Creating Brand Worlds: cathedrals, castles, and villages.

When you go to the movies or when you read a novel, there is always an initial stage in which the director or the novelist introduces you to the situation in which the story happens. You see places, people and actions that let you understand where you have landed. You are being introduced to the hero's world. It is a fundamental ingredient for the success of the story. It is conceived to make you feel that what is narrated is important and to foster your initial emotional connection. When it is well done, it makes you agree with the author on what's at stake and is worth fighting for. It also makes you accept the rules of the world you are immersed in. This is especially important in fantasy and science fiction stories. You get emotionally involved in situations that will never happen in everyday life and endorse the hero's priorities.

A brand can create its world and achieve customer endorsement and emotional engagement in quite the same way: by creating a compelling and captivating brand world.

How to Build a World

Now the question comes to mind. How do you create a brand world or contexts in which a brand can tell a compelling story?

In his interview with Bill Moyers, Joseph Campbell, the scholar that elaborated the hero's journey, discussed how mediaeval stories are situated within three distinct contexts: the cathedral, the castle, and the village. These contexts serve as metaphorical spaces for transcendence, power, and pleasure. Campbell's insights can be applied to the realm of branding, too, guiding us in the creation of brand worlds that resonate with consumers on multiple levels.

The Castle: Resolving Problems and Exuding Power

The castle represents the brand's power to resolve problems. Just as a castle serves as a fortress, providing protection and stability, brands must demonstrate their ability to offer solutions. For example, Leica, renowned for producing high-quality lenses, caters to various domains such as photography and medicine. By emphasising their expertise and reliability, Leica positions itself as a powerful brand capable of meeting the unique needs of professionals and manufacturers in several fields.

The Cathedral: Transcendence and Shared Values

The cathedral embodies the brand's ability to offer a vision of transcendence and connect individuals through shared values. Like a cathedral that inspires awe, fosters a sense of belonging, and unites people under a common belief system, brands should strive to create communities around shared worldviews and values. Ben & Jerry's, known for its commitment to social justice, provides a platform for individuals to express their ideals and contribute to meaningful causes. By aligning their brand with a larger purpose, Ben & Jerry's creates a brand world where like-minded individuals can come together and see their worldview expressed. Ben & Jerry’s is in a way helping their public to find a higher expression of their self.

The Village: Positive Experiences and Pleasure

The village signifies the brand's capacity to provide positive experiences, connection with others and outright pleasure (in the sense of Aristotle’s Edonia). Similar to a vibrant village that offers a sense of community and joy, brands must aim to create enjoyable experiences for their customers. It also has to generate the conditions for the different actors in its public to interact effectively. Take BMW, for instance, which offers cars renowned for their exhilarating driving performance. By focusing on the pleasure of driving, BMW cultivates a brand world where customers can relish the thrill and joy of being behind the wheel. And it also creates a community around the brand, with drivers recognising each other as a member of a “special bunch”.

A whole world

Successful brand worlds transcend mere products or services and tap into the fundamental human desires for resolution, pleasure, and transcendence. By incorporating the three contexts into a brand’s world, companies can craft a holistic and impactful brand experience. The castle showcases the brand's problem-solving capabilities, the village engenders positive experiences and pleasure, and the cathedral connects individuals through shared values and a higher purpose. This multidimensional approach helps brands forge deeper connections with their audience, fostering loyalty and creating a sense of belonging within the brand community.

By creating compelling narratives that encompass these contexts, brands can cultivate meaningful connections and inspire customers to become active participants in their brand communities.

I am a brand strategist and I believe that business should help people to be happier. So I work with corporate and personal brands on a journey to the next level, with powerful strategies and inspiring narratives.?