There’s no point to a brand story if it stays at C-level

Too often, brand stories get stuck in the C-Suite trap. Approved at the top, but never truly embedded across the organisation. Much like the hackneyed saying ‘If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?’ – if a brand story stays in the boardroom, does anyone really notice? More importantly, does anyone care?

The real power of a story lies in ‘getting it out there’ – especially to one of your most important audiences – your employees.

Beyond marketing and customer engagement, your brand story should drive your activities, shape your culture, and unite your people around a shared vision. It should make them feel part of something. Think of it as your north star, guiding your decisions and initiatives and aligning everything you do. Whether it sets a new strategic direction or brings focus to your existing activities, it should be a unifying force for everyone, from leadership to the frontline.

But for a brand story to fly through an organisation and touch each and every micro-interaction, it needs to be understood, embraced and lived by everyone. At Manasian&Co, we believe in balancing two key principles to make this happen – consistency and creativity.

Tell your story in everything you do. The more you reinforce your story, the more alive it becomes. But consistency doesn’t mean monotony (our mantra – don’t be boring!) – repeating the same message over and over isn’t what’s needed. You need to tell it in fresh and exciting ways, but always staying true to the essence of the core story.

So to engage your audiences in ways that are relevant to them, consistency needs to be tempered with creativity. A story told doesn’t always mean it’s a story heard, so just as you tailor external messaging to different customer segments, tune the story for your internal audiences. Challenge the conventional channels and make the brand story part of everyday – something that gets lived beyond a slide deck. Encourage storytelling from the ground up, spotlight real employee contributions, and celebrate moments where the brand truly comes to life.

We worked with Eagle Eye to create the ‘Purple Playbook’ to help embed the company’s brand story, values and behaviours across the team as it scaled at speed. A personalised printed playbook was handed to every employee to remind them of the power of being proudly ‘Purple’. More than a set of guidelines, it became a living resource, ensuring that everyone – from new hires to leadership – could align with Eagle Eye’s vision and contribute to a cohesive, purpose-driven culture.

When your teams believe in and embody the brand story, they become more motivated, engaged and aligned with the company’s vision. This leads to stronger workplace culture, better customer experiences, increased brand loyalty, ultimately driving business success. A good brand story is much more than a strategic asset for leadership – it’s the heartbeat of your organisation – a dynamic force that has the power to build connections both within and beyond your company. Your people are your greatest strength – make sure they live and breathe your story, not just the C-Suite.