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August 9, 2022

There’s No Such Thing As Bad Publicity: Why Brands Work Better When They Tell Their Own Stories

When it comes to building a successful brand, there are a lot of different tactics that can help you get there. You can build an audience on social media, develop partnerships with influencers and create campaigns that are so good they go viral. But one thing most brands don’t do enough is tell their own stories — why they started, what they stand for and how they want to make the world better. 

Unless your brand has been around for hundreds or even thousands of years (in which case, congrats!), then chances are it’s still working hard at building its reputation as something truly special in the eyes of consumers.

Negative press can be a good thing for your brand if you know how to handle it. Think about it: people who are angry with you are already talking about you online. And if they’re spending time and energy complaining about your brand, they’re also spending time and energy promoting your brand. So instead of fighting back against negative comments and reviews, why not take advantage of the free promotion?

What Does The Phrase ‘There’s No Such Thing As Bad Publicity’ Mean?

The phrase “there’s no such thing as bad publicity” means that even if something negative happens, it can still have a positive outcome. 

It’s not just about scandal: if a brand has some bad press or goes through some rough times, that doesn’t mean it’s permanently damaged or ruined forever. It also doesn’t mean that every person reading news stories about your brand will hate you! 

The phrase ‘there’s no such thing as bad publicity’ was coined in the 1920s by Edward Bernays, an uncle of the current field of marketing and pioneer of public relations. In his time, he realized that people have to be told what to play, what to consume and what to think – and that the mass media were becoming increasingly important in this process.

His breakthrough was to understand that to sell a product to the public, it is not sufficient to put information about it in the media – it has to be the right information, in the right way.  

What If You Could Get The Good Kind Of Publicity?

Just as a good brand story is built on the foundation of a great brand, so too is good publicity built on the foundation of a great news story.

The phrase “there’s no such thing as bad publicity” sounds revolutionary, but it isn’t that much of an exaggeration: in fact, any public discussion about your brand or company can be helpful if you manage it right.

The reason for this has everything to do with one simple fact: people want to talk about brands and companies they care about—and if you do something that gets people talking about your brand (even if it’s negative), then you’ve succeeded in putting yourself into the conversation. People are going to talk about what happened anyway; why not make sure they’re telling your side?

You’ve Got To Be Part Of The Conversation

To be part of the conversation, you have to engage with your customers. This means that every time someone mentions your brand, you need to respond in some way.

You can’t just sit there and be quiet while another company, media or person tells your story for you.

To tell your own story, you need to employ a few key strategies: Be authentic and genuine; be consistent; be relevant; be timely!

The better you get at telling your brand’s story, the more people will want to hear it. But how do you create a compelling narrative that resonates with your audience?

The Best Brands Tell Their Stories In A Way That Promotes Trust And Engagement

Today consumers are likely to turn to each other or to Google for advice on which products and services to buy.

In order to get ahead of these trends, brands need to craft their own content and share it with customers through multiple channels. They need to learn how to create authentic relationships with their customers—which means telling stories in a way that promotes trust and engagement without compromising on quality or authenticity. 

Here are an example of how this is done:

Southwest Airlines 

 Instead of trying too hard with clever quips or funny videos like most airlines do online (and failing miserably), Southwest sticks with what they know best: being friendly! They’ve built up such a reputation over time because they’re genuine when interacting with customers online—even when responding publicly after passengers got mad over having canceled flights…!

How Telling Your Own Story Helps Brands Thrive In A Complex Media Landscape

In a complex media landscape, it’s impossible for any brand to win at marketing by simply buying ads and hoping for the best. It requires authenticity, relevance and timeliness—all things that can only be achieved through storytelling.

By telling your own story, you’re telling people about the values that are important to you. You’re also showing them what kind of business you are and why they should do business with you.

In other words, by telling your own story, you’re doing all of the things that brands have traditionally done through advertising: selling a product or service and building brand loyalty. 

For example, when Dove wanted to share its message about beauty being “for women of all shapes and sizes,” they didn’t just buy an ad on television or in magazines—they created a viral video where they asked people to draw an image of what “real beauty” looked like. The result? Over 70 million views on YouTube alone! 

The same goes for Airbnb. They were tired of hearing about how their service was ruining neighborhoods around the world, so they created a video showcasing how welcoming locals were when hosting travelers from around the globe.

You Need To Give People What They Want, Exactly When They Want It

If you want to build a loyal fan base, it’s important to give them what they want. But how?

In order to generate interest, brands have to actively tell their own stories. If you have a story to tell, you have already won half the battle. But not just any story will do. You have to tailor the story to your specific audience. That way, you will be able to reach out to them in a more personal way.

If you’re already a brand with a loyal following, then you probably produce content regularly and frequently. This could be anything from blog posts and news articles or videos on YouTube to Facebook posts—you name it!

You see, when you’re telling your own story and not someone else’s, it becomes a lot easier to be consistent. And when you’re consistent, people will trust you more. When people trust you, they’ll buy from you.

In order for your brand’s content to resonate with your audience in a sustainable way, the best practice is for you to focus on the things that matter most: consistency in delivery; authenticity in content; being true to yourself at all times.

When it comes to brand marketing, a company can either tell their own stories or leave it up to the public to tell their stories for them. But when you choose to create content that tells your own story and shares your values, you get an opportunity to connect with people on a deeper level—and that’s how brands work better. And here is where Amps come in handy.

AmpiFire helps companies tell their own stories by providing them with the tools and strategies they need to succeed online. We invite you to book a free call with us today so we can learn more about your business goals and show you how AmpiFire can help you achieve them!

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