To understand how this takes place, famous consumer behaviour specialist Simon Sinek explains that the success of a brand story is in the clear & effective communication of the ‘Why’ – the purpose behind the brand’s existence. Sinek observes the importance of conveying the truths of the brand in the form of a narrative; he says that communicating that passion ‘is a way of communicating with the listener’s limbic system’. The neural shift that takes place in the audience as they process different feelings while reading a story (such as trust, loyalty etc.), according to Sinek, is at the core of decision making.
Several lifestyle brands thus communicate an experiential tone, which gets closer to each person’s deeper convictions. For example, they may focus on the aspects of “travelling”, being “Indian inspired”, or “socially conscious”. Associating with such a brand not only ticks boxes for a person who sees themselves being those things, but it also gives them the sense of participating in larger shared narratives of luxury, comfort, and environmental awareness. Think GoodEarth’s artisanal heritage, FabIndia’s craft-driven utility or H&M’s recycling initiatives.
