Amy and Becky delivered an interactive brand storytelling workshop to food and drink entrepreneurs and businesses from across East Anglia.
In today’s world, audiences are craving emotion, connection, and authenticity more than ever. At the core of these desires is effective and impactful storytelling, which continues to be the key ingredient to brand success (especially at this time of year!)
Pier’s MD, Amy, and Senior Account Director, Becky, recently had the pleasure of partnering up with the Tastebuds Collective to host a Brand Storytelling Workshop, tailored specifically for food and drink entrepreneurs and businesses across East Anglia.
They tasked attendees with harnessing the power of their own unique stories to strengthen their brand presence and deepen connections with existing and potential customers.
Held at the Food Museum in Stowmarket, our workshop brought together a brilliant selection of food and drink producers all under one roof, from artisanal start-ups to well-established, family-run brands. The atmosphere buzzed with creativity as our attendees shared some of the key ingredients that make up their brand stories.
Key takeaways
From farm-to-fork dining to handcrafted beverages, food and drink businesses inherently have rich, narrative-ready roots. Yet it can sometimes be a struggle to translate these compelling backstories into impactful, cohesive messaging.
Our workshop aimed to bridge that gap, equipping attendees with the skills they need to turn their experiences into powerful stories that resonate.
Here are just some of the areas we covered during our workshop:
- Identify your core ingredients: We kicked off with an interactive session discussing the anatomy of great brand storytelling. We discussed balancing facts with emotion, highlighting the importance of authenticity, and championing relatability. Ultimately, when it comes to buying decisions, people tend to choose based on feelings first and facts second. If buying something makes you feel good, you’re much more likely to reach for your purse – and this is where successful storytelling comes into play.
- Map out your journey: Attendees analysed their brand journey to date, identifying pivotal moments that could captivate their audiences—be it the passion that inspired their first recipe or the challenge that shaped their product line. Humans have been telling stories for centuries, we grown up listening to them, sharing them and creating our own. When it comes to brands, stories help customers appreciate your history and why, ultimately, they should choose your product over others.
- Humanise your brand: Audiences relate to stories that feel genuine. We spoke about showcasing the people behind your product, sharing your ongoing journey, and not being afraid to highlight both your wins and your challenges. Some of the most popular food and drink brands in the UK today have individuals, families, friends, and colleagues at the core of their brand storytelling, and we know that behind the scenes content is as popular as ever on social media.
- Show and tell: In today’s fast-paced digital world, visuals can make or break a story. We shared some tips on how to complement stories with engaging visuals that land well on social media and beyond. From choosing the right aesthetic, to aligning visuals with your brand's tone, the little details matter when it comes to customers resonating with your narrative.
- Extend your invitation: A successful story invites your audience to be part of the narrative. Encouraging interaction and being responsive to feedback should always remain at the top of your priority list. It’s important to encourage User Generated Content as much as possible – if someone has gone out of their way to praise your product or service, share it with the world!
“Tastebuds is so incredibly lucky and thankful to have a brilliant network of experts, including Becky and Amy, to ensure our food and drink businesses receive the most up to date advice and guidance in all fields. Amy and Becky are both experts in marketing and PR, and this workshop just showcased that marvellously. We are very fortunate to have them within our network”
Charlotte Beach - Events and Marketing Manager, Tastebuds Collective
“It was so inspiring to hear everyone share their unique stories throughout the workshop. Understanding the art of storytelling is key to opening up new creative avenues, and we can’t wait to see what our attendees do next.”
Becky Whiting – Senior Account Director, Pier
Interested in attending a future workshop with Pier or learning more about how storytelling can elevate your brand? Chat with Amy and Becky.
