When the product is good but the story is weak

Taste gets a trial. Meaning builds a brand.

A good product can earn repeat purchase after someone tries it. The harder job is giving that person a reason to notice it, understand it and choose it for the first time.

That reason needs to be specific enough to own. “Delicious”, “quality” and “made with care” describe the category. They do not explain why this brand should exist.

A story becomes useful when it changes the choice someone makes.

Position the tension first.

The strongest stories begin with something the audience already feels: a compromise, a ritual, a frustration or an aspiration. The product then plays a clear role in that situation.

• 01
  Name the audience narrowly enough to understand their real context.
• 02
  Define the tension the product resolves better than the obvious alternatives.
• 03
  Turn that role into a repeatable point of view across pack, campaign and content.

Keep the story close to the product.

Positioning should make the experience more believable. If the story could sit on any competing product, it is too broad. The product, promise and proof need to reinforce each other every time the brand appears.