Categories
Brand growth

It’s always something: Branding lessons from SNL

Whether you’re a creaky-jointed boomer or a fresh-faced millennial, it’s safe to say that Saturday Night Live has probably made an impression on you. The long-running sketch comedy show has spawned countless careers, franchises, and water-cooler conversations. It runs the gamut of comedy styles, from topical and observational humor to musical satire and prop gags,…

Categories
Brand Stories

Crises and crossroads: Brand stories that stick

Andrew Carnegie was born into poverty. In 2019, the charitable trust bearing his name awarded more than $150 million in grants. Jean Nidetch was a housewife with a sweet tooth. She founded Weight Watchers (now WW), which made her a millionaire and a celebrity. Apple, Amazon, and Google were launched in their founders’ garages. Walt…

Categories
Brand growth Corporate storytelling

Anything but fiction

At Consummate Prose, we use the word “storytelling” a lot to talk about brand development and expression. But don’t be fooled into thinking that these stories somehow involve something fictional, shallow, or fairytale-ish. Storytelling is how we make sense of the world. It uncovers truths that are sometimes difficult to understand, and it conveys them…

Categories
Brand Stories

Words matter: Brand language imperatives

As we observe brands in action every day, it’s easy to think “Hey, I could do that” or “What a disaster!” and consider how we might do something differently. But in practice, building a brand and brand language that inspire trust and loyalty takes effort, insight, and patience. This work often collides with mitigating factors…