Welcome back to the countdown of 50 Brands With Amazing Brand Stories. So far we’ve looked at twenty great businesses sharing stories that only they can share. Some are large corporations with million dollar budgets, whereas some are small that are doing it on a shoestring.
Today we continue the countdown by looking at 30-21, but should you wish to see the other editions… 50 – 41 l 40 – 31 l 30 – 21 l 20 – 11 l 10 – 1
30: Selfridges
You won’t find many brands as rich in history as Selfidges, and the way they showcase this is superb
It’s a simple timeline, but boy does it capture the ages and where the company has come from. The pictures are a delight and you can practically smell the sophistication as you travel along its slideshow.
If you want to see what London was like in the twenties, and see chic and glamour at its finest, look no further.
It would be easy for a company with more than 150 years of heritage to go over board and share too much.
The slideshow prevents this and ensures everything remains on point. It’s so damn classy it’s difficult to hate.
29: Warby Parker
This is an annoying spot because I would love to place this brand higher. I really love what Warby Parker are doing, and I think they’ve built something rather special.
However, the story they share is rather…plain.
It offers nice information and it shows you what they do, but it doesn’t represent the true nature of the brand – in my opinion. If it did this story would be much higher because they’re doing great work.
Still, they provide some fine details about how they do what they do in comparison to others, and how they help people during this process.
Most importantly of all they give a pair of glasses to someone in need every time a purchase is made. Oh, and the name of the company is inspired by that of Jack Kerouac, which is pretty darn cool.
28: Cadbury
This is another brand rich in English history who share their story in a way only they can.
Cadbury’s has a particular style of brand that shines bright the moment you land on this page. It takes you on a journey throughout the ages and offers a variety of images and information.
However, it only offers a certain amount, hiding much of the content behind links and images. This gives YOU the power, allowing you to choose how much or how little you’d like to know.
In a world with a million distractions a story needs to get to the point. This method allows Cadbury to do so, all the while delving deeper where they deem fit.
I also love how they embrace the idea of social sharing, offering buttons throughout that links to Twitter et al. With 200 years of history you could literally spend hours lost in this world – which I may or may not have done.
27: Everything Happy
This is a charming and inspiring story that I hope you’ll spend some time digesting. It’s a brand built on goodness, and the page – in fact, the entire website – is plain whimsical.
I feel it could go deeper and immerse you more, but it does offer an instant impact.
It’s another example of a ‘buy one, give one’ business model, but this one goes deeper than most – the entire idea developed by a seven-year-old boy with a remarkable dream. Like I say, a very inspiring tale.
Through a couple of boyish videos you meet this young lad with a vision most of us could only imagine having, and discover what Everything Happy is all about.
This is a feel good story that leaves you all joyful on the inside. It’s great to see businesses like this grow and take on the world, and I can’t wait to see where their story takes them.
26: Gemvara
Gemvara are not your typical jewelers and that’s exactly why they’re on this list. They do a great job sharing their story through the eyes of their customers, which let’s face it is one of the best ways to do so.
Jewelry is a personal purchase that literally alters the lives of people around the globe.
Gemvara understands this and allows their most loyal followers to demonstrate how much this company cares.
In essence this is a simple testimonial page, but it’s executed in a far grander style. There are dozens of examples that shares a tale greater than the brand ever could.
It offers engagements and anniversaries and birthdays and more.
In my opinion this is a very clever way of inviting people in and keeping their attention.
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25: Adidas
Some stories are quite frankly ‘cool’, and the one Adidas shares is just that. The visuals and graphics are sublime and showcase Adidas in their truest light. They’re a huge organisation with a great deal to share, but they don’t just share it, they do so in style.
It’s full of depth, colour, graphics, and jazzed-up craziness that keeps the reader entertained and happy. This isn’t my favourite way to evoke emotion, but entertaining the socks off of someone is a good way to achieve it.
Being creative is never a bad thing in my opinion. If you have something unique to share, why not do it in a manner that no one else is – or can?
This is what the Addidas Shoe does, and it certainly leaves an impact. Again, this is another company with a rich history. To simply share everything would be a mistake. Sharing all the main bits, though, that’s a good approach to have.
24: Jonny Cupcakes
When I first came across Jonny Cupcakes I thought about Jimmy John Sandwiches, another brand I love.
Some businesses are born to be fun and quirky and Johnny Cupcakes is most definitely one of these.
This story takes you on a year-by-year journey with lots of images and cool tidbits. What’s missing is video, but overall it’s a cool and aligned brand story, which is most certainly the goal..
In my opinion this is a great example of a brand living up to its industry. Cupcakes are fun, but they’re also everywhere. For people to take notice of a new option, a certain aura needs to be portrayed.
Johnny and his crew do this in a funky manner. Much to learn and enjoy from this story – especially those who are quirky and creative.
23: Pom Wonderful
I often use this example because it’s one of the best I’ve come across that utilises images in an evocative manner.
This short and sweet story unearths the brand in detail, but the luscious images play the central character as words and detail are mere extras that you can choose to ignore.
It effortlessly works with the rest of the brand, and if you didn’t read a single word you’d still discover everything you need to know about Pom Wonderful.
It’s rich, vibrant, and full of emotion. This is what Brand Stories are all about. They’re about making you feel something and leave you drooling.
I don’t know about you, but it left me yearning for their product, which says something as I’m not a huge Pomegranate fan.
22: Burt’s Bees
I remember doing a project on Burt’s Bees at university and falling in love with the brand back then.
The story they share is far from breathtaking, but it aligns nicely with the brand they’ve spent years crafting.
Burt’s Bees has a superb culture and their story is interesting and detailed, if not a little boring and static. Saying that, I couldn’t imagine them sharing their story in an interactive manner. It just wouldn’t suit what they do. Sometimes you must hold back in order to remain true to your core. For Burt’s Bees I think this is the case.
Regardless, this story reaches out and demands notice. By the end of it you feel like you know the founders, why it had to begin, and what they’ve been through over the years.
The result is a customer base of loyal advocates. This is what we’re all striving for, right?
21: Toms
Toms…the Godfather of the ‘one-for-one’ model!
I’m not sure if they’re the first, in fact I’d say they most certainly aren’t, but they are one of the most recognised brands for doing it. What I love most about the Toms story is how linked it is with Blake Mycoskie, and again, although this story is far from ‘flash’, it does showcase what they do in superb fashion.
Many are fed up of this story as it does appear everywhere, but it’s one I often reference. When it comes to crafting a tale around something that matters, Toms are one of the finest examples. Whether you own their shoes or not, it’s hard to do anything but love what they represent.
It is a little long winded and static, and for this I’m left underwhelmed and slightly disappointed.
I feel there’s more to learn, and hopefully one day we’ll discover it all.
There we go, another 10 Brand Stories shared and we can now move into the Top 20!
What do you think about the 10 brands on offer here? Share your thoughts, and if you think I’ve missed someone out, please let me know 🙂
I hope you’ll join me next week as the countdown continues, and if you’ve yet to do so, make sure you check out the other editions in this series of awesome brand stories: 50 – 41 l 40 – 31 l 30 – 21 l 20 – 11 l 10 – 1
hi, i’m turndog and I wrote this article … i am a writer, ghostwriter, anti-hustler & a guy on a mission to ensure you too escape the hustle — come be part of the [no hustle] movement
