Brand Storytelling: #NOREGRETS vs. "One for One"

#NOREGRETS VS. “One for One”

Anyone in marketing must realize now it is all about the story. To be able to successfully tell your brand's story you must have compelling content. Most companies today are understanding this and trying to tell their story through various media campaigns, some better then others. I'll be examining and comparing two hugely successful brands, and their campaigns that helped get them to where they are now. Both of these companies have done an excellent job at telling their brand's story through compelling content, but I'll be trying to determine which one did it better!

The first company I'll be examining is Contiki Holidays. Contiki specializes in pre-packaged holiday tours for 18-35 year olds. They have a clear understanding of who their target audience is, which is even stated in their logo. Their current campaign, which has been running for just over a year now, is centred around the concept and now their signature hashtag, #NOREGRETS. Their video about the campaign, which originally ran on television and is still being watched on YouTube, is about breaking away from your everyday mundane activities to experience the adventure of a lifetime. It is about living your life to the fullest and with #NOREGRETS.

To understand how Contiki is successfully telling their brand's story through compelling content I'll be comparing it to several theories. Jonah Sachs from The Huffington Post discusses 4 Steps To Build Brand Awareness Through Storytelling. First a brand must craft their myth. “While stories may seem like simple fun, they are actually deeply important. Stories act like cultural DNA -- tiny packets of information that build tribes and societies. The stories we love most tell us what people like us value, what they don't, and what they want for the future. These core stories are known as myths, and every society uses them to forge a shared identity. We're programmed by evolution to look for these stories and share them.”

Contiki uses the key ingredients to craft their myth by starting their video off by giving us numbers of hours spent doing our daily mundane activities (showing us how the world works), then it breaks to beautiful images of young 20 year olds experiencing the wonders of the world, reminding us to “Start living” because you only have “One Life, One Shot, so Make it Count. #NOREGRETS” (meaning). Contiki shows you through their compelling imagery what you will get with them (story), and that experiencing life to its fullest and sharing that experience with others is to live without regrets (ritual).

Secondly a brand must know their hero. Brands used to be the hero, stepping in to save the day with their products or services. Today brands have to talk about how great their audience could be, that is “what excites people into sharing content these days”. Contiki shows you that you can be the hero by experiencing all the world has to offer, without directly telling you that this is all possible because of their services. Thirdly they live their story by standing for larger truths (there is more to this life then your everyday activities) and empowering their audience (showing you what else is out there to discover). “Another advantage [to calling for a deeper authenticity] is that stories guide us into a deeper sense of our values, transforming our brands as we work to live up to our stories.”

Lastly, Contiki completes the fours steps with practice makes perfect. “The best way to learn how to craft your unique story is to immerse yourself in the learning experience through an interactive medium. Storytelling is a group experience, so the creation of the story should be too.” Contiki is continually crafting this story through their website, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and various blogs. They not only have hired people that are out their experiencing these holidays first-hand through Contiki and blogging about it, but they use content created by their target audience that have taken their own holidays with Contiki. They are telling their story through the eyes, ears and mouths of the audience they are directly trying to target.

Contiki's #NOREGRETS campaign is still successfully running, while continually gaining audience interactions on their various social media platforms. Looking at Contiki's campaign through Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose's CM (content marketing) Brand Hero's Journey, they can be found at step 7, the “Final Challenge” stage. “This is the culmination of your brand story. In the larger sense, you may never want your brand’s (your hero’s) story to end. And this content marketing campaign may be but one episode in your story. But this final challenge is what you have to overcome to get to the possibility of the “what if?”…”.

While this campaign is still going strong, Contiki is already hinting at their next campaign with this teasing image to the right. They are continuing to tell their story while keeping their key theme and now very recognizable hashtag #NOREGRETS. This hashtag has become so symbolic with Contiki and what they represent, it has the potential to become as powerful and as the well-known as the Nike line, “Just Do It”.

Now its time to look at the competition, TOMS. While TOMS is not in the same industry as Contiki it is still telling its brand's story through compelling content and trying to attract the attention of the same target audience as them. TOMS is a shoe company guided by one simple mission, “With every product you purchase, TOMS will help a person in need. One for One.” TOMS promises that with every purchase you make, they will in turn make and donate a pair of shoes to a child in need. While TOMS are made for anyone at any age (they even have TOMS for kids), their campaign is targeting millennials who want a stylish pair of shoes at a reasonable price, with the added bonus of feeling good about their purchase by helping a child in need.

