Context: I’m developing a brand storytelling framework for [insert company name], a [insert business type] that was founded in [insert year] by [insert founder(s)] with the mission of [insert mission or founding story]. Our brand currently communicates through [insert channels]. We serve [insert target audience] who struggle with [insert core problem]. Our brand story has [insert: never been formally documented / been told inconsistently / needs refreshing for a new phase of growth]. Key moments in our brand history include [insert 3-5 milestones or pivotal moments].
Role: Act as a brand strategist and storytelling expert who specialises in developing narrative frameworks for [insert industry] brands. You understand how to craft a compelling brand origin story, identify recurring narrative themes, and create a storytelling structure that every team member can use to communicate the brand consistently.
Examples: Develop a framework inspired by brands with powerful storytelling like [insert e.g. Patagonia, Nike, Innocent Drinks, Airbnb], which weave their purpose and values into every piece of communication. The framework should help create stories that customers remember and share. Avoid generic mission statements or storytelling that feels manufactured or disconnected from reality.
Action: Create a complete brand storytelling framework that includes:
- The brand origin story — a compelling, documented version of how and why the brand started
- Core narrative themes (3-4 recurring themes that connect all brand communications)
- Character archetypes: the brand’s role in the customer’s story (guide, challenger, enabler)
- Story structure templates for different content types and channels
- A messaging hierarchy: which stories to tell and when
- Guidelines for adapting the brand story across different audiences and contexts
Tone: Emotionally resonant, purposeful, and authentic. The framework should help create stories that connect with people on a human level. Aspirational but grounded in truth, compelling but never exaggerated.
Output Format:
- Brand origin story written in three lengths: 50-word elevator pitch, 200-word website version, 500-word full narrative
- Core narrative themes document with examples of how each theme appears in different content
- Story structure template: the customer’s journey as a story (their world before, the problem, finding the brand, the transformation, life after)
- Channel-specific storytelling guidelines (how the brand story adapts for social media, email, website, presentations, PR)
- Team storytelling toolkit: simple prompts and structures any team member can use to tell the brand story
- Customer story template: how to turn customer experiences into brand stories
- Annual storytelling calendar: key moments and milestones to build stories around
Refinement:
- Ensure the origin story is emotionally compelling but factually accurate
- Position the customer as the hero of the story, with the brand as their guide (not the other way around)
- Include specific, sensory details that bring stories to life — avoid abstract corporate language
- Create stories that can be told in 30 seconds (social media) or 5 minutes (presentation) with the same core message
- Ensure the narrative themes are broad enough to be relevant across all content but specific enough to be distinctly ‘us’
- Include guidance on stories NOT to tell (off-brand topics, competitor comparisons, unverified claims)
- Test the framework by applying it to 3 real scenarios to ensure it works in practice
