Tell a story, create a brand.

"Marketing is telling a story that sticks, that spreads and that changes the way people act."

This comment in Seth Godin's blog is so, so true. Marketing is telling a story that is authentic (i.e not a work of fiction) and compelling (i.e exciting, emotional and enticing).

Simple and yet, for some reason, we have contrived to make marketing a complex art that more often than not sells features by shouting AT people rather than captivating them with a story that holds a 'Big Idea'.

Every person has a story which is unique and, when you really listen, it is usually pretty inspiring. Every company has been created by people who had an original vision and the undaunting spirit to make that vision a reality. This story is important and more often than not is intrinsic to the success of the brand.

It seems though that, often, as companies grow and change over time this legacy story and set of 'original' values gets lost on the way so that eventually the company brand becomes a parody of the norms in that business sector rather than a Unique Selling Story (USS). Bradford and Bingley and Northern Rock, I think,  are a good examples of this. Brands that lost their way and lost their shirt because they forgot where they came from.