Referring back to the CM Brand Hero's Journey, TOMS can currently be found at Step 6: “Map the Road of Challenges”. This step is used to determine how you can gather friends, take a strong point of view and possibly create some naysayers. It is this naysayers and challenges that has kept their brand's story at this step. While TOMS is telling an incredibly inspiring story, people are still questioning whether TOMS really donates a pair of shoes for every shoe purchased. How will TOMS lead their audience into this idea of being able to help a child in need every time they purchase a pair of shoes from TOMS? By providing proof through various media channels. This video update from TOMS headquarters (found on their website as well as YouTube) demonstrates through compelling content proof that TOMS stands by their logo, “One for One”.

Michael Margolis in his article Brand Storytelling 101 looks at the five steps to create a successful brand story. Step 1 is about naming, “When we name something, our relationship with it transforms”. TOMS has named their campaign with their logo, “One for One”. “A brand represents the complex emotional relationship between the storyteller – the one who is sharing something about that brand – and the audience. Put in a more traditional context, a brand represents the emotional relationship between a consumer and a product.” TOMS has created this emotional relationship by representing a product that makes you feel good about purchasing it. Their video pulls on your heartstrings by creating an emotional bond with the children who have been helped by TOMS. The audience is meant to be moved and want to participate in the cause and therefore feel the affects donating has on the heart. They want to help, to be involved, to be part of the story.

The next step is about the meaning behind the brand. “Nearly anything can be branded. It’s a natural human impulse to want to put a name to the images, energy, and patterns that are a part of a shared experience, event, or relationship...Building successful relationships for your brand or your business comes down to the stories you tell as well as the stories other people tell about you.” TOMS is telling a great story, except that people are still questioning whether its true or not. Through video updates (as seen above) as well as through their Stories section on their website, you can see how TOMS is allowing viewers to help tell the story, while continually providing proof that TOMS is keeping their promise.

“Every storyteller has a brand and every brand has a story.” Step 3 asks you to think carefully about the value of your brand story by looking at its relevance, hero of the story, its origin and whether its authentic. TOMS clearly outlines its brand's story by representing a relevant societal cause while making the audience the hero through their purchase. On their website they clearly define the origins of TOMS campaign by telling the biography of Blake Mycoskie, founder and chief shoe giver of TOMS. They are also proving their authenticity through the video updates and shared content of others.

TOMS campaign highlights the 4^th step perfectly, for “We all need something to believe in”. TOMS clearly defines what they stand for and asks their audience to fight for the same cause. “You want your story to become their story. As your audience sees their own values, hopes, and dreams in the story you create, they will deepen their emotional connection to your brand.” Lastly, step 5 is about brand stories that help shape culture, “How do you hope to change and improve people’s lives?” TOMS is trying to help shape our culture by asking us to be a part of something bigger then us. They are asking us to help donate to their cause and share in the joy it brings to help a child in need.

“As storytellers, we have a responsibility to tell better stories, the kind of stories that speak to our rapidly evolving world and re-establish our connection to the people and cultures around us.” Contiki and TOMS are both doing this through their compelling content as seen in the theories above, Contiki is just doing it slightly better. Contiki has their target audience fully engaged and part of their movement. Their hashtag #NOREGRETS is becoming so synonymous with Contiki that they don't even need the name Contiki in their ads anymore for people to recognize who they are. They have people telling their own Contiki stories and sharing their content over many social platforms. Contiki is successfully telling their brand story and isn't even finished yet! #NOREGRETS DAYS coming soon...

One for One

I love shoes!!! But my bank account does not. So what is one way I justify getting another pair of those too cute, must have wedges? Buying from a company that is making a difference. Not only am I getting a great pair of shoes, but by purchasing my own pair I am in turn donating a pair to a child in need.

In 2006, American traveler Blake Mycoskie befriended children in a village in Argentina and found they had no shoes to protect their feet. Wanting to help, he created TOMS, a company that would match every pair of shoes purchased with a pair of new shoes given to a child in need. One for One.®

TOMS One for One campaign has been incredibly successful because of how they are telling their story. Rather then focusing on the product they are trying to sell you, they are focusing on the message behind the product. TOMS have shown the consumer they care. They care about the quality of the shows they are creating, their customers, their employees and most importantly children in need. TOMS help show you the difference you can make in the world by buying their product. They pull on your hearts strings and make you want to contribute and help change the world with them.

