If you believe storytelling is a powerful tool of communication and you have never thought of impact of negative brand stories then, you may find this research interesting.

1. Copyright Brunel University

2. Copyright Brunel University

3. Copyright Brunel University
If “stories build belief, belief builds brands, and brands
build business”, then negative stories also build belief,
belief which harms brands, and brands lose business.

4. Copyright Brunel University
STORYstory for
“Where’s the beef?”
Case Study
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12315127

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LOSSES: More Than
$8,900,000.00
($8.9 Million)
“Where’s the beef?”
Case Study
http://www.businesspundit.com/5-corporations-damaged-by-false-accusations/

6. Copyright Brunel University
STORYStory? for
Chicken cruelty (PETA allegations)
http://www.kentuckyfriedcruelty.com/

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Heavy losses incurred by brands against
negative stories.
$5.55 Billion $21 Million
$8.9 Million Millions of pounds
(Business pundit, 2011.)

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Research Problem:
Brands caught in negative
story traps.
Research Question:
How design can help brands to
overcome negative stories?

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AIM:
To propose brand management strategies by
utilising design thinking to help brands to
overcome negative stories.

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Objectives:
• To review communication between brands and consumers
through stories.
• To critically examine successful brand stories.
• To identify the reasons of negative brand stories.
•To find out experts’ opinion on negative brand stories.
• To propose management strategies to help brands to
overcome negative stories.

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METHODOLOGY:
Background Research Extensive Exploration Analysing Validation
(Motivation and Defining of AIM) (Consumer Behaviour and Expert Opinion) (Reasons and Impact of Negative Stories) (Evaluation of recommendation)
Brand stories, Storytelling, and Types To understand consumer psychology To analyse every possible cause and How impactful recommended
of Stories and Role of Design solution strategies will be in real brand world?
Literature Review Story-boarding Interviews
(Books, Articles/Journals, On-line Discussions (Graphical presentation of (To get expert suggestions)
Internet) (On Linkedin.com group, Brand &
problems and findings) Focus Group
Case Studies Communications management)
Observation (An experiment and discussion
(Coca-Cola, BP, Apple, KFC, etc.) Focus Group
(Comparative case studies) with group of six Branding
Guest Lectures (To get consumer reactions)
Expert Opinion Strategy students)
(How to use stories in Interviews
(Interviews and on-line
presentations and its impact) (Through e-mails, phone and in
discussion)
person)
Re-craft Recommendations
Survey
Research Problem, AIM and (Online – 108 feedback)
Types of Negative Stories
Objectives Literature Review
(Books, Articles/Journals)
Conclusion and Future
Reasons of Negative Stories
Prospects of Research
Brand Management Strategic
RECOMMENDATIONS
Findings and Discussion

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Case Studies
Brand Industry Story
Apple Electronics Successful and classic example of brand storytelling
Coca-Cola Beverage Market leader and well connected with consumer even after having
lot of negative stories.
British Petroleum Oil and gas Struggling with major negative stories.
McDonald’s Food Had faced many negative stories in the past and managed to
overcome them.
Taco Bell Food Recently has faced big negative story.
Nike Footwear and clothing Was trapped in major negative story and came out as a market
leader.
Nestle Food Many negative stories came but didn’t effect it as a brand.
LG Electronics Never had powerful brand story and never faced major negative
story.
KFC Food Badly trapped in negative stories and still struggling to get rid of
them.
Dominos Food Had faced one of the worst on-line negative stories.
Innocent Beverage One of the best successful brand stories.
Disney Entertainment Heritage brand story.
Ted Baker Clothing Unreal but successful brand story.
SBI Life Insurance Banking and Insurance Used storytelling as major branding tool.
Tiger Woods Celebrity Brand died because of negative story.
Ford Edsel Automobile Failed brand story.

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Reasons of
Negative
Brand stories
Lack of Awareness
 False Promises
 Increasing Competition
 Rise of Social Media
Findings

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Role of
Design
in Brand stories
Stories = Brand message
Design = Brand Character/Image
Findings (Benetton group, 2011.)

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Types of Brand Stories
BRAND STORIES
1) BRAND FACE STORIES 2) BRAND VALUES STORIES 3) NEGATIVE BRAND STORIES
Heritage • Commercial • Emerge
Origin • Created • Unfavourable
Original • Brand message Example: KFC – Chicken
Constant • Evolving cruelty, PETA Allegations
Example: Disney – Ideal Example: Coca-cola spreads (PETA, 2011)
American Community happiness
(Bensen, 2011) (Mathews, and Wacker, 2008)
Findings

16. On-line Survey to know consumer beliefs
108 feedback

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Analysing consumer behaviour
 Most Loved  Most Hated
65% 10%
People like to say what they ‘LIKE’
Findings

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Analysing consumer behaviour
75 positive stories 64 Negative stories
 Product Satisfaction  Misleading
 Value for money  Poor Value for money
 Style and Design  Bad Design
 User-friendly  complicated
 Experience  Poor customer service
 Trust  Bad quality
 Exclusive  Copied Ideas
People like to say what they ‘LIKE’
Findings

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Analysing consumer behaviour
Love
Product Service
Hate
Findings

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Conclusions
 Every brand must have unique brand story to emotionally
bond to the consumers.
 Good Design leads to successful story.
 Service Brands are more prone to negative stories than
Product Brands.
 People talk about positive thing more than negative stories.
 Negative brand stories are as impactful as positive.

