How Stories Drive Growth
Not long ago, a brand came to us with a familiar struggle.
“We’ve invested heavily in campaigns - but we’re not front of mind when the audience is ready to buy.”
Their ads were getting attention, their targeting was sharp and they were seeing initial spikes in sales. But despite all the planning, something was missing.
They didn’t have a visibility problem.
They had a memorability problem.
And it's a common challenge.
Brands know how to get seen - but holding attention is where things unravel. Too much brand content lacks the spark to truly land. No wonder audiences tune it out as noise.
It's why we believe the brands making an impact aren’t the loudest or even the biggest spenders.
They’re the ones telling better stories.
Stories powered by characters, humour and empathy (the foundation of character-led storytelling). Stories that entertain and delight. Stories that keep your audience open to hearing more. Instead of shouting your services and products at people, let your characters invite them in.
But the real value comes over time.
With a consistent approach, each piece adds to a library of assets that keeps working long after the initial push. It means creative teams aren’t reinventing the wheel – they’re expanding on something their fans already love. And over time, that unique world becomes valuable brand IP.
So, back to our client!
Once we understood the problem, we used their research and knowledge to get to know the audience and from there we could help them develop a strong visual voice.
We explored the playful moments.
The ones already living inside the audience’s mind. The scenarios they'd recognise. The feelings they'd share. The moments where they could see themselves in the story - and still be surprised by how it ended.
Without the pressure to force a result, we were able to explore better stories designed to spark delight, not just sell.
And as is human nature: when you entertain and connect, people want to give back. They remember you, trust you and choose you when the time is right. As they discovered, performance marketing drives action today. But storytelling builds strength for tomorrow and brands that grow fastest find ways to combine both.
The Multiplier Effect
This is what WARC (the World Advertising Research Centre) recently called The Multiplier Effect in marketing. When you combine brand-building with the content designed to get results, it doesn’t just give you more. It gives you much more. The results multiply.
"The biggest returns come when marketers see brand-building as an accelerant of commercial performance."
– WARC, The Multiplier Effect
As with our client, moving beyond short-term sales campaigns and exploring brand growth through narratives resulted in stronger loyalty over time. We simply helped them shift their thinking:
Start with connection. Then everything else gets easier.
Because building your brand voice doesn’t compete with performance marketing.
It amplifies it.
Not sure where to start?
Remember, good stories stick. Let’s make yours unforgettable. Drop us a note here.