In this video you will see how TOMS demonstrates not only what they do for the children in need, but how this experience has even affected the employees of TOMS. You will also notice that at no point here are they directly trying to sell you the product, they aren't saying this is all possible if you go buy a pair of shoes right now, they are simply telling a story.

How do you feel after watching this video? Were you moved by what they were doing? Did you want to participate in their cause?

Not only is TOMS creating great stories with their content but they are also sharing other people's stories while asking you to share your own. TOMS Stories has created a community where people can participate in the TOMS movement, and ask you to socialize with them on their various social media sites. You can be involved in their community by sharing and/or commenting on their stories on their website, or share your own on their social sites. By being so engaged with the brand your purchase decisions are more likely to be influenced. After hearing their stories and participating in their content you create a connection with a brand, leading you to make a purchase from the company.

So what is your next pair of shoes going to be?

There's an App for That!

A mobile application (or mobile app) is a software application designed to run on smartphones, tablet computers and other mobile devices. They are usually available through application distribution platforms, which are typically operated by the owner of the mobile operating system, such as the Apple App Store, Google Play, Windows Phone Store, and BlackBerry App World. Some apps are free, while others must be bought. Usually, they are downloaded from the platform to a target device, such as an iPhone, BlackBerry,Android phone or Windows Phone, but sometimes they can be downloaded to laptops or desktops. For apps with a price, generally a percentage, 20-30%, goes to the distribution provider (such as iTunes), and the rest goes to the producer of the app. (Wikipedia)

There's an App for that! In fact, there is literally a million apps in the iOS store alone! As depicted in the image  by Flurry Analytics, 80% of our time spent on a mobile device is on an app, compared to the 20% we spend on a browser. Apps are a quick and easy way for us to connect on our favourite social media sites, catch up on today's latest news and play games when were bored. Apps are trendy to have, they keep us in the loop about the things we want to know about, they inspire us to create, they expose us to new music, they allow us to pay bills quickly, and they help keep our days organized.


Mobile Apps are the future for online marketing. As seen in the infographic by DrivingSales.com there are many benefits for a business to have an app rather then just a mobile website. Smoother platform, faster loading, a more fluid interaction, and easier access to other applications on your phone (such as your GPS). They are also providing a platform that is focused solely on your company and allows you complete control over its content.

But what about the negatives of an app? Apps require separate versions for different operating systems (iOS and Android being the top two), requiring more time and money in development. There is also more investment and time required in maintenance, and it requires the user to update their app for the current version. Therefor if your app is experiencing difficulties and you've made bug improvements in your update, you have to hope your consumers will still have their apps to get the update, and that they haven't already deleted it out of frustration.

An article from searchenginewatch.com looks at why users delete mobile apps. "The number one cause: freezes. Sixty-two percent of the people who were surveyed said they would delete an app if it froze up." Have you had problems with a mobile app within the last 6 months? The majority of users have, with 56% saying they have experience some kind of problem.

"Another survey from uSamp revealed that 71 percent of users said they would delete an app that crashed, 59 percent for slow responsiveness, 55 percent for heavy battery usage, and 53 percent for too many ads. That's a lot of pressure for developers and marketers!" With so many apps available now, just getting your app noticed is a challenge, let alone keeping it up to date and user friendly. There are many reasons consumers delete mobile apps, from a too complex or bad registration process to too many bugs and errors. "To figure out how to prevent users from deleting your app, you need to understand why they're leaving in the first place." If you can create a user friendly app that doesn't crash, is easy to set up, has minimal to no errors and is providing the experience the user wants, then you will have a successful app, and hopefully escape being deleted.

So with all these negatives to mobile apps, is it really worth it for your business to have a mobile app? It is going to convert your site visitors into consumers? Overall the answer is yes! Apps are now so popular that it is the best way to reach possible consumers, and not only create a one time buy, but possibly a brand evangelist. If consumers are liking your app, then they are more likely to continue using it as well as sharing it with friends.

While this video is made by a company that creates mobile apps and is therefor promoting themselves, you still can't deny the facts. Mobile apps are here to stay, and are the wave of the future for online marketing. 

It's All About Me

Who are we?!

CONSUMERS!

What do we want?!

STORIES!

When do we want it?!

NOW!!!

