It’s the simple things in life.
Walking in the rain, eating fairy bread and crunching autumn leaves under your feet. They’re the things that can make your day and colour your memories.
And of course you know that bakery air is #909 on the list of 1000 Awesome Things … don’t you? Because any time, any day, who can resist the powerful smell of fresh bread. Right?
It’s the human equivalent of kryptonite.
As the one weakness of an otherwise invulnerable hero-race [us], bread has: supposedly sparked revolutions, is symbolically significant, was oft used historically as a form of currency and barter, people were transported to an isolated island ‘down under’ for stealing a loaf, it’s used as a metaphor for prosperity and significant innovations are still tagged “the best thing since sliced bread.”
Fresh baked bread is said to be one of the most universally loved smells on the planet. It hangs in the air – tantalising, enticing and hip-hugging – and along with vanilla and coffee, is one of the holy trilogy of wafts.
Bread evokes happy memories [eating] and childhood for us all.
You truly haven’t lived until you’ve stuffed yourself silly on warm fresh baked bread, smothered with butter [melted]. Nom nom nom … sorry, carried away.
What has fresh bread got to do with writing, branding and storytelling?
All three in fact …
Bread is the most common food found on dinner tables worldwide. But bread is not only a food; it’s a symbol and reflection of cultural traditions.
It represents a promise.
Of nourishment, goodness and a gentler, slower time.
The faster life gets, the more you crave glimpses and rare whispers from that slightly simpler time. We’re looking for connections – with each other and our past.
The bread story
Fresh bread has a way of resetting your heart and mind and resting them in a good place; even after a hard day.
That’s what makes it special.
It’s its USP.
Bread makes you feel special; wholesome.
The USP woven into a brand story
Baking your brand promise and USP into your brand narrative is fundamental. It shouldn’t be iced and sprinkled on top at the end like a cinnamon fingerbun. Its story should be written into the fabric of the brand.
The Goodman Fielder bread brand Lawson’s tells its own bread-USP-story on every loaf it sells:
“Lawson’s Traditional Bread is baked in the spirit and traditions of country Australia, where bread was handmade, took time, was generous in size and full of abundant goodness. In this spirit, these breads are brimming with nature’s simplest ingredients, including overnight-fermented dough as part of every loaf’s mix and baked in a generous wide tin to deliver a hearty loaf with the best possible flavour and taste.”
They continue the story on their website (and even nod to the age old best thing idiom) and packaging (brown paper with clear panel) so you can feel and see the goodness:
“Starting with nature’s simplest ingredients (and absolutely no artificial colours or preservatives), every Lawson’s loaf is made from natural seeds and grains … Each Lawson’s loaf is preserved in special brown paper bag – making for bread that is as wholesome as the day is long.
Get back to basics with these great recipes using Lawson’s bread, combining simple ingredients with care for great flavour and texture. A sandwich made with Lawson’s is truly the best thing since sliced bread.”
And tailor each product description to echo the emotions you crave and difference you’re looking for in your life:
HOMSTEAD SEED & GRAIN
“The kitchen was a focal point of country life. It was the place where family, friends and community members alike gathered to share their lives and satisfy their appetite. This Homestead Seed & Grain loaf is full of grains and seeds, which make it a hearty, full-of-flavour loaf.”
What works about this?
It gives you a reason to like them.
It understands what you’re looking for.
It bakes the promise [USP] into each aspect you see, hear and feel – every touch point [360 degree exposure] – that contacts you.
It shows how you’re not just buying any loaf; you’re buying bread that cares [about you, what you eat and where it comes from].
It helps you understand the premium price and special packaging.
It doesn’t use anything artificial and brings your family together – to a happier place.
It takes the time to tell you a special story that you’ll love.
It makes you feel special [for buying it].
It recreates an experience you crave
It refuels you emotionally.
Fusing writing, storytelling and branding
Across the planet there’s a craving to find and hear from honest brands. You want to know the story behind stuff.
People are increasingly seeking “realness,’’ even if that story isn’t perfect.
The urge to get in touch with what we believe is a more real world means brands that lead you to a place with signs of realness