It is a powerful tool for communication, education, and entertainment.
In many African traditions, it has played a central role in passing down cultural values, beliefs, and customs from one generation to the next.
Because of its essential role in human culture since the beginning of time, businesses are acknowledge how critical it is in building a brand identity.
Yes, I am referring to storytelling. Let’s explore how it went from preserving history and passing down values to younger generation to gaining popularity into the business world.
My favorite experience with such a powerful tool
I was born to parent with a strong faith in God. Before I could speak and read, I knew about stories in the bible. Especially the old testament.
Why? Because my family made it a point to instill and impart me with such knowledge. I fell in love with superheroes because of the storytelling / teaching of mighty men of God from the bible.
Such tradition made me grow to love these stories. And reminding to God that if he’d fought on behalf of the Bible characters, he’d do it with me ;). My favorite story in the old testament? David vs. Goliath.
Yes, I knew about David and Goliath prior to me learning how to read. And as soon as I learned how to read, I rushed to checked if the story was true (haha). Up till today, I love telling and reading that story.
My point here is… Because of the power behind that storytelling, I am still in awe of before such God today. The God who allowed David to defeat giant Goliath with a stone, a sling and His Name.
Coming to think of it, I wouldn’t be surprised if the story of David and Goliath was first spoken to the children of Israel before being written.
Story telling in African traditions:
Storytelling was also used as a way of recording historical events, as African societies did not have a written language.
Elders would gather children around a fire and tell stories that would teach them about their culture, beliefs, and morals.
As the responsible of passing down the societal philosophies, the elders are highly respected. In fact, they are given special privileges because of their works in preserving the community’s heritage.
This ensured that the history of the community was not lost over time and that future generations could learn from the past.
The stories were often accompanied by music, dance, and other forms of performance art, making them a fun and engaging way to learn.
Moreover, storytelling was an important way of building community and strengthening social ties. Storytellers would memorize important events and pass them down through the generations.
The act of storytelling also created a shared experience that brought people together, allowing them to connect and bond over common experiences and values.
Storytelling in businesses
Nowadays, businesses recognize the importance of storytelling in building strong relationships with customers.
They use storytelling is by creating a narrative around their brand. This narrative reflect the company’s values, beliefs, and mission.
Usually, it is one that customers can relate to and be inspired by. For example, TOMS Shoes, a footwear company, has a compelling brand story that revolves around their commitment to giving back.
For every pair of shoes purchased, they donate a pair to a child in need. This story has helped TOMS Shoes to build a loyal customer base who believe in their mission and values.
Another way that businesses can use storytelling is by creating a story around their products or services. This can be done through advertising campaigns that use storytelling to communicate the benefits and features of a product.
For example, Apple’s “Think Different” campaign was a series of ads that celebrated the company’s innovative spirit and commitment to creativity.
The campaign used storytelling to communicate the company’s brand message in a way that resonated with their target audience. It resonated with their target audience because people can relate to stories.
As this post is coming to an end, allow me to ask: do you have anything such as a powerful tool you use for your business ? Or even in your approach to life? If so, please feel free to share, as I’d like to have your view in the comment section.
This post aimed to uncover a powerful tool I use in business. Feel free to comment and share.