often times our brains react to stories the same way they do to real events and can be just as impactable. When we experience something, even through stories, our brains release endorphins which create the same emotions and feelings as if you’re truly experiencing it for yourself. This is why telling your brand’s story is so powerful.
Story arcs are a common method of storytelling and can be used to create brand stories. A story arc can help communicate the progression of a company or product over time and can also be used to build anticipation for future products or services. Story arcs are an effective way to connect with customers and build trust. In this article, we’ll discuss five familiar story arcs that will help you connect better, engage, and share your ideas or products with your target audience.
Five Common Story Arcs
Overcome the Enemy
This is a pretty common story arc. There’s a hero and someone who’s like their mentor who has an enemy they want to get out of the way. Eventually, with the education and guidance of the mentor and a few conflicts in-between as the hero learns, they save the day.
Poor to Extreme Wealth – Extreme Wealth to Poor
This is an emotional and encouraging story that continues to rise positively and shows a character (your target audience) as going from having nothing to suddenly having everything they ever wanted. You can flip this story arc around, too, offering a wealthy character fall into tragedy and can’t seem to fight their way out due to being stuck in their old ways or unfortunate events they can’t predict.
The Tragedy
This emotional tale should demonstrate the consequences of relatable characters not using your brand. It must show a downfall that ends without providing a positive solution. This story arc could be used to convince viewers of how life without your product/service may lead to an untenable situation.
The Long Journey
This story arc involves a long quest to achieve a certain goal while facing many obstacles along the way. Think of the famous Tootsie Roll Commercial that asks, “How many licks does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop!” The world will never know as the candy is too delicious to keep counting.
The Comedy
Humor is one of the easiest ways to connect with your audience. It can often break down barriers and allow people to relax and enjoy themselves more, as long as you know your audience well and it’s appropriate for their cultural preferences. A great example would be Old Spice. They use visual storytelling with a humorous twist to fully explain their product.
Final Thoughts
There are many story arcs that can be used to create more brand stories. Just be sure the arc you pick is consistent with your goals and the values of your audience. Keeping these story arc’s in mind can help you create a story that is relevant to your target market and helps reinforce the company’s brand identity.
