Let me tell you a story

Reading Kevin’s previous post, about recognisable themes or ‘hooks’ in ad campaigns, reminded me of a recent report from trendwatching.com.

The report explores how advertising has been telling ‘brand stories’ for decades; building up (and adding to) a story with recognised themes. Trendwatching.com has identified a new type of story which may eventually surpass the brand's own story.

They have named these ‘Status Stories’ and go on to explain that as more brands become niche, their stories are not always known by the masses. For niche brands, experience takes over from physical (and more visible) status symbols, leaving consumers telling each other stories to achieve a status from their purchases. Trendwatching.com therefore expects to see a shift away from brands telling their own story and towards brands helping consumers tell status-yielding stories to other consumers.

From the examples within the report, it is interesting to see if there is a move away from passive acceptance (or rejection) of a brand's own story and whether it is increasingly possible for consumers to have a more active role in the shaping the brands they buy and use.

So, I’m off to create my own personalised Kleenex box and start my first status story today!

Katie