What Are The Four Pillars Of Brand Storytelling?

Ever wonder why we’re drawn to stories? It’s because of the 4 pillars of storytelling. But what are the four pillars of brand storytelling and what do they do for brands?

Stories tap into something fundamental, creating connections and leaving a lasting impression.

The StoryBrand framework harnesses the four pillars of storytelling to offer brands a structured approach to crafting compelling brand narratives.

But what are the building blocks of these narratives? Let’s explore the four key pillars of brand storytelling that form the foundation of StoryBrand storytelling.

The Four Pillars of Brand Storytelling

Every captivating story rests on a foundation of essential elements: characters, plot, theme, and dialogue. Storytelling for brands is no different.

While not specific to StoryBrand itself, the StoryBrand framework brilliantly utilizes four pillars of brand storytelling – People, Places, Purpose, and Plot.

It then translates these core storytelling elements into actionable tools for crafting your brand narrative.

Pillar 1: People – Hero and Guide

This pillar focuses on the ‘who’ of your brand story. StoryBrand helps identify two key characters:

• The Hero:

This is your customer. Understanding their desires, frustrations, and aspirations is crucial.

Who are they trying to become? What challenges do they face?

You can learn about how to create your buyer persona or client avatar in this article.

• The Guide:

This is your brand. StoryBrand positions your brand as the trusted guide, offering solutions and support to help the hero overcome obstacles and achieve their goals.

Pillar 2: Places – Setting the Stage for Your Journey

This pillar is the ‘where’ of your story. StoryBrand uses “Places” to represent the challenges and opportunities faced by the hero on their journey.

In other words its the ‘pain point’, ‘problems’ and ‘where/who they want to be’:

• The Hero’s Current Situation:

This could be a place of frustration, limitation, or lack. It sets the stage for the hero’s need for change.

• The Desired World:

This is the aspirational place the hero seeks to reach. It represents their goals and dreams, fueled by your brand’s value proposition.

• Obstacles and Battlegrounds:

These are the physical or metaphorical places where the hero encounters challenges and confronts the “villain” (their obstacles).

Your brand positions itself as the guide, offering solutions to navigate these battlegrounds.

Pillar 3: Purpose – The “Why” Behind Your Story

Here you can delve into the why behind your brand story. This is the biggest reason a story is compelling because no one is moved to action without a reason.

StoryBrand emphasizes identifying your brand’s core values and purpose, which become the driving force behind the narrative:

• Identifying Your Brand’s Core Values:

This is finding your brand’s ‘why’.

Why do you want to help? What does your brand stand for?

What are the fundamental principles that guide your actions?

Align your brand story with these values.

• The Hero’s Needs and Desires:

But most of all, you want to know and establish why your customers will choose you.

How does your brand’s purpose connect to the hero’s needs and desires?

How does your product or service help them achieve their goals?

Pillar 4: Plot – The Hero’s Journey in Action

This pillar captures the action and progression of your story. StoryBrand leverages the Hero’s Journey structure as the core plot, creating a relatable arc for your brand story:

• Your Call To Action – The Hero’s Journey:

This framework outlines a universal narrative path. This is the ‘CTA’, success, failure, and aspirational identity (which we go into more detail here)

This section helps you to identify key points like the:

– Call To Action

– What will happen if you don’t choose?

– What does the future look like if you succeed?

– Who will you become?

• Highlighting Key Players in the Plot:

Similar to finding the ‘People’, the “villain” (the forces preventing the hero’s success) is also key to the plot.

Without a villain/problem/challenge, the hero would never be called to action. It could be uncut lawns, pest problems, finance issues, or even scratchy bed sheets.

By harnessing the four pillars of brand storytelling – People, Places, Purpose, and Plot – you can create an effective brand story.

It becomes a relatable narrative that connects with your audience on an emotional level.

We talk more about The StoryBrand Framework in our other articles, and can help brands like yours to craft a brand narrative that positions your brand as the trusted guide on your customer’s journey to success.

So, delve into these pillars, understand your hero, map their journey, and unlock the power of storytelling to build a brand that resonates.

Or if you’re ready to tell your brand’s story in a way that will generate leads and revenue, schedule a call today.