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Recommendations
 Emotional bonding between brand and its consumers through
stories can shield the brand against negative stories.
 Brands must narrate their stories repetitively to keep their
message alive.
 Only a counter story can save the brand against negative
story. This counter story should a new improved version of brand’s
original story.
 Brand stories should be appropriately Designed for its
message.

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Recommendations
 Brands should not deny or ignore the negative
stories even if those are false.
 Brand stories need to be evolved with the time keeping
the original message alive.
 Brand itself need to be evolved with every negative story.
 Never tell a story which Brand can not live up to.
 keep regular check on negative stories.
 Engage consumers in Brand Stories.

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Recommendations
Brand management strategies to overcome negative stories.
Problem Cause / Impact Counter-Story Through channels
- Negative Stories - Caused by Individual - Loud, clear and - Press release
/ Competitor / straight forward
- True or False
Misfortune / Mistake
- Social media ‘SHOUT-OUT-LOUD’
- As quickly as
- Micro / macro - TV and newspapers
- What loss to be Possible
expected in what - More the better
time?
- Tactical and - Press release
emotional
- As minimum as
- Well planned with possible because ‘PLAN-a-SILENT’
time brands wouldn’t like
this story to be visible
for long.

24. Copyright Brunel University
He was a thief, then what?
He is Hero. Because he had
reason for everything.
Brands can be like Robin
Hood if they give good
reason.
(http://storynory.com/2008/07/20/robin-hood-and-maid-marian/)

25. Copyright Brunel University
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Many people have inspired, helped and motivated me over the different periods of time during this
research. My first thank is for my family and friends for endless love and support.
Special thanks to my supervisor John Boult for correcting me at every step and for helping me in
moulding this research with lot of creativity. This research would have never been like this without his
guidance and extreme knowledge.
I would like to express my gratitude to all my tutors, Chris Holt, Dr. Busayawan Lam, Youngok Choi and
Dr. Ray Holland for sharing their knowledge and providing us with the understanding of design and
branding. Every lecture and tutorial I attended in Brunel will be helpful throughout my life.
I can never be less thankful to all my focus group, survey and online discussion participants. Your
efforts and suggestions are main pillars of this research.
Last but not the least I want thank to my interviewees for their valuable time and opinions. All your
ideas and suggestions have not only added practical substance in this research but also made this
research more useful and effective.
- Ashima Amar

26. References:
Books:
Campell, C., and Simpson, J., 2010. Brand Narrative: How story gives meaning to marketing. Seabright
blishing: California.
Haig, M. 2003. Brand failures : the truth about the 100 biggest branding mistakes of all time. London:
Kogan Page.
Laurel, B. 2003. Design Research methods and perspectives. London: The MIT press.
Margolis, M. 2009. Believe me a story telling manifesto for change makers and innovators. New York:
Get storied press.
PETA, 2011. PETA's Campaign Against KFC. [online] Available at:
http://www.kentuckyfriedcruelty.com/[Accessed 1 March 2011].
Vincent, L. 2002. Legendary brands : unleashing the power of storytelling to create a winning
marketing strategy. Chicago: Dearbon Trade Pub.
Wurman, R. S., 2001. Information anxiety 2. 2nd ed. Indiana: Que.
Articles:
Thomson, M., 2004. The power of a good brand story. [online] Available at:
http://www.brandchannel.com/brand_speak.asp?bs_id=96 [Accessed 12 May 2011].

27. References:
Journal:
Woodside, A. G. Sood, S. Miller, K. E., 2008. When Consumers and Brands Talk: Storytelling Theory and
Research in Psychology and Marketing. Psychology & Marketing, Vol. 25(2): 97–145
Adaval, R., & Wyer, R. S. (1998). The role of narratives in consumer information processing. Journal of
Consumer Psychology, 3, 207–245.
Websites:
Innocent, 2011. Our Story: The untold truth. [online] Available at:
http://www.innocentdrinks.co.uk/us/our_story/index.cfm [Accessed 3 June 2011].
Margolis, M., 2007. Definition: What is Brand Storytelling? [online] Available at:
http://www.thirsty-fish.com/popanthroblog/2007/8/29/definition-what-is-brand-
storytelling.html [Accessed 1 June 2011].
PETA, 2011. PETA's Campaign Against KFC. [online] Available at:
http://www.kentuckyfriedcruelty.com/[Accessed 1 March 2011].
Travelers digest, 2009. Easy Jet Advisory. [online] Available at:
http://www.travelersdigest.com/easy_jet_warning.htm [Accessed 3 August 2011].
Word press, 2011. Prediction: The BP Brand Won’t Survive « Building Strong Brands. [online]
Available at: http://strongbrands.wordpress.com/2010/06/09/prediction-the-bp-brand-
won%E2%80%99t-survive/ [Accessed 16 August 2011].