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A Lesson in Storytelling from the Movies
“The meaning of life is whatever you ascribe it to be.” Joseph Campbell
Humans are hardwired to look for meaning in life. So when we imbue something with meaning — actions, places, relationships, or objects — we automatically care more about it. And the more meaning something has, the higher the value we assign to it.
We are hardwired to respond to storytelling. It’s been a cornerstone of how we’ve communicated for centuries. It’s stood the test of time so well because it creates a human connection, making it a highly effective way to convey meaning to people.
But storytelling’s power isn’t limited to traditional story formats like books or screenplays. It’s valuable in all kinds of scenarios. Smart business leaders know this, so they put considerable effort into building stories around their brands.
By using storytelling to communicate their history and values, brands take on more significance in people’s minds, and we attribute a higher status to them. Brands (and people with personal brands) who do this successfully reap many rewards.
Not only does a compelling story attract customers, it also makes them willing to pay more for the brand’s products. It also creates loyalty, encouraging customers to make repeat purchases…
