Every Story has a Villain

Steve Jobs, one of the paramount business storytellers of our era, understood this profoundly.

Recall when Apple's Macintosh first made its debut?

It cast IBM as its formidable antagonist.

The iconic advertisement from that time showcased an athlete, hammer in hand, sprinting towards a massive screen. With one fierce throw, she shatters that screen - a symbolic representation of IBM.

This imagery painted Apple's narrative vividly: It wasn't about conformity to corporate giants. It was about breaking free, championing creativity, and challenging the established norms. In fact, studies have shown that brands with strong narratives can increase their valuation by up to 20%.

Every business proposition is a distinctive perspective – a perspective that questions the existing state of things. This is why 92% of consumers want brands to make ads feel like a story, according to OneSpot. True leaders and founders harbor such strong viewpoints, which many label as 'thought leadership.'

For your enterprise to truly resonate, identify the 'villain' in your narrative. But remember: neither you, your brand, nor your organization is the 'hero' in this tale.

The true hero? Your customer. HubSpot research indicates that organizations that prioritize the customer experience generate 60% higher profits than their competitors.

Many organizations stumble here. They incessantly tout their own achievements, their features, their advantages. But this self-focus can be detrimental. A study by Edelman found that only 33% of consumers trust most of the brands they buy or use. The narrative isn't theirs to monopolize.

Your customer, the hero, is up against their own challenges – their own 'villains.'

Guide them. Empower them to defy conventions, to rewrite the narrative, and to always challenge the established order.

Ask yourself: Who or what is the adversary in your customer's journey?

P.S. - I assist organizations and leaders in shaping powerful narratives, helping them emerge as standout brands.

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