We all know the saying, “Same story, different day”. This is exactly what marketers are up against when trying to develop good content. We live in a content saturated world, and it is up to today's marketers to develop new, interesting and engaging content that isn't telling consumers the same old story they have heard a thousand times. Today's content is more then just catching the consumers attention, it is about engaging the consumer and getting them involved in the conversation.

So how do you get a consumer involved? While first of all you need to spark their attention with content that is so new and so relevant that it is like a meteor hitting Earth, no one will want to miss hearing about it! Carl Friesen refers to “meteor” content in his article, The 5 Types of Content That Grab Attention for the Best Content Marketing. He believes for good “meteor” content, “you’ll need to keep your eye on the sky, so to speak, and watch for news of sudden changes that will affect people in your market.” It is when a “meteor” hits that marketers need to be ready to act fast and create content that is engaging. “If you can write engaging “meteor” content, you can probably position it in several different media – and it will get pickup from others, as well as plenty of retweets. A “meteor” piece positions you as someone with a finger on the pulse of things that affect your market”. By creating a “meteor” piece you are STARTING the storytelling process.

So now we have this “meteor” piece we need to get people talking about it. We need people to feel like this is about them, and how it affects them in order for them to engage with it. “One of the biggest challenges in content marketing is to put the needs of our customers ahead of our own and to tell stories that connect with people.” (Michael Brenner)

Let's be honest. As a consumer I don't care about the details of the product/company/brand, I care about myself. How is this going to affect me? What is this going to do for me? I don't want to read about all the details, I just want to know if it is going to benefit me and I want to be entertained while learning if it will. Joe Pulizzi has recognized this fact and believes that "the more we educate them or entertain them, the more they don't mind being sold to". In other words, I won't mind watching an advertisement if it interest me to the point I don't think about the fact I'm being sold to. The less today's content actually looks and feels like a sales pitch the more successful it tends to be. I don't want to feel like I'm reading/watching/listening to an advertisement, I want to experience it, I want to be PART of the story being told.

So what is better then content that is so engaging I forget I'm being sold to? Content that I helped create. “Weave the results of your social conversations with customers into your content, across media channels. Good conversations seed good content, and vice versa. Write about things that people will want to talk about and share on their social networks” (Gail Goodman). Consumers more then ever are having the last word. With Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and blog posts to name a few, consumers are becoming more then just observers of content, but creators.

“Your audience is far from passive; they are their own publishers on social media, storytellers in their own right, and they can amplify your brand’s story or they can disrupt it, hijack it and drown it out. The point is, storytelling is a two-way street. It works best, and really only, when it’s responsive, flexible and interactive. The audience is part of the process, and that’s good news for publishers of all kinds because it accomplishes the goal of the enterprise: to reach people, to make them more engaged, more informed, more active and more thoughtful.” (Michael Howerton)

If your consumers are getting involved with your brand and creating content for it, don't fight it, but work with it. Adapt their story into yours to create a story that will not only capture your audience but make them feel like they were involved in the process of creating it. Todays' companies have to become more then just the storytellers, but rather the narrators as they tell their story, while working in the story of their consumers as well. It is an ever-evolving and continuously growing process.

As consumers are adding to your story by creating their own content through various social media sites, it is important to keep track of the conversation and get involved to keep it going. “Be sure that once you start a discussion, you're present to monitor and participate in it. When a topic catches fire and gets people gabbing, jump in and fan the flames to keep the chatter going.” (Gail Goodman)

So, the “meteor” has hit and you've started telling your story. Your creating such rich and entertaining content that the consumer forgets you are in fact marketing to them. You have made your consumers feel like they are involved and part of the conversation by involving them in your story. Now you have to KEEP them involved and engaged until they take the most crucial step of taking action.

“Lead your reader to take action. Give them a taste but don't give up the story. After reading your content, they should be emotionally invested and ready to act.” (Sue Duris)

The key here is don't be afraid to take your time getting to the final desired point, making the sale. Joe Pulizzi takes Corporate Storytelling Lessons from Kevin Spacey when it comes to the distribution of a story. Consumers are desperate for stories, and as Spacey outlines in the video, “some of the best stories in the world take time to play out. They simply cannot be told in one blog post, or one video, or one tweet.” 

In the video, Spacey himself speaks to the potential benefits of this innovative distribution strategy, proclaiming, “Give them [the audience] what they want, when the want it, in the form they want it in…”

While there is so much content to sort through in today's world, if your content is worth it, consumers will take the time absorb it. We may want the content NOW, but it doesn't mean it has to be short and sweet.