Walking through a craft beer tasting is where I first started learning more about the job I was being offered at Vyoo. I’d attended a networking event with my now boss and he was explaining to me how he was starting up an agency who’d focus on brand and content.
As we checked off different brews to try on our list, he explained that effective and authentic brand storytelling was the way of the future. This concept, however, isn’t new, almost everyone in marketing I know “tells stories”. It’s such a commonality in fact that these days it’s getting harder and harder for companies to find memorable ways to tell their stories.
So after a few sips of beer, I asked how Vyoo as a brand and content company was going to set itself apart from Toronto’s extremely competitive market? The answer was simple, strategy!
Companies don’t always invest the time to create a content strategy before they begin concept development. The effective way to properly develop a content strategy is to formulate a hypothesis, gather insights, speak to key stakeholders and then prove that hypothesis. Only after you’ve proven that hypothesis should you begin to develop concepts for any type of campaign or a media strategy for where you are going to tell that story.
The risk you run into not creating a strategy first is that concepts then become based on subjectivity.
For example a craft brewery hires an agency to to come up with a campaign to promote their new brew. The Creative Director of the agency takes a few weeks to develop concepts then comes into the meeting and holds a couple of different creative options. After a brief discussion of each creative option the client is asked to pick which one they like best.
The trouble with this is that it’s too subjective and although the creative might be incredible it doesn’t guarantee that it will resonate with your market. Having insight from your key stakeholders on your products or services (in other words proving your hypothesis) before you show them an ad, campaign or even a piece of copy on the website, is vital to success.
Having a strategy ensures you are creating something memorable and that your story stays true to your brand no matter which way you tell it.
M Flynn
