Why brand storytelling makes people believe

Once upon a time, Becca was a barista

She worked in the Colombian Coffee Company, a stone’s throw from our studio. Two of our partners, Andy and Greg, dropped in for a coffee one morning and got chatting with Becca.

It so transpired that she was a budding poet and lover of language, looking for her first break in the marketing industry. As an agency that values advancement, Greg and Andy got her in for an interview the same day. “Let’s give her a shot”, they said.

15 months later, she’s a Junior Copywriter, bursting with ideas and a core part of the Free team.

Stories build deeper brand connections

We think brand storytelling is an under explored opportunity for insurance businesses. It’s okay having your values, vision, mission, purpose and back story in your brand guidelines and on your desk drops, but they’re not going to connect with anyone if that’s where they stay. You need people to see where they show up in the real world.

Not only will storytelling help you create stronger connections with the people you want to work with and sell to. But they can also help you brand build inside your business too.

Stories like Becca’s allow your people to see your brand in action. They connect everyone to your shared purpose and ideals. They build belief. And when your people believe, they start to really drive your brand experience with customers.

We saw it in a recent internal campaign we created: We are Varney.

The Varneys wanted to keep the brand alive as they grew

Varney started out in the 1960s as an autoparts store in Maine. In the 80s they pivoted to insurance. Today, as a third generation family business, Varney is a leading example of a modern insurance agency, with offices up and down the East Coast.

As they continue to grow, the Varneys want to make sure their founding family-values always run through their business. So, we helped them tell the stories of what it means to be Varney.

They had brand stories coming out of their ears

Listening to all the Varney stories, we began to see there were three types. Adventure stories, shaped by a family of entrepreneurs. Fighters’ stories, where everyone battles to get the best for every client. And thrivers’ stories, because there’s no limit to what people can achieve there.

So, using a remote film crew, we recorded the three generations – Bill, Tim and Mike – and got them to talk about the origin story and the adventure that built the business. And brought in other longstanding Varney-ites to share their experiences, and explain what it meant to fight and thrive.

We helped them put the brand in everyone’s bones

Bringing everyone in the business together for two We Are Varney events, they were able to see that everything the brand stands for comes from an authentic place. The family founded the business on a set of values, and they’ve stayed that way ever since. Add in those stories from the people who had built a career at Varney and they had a winning recipe.

Seeing people living out the brand mission and values, and the success it brought to those individuals and the wider business, inspires and motivates others to go and do the same.

They can see how their role connects into the bigger picture. And the Varney brand and experience, like all good stories, can live happily ever after.

Want to make some deeper brand connections? Talk to us

Like Varney, you might want to start building deeper brand connections inside your business. Or maybe you want to get more eyes on your brand out in the wider world. Whatever campaign it is, we’ll help you tell the stories that make you stand out.

To contact us and see more of our work, head over to our home page.