The crucible of 2020 forced brands to reconsider how they define and express their identities. The pandemic, a racial reckoning and national politics all shaped the public’s attention and attentiveness, and the storytelling brands did reflected this new sensibility. The notion of “brand purpose” can’t be considered a mere lagniappe anymore. It’s not a gauzy statement tacked on to a commercial or a logo. Consumers demand to know what marketers actually stand for, and storytelling is how a brand’s values and voice are understood. Hope, help, humor and history were common themes brands including Apple, TikTok, Verizon, Wendy’s and even the United Postal Service explored in the past year. And as Adweek has done for the past five years, we honor the best of those efforts in our Brand Storytelling Awards. —David Kaplan
Credit: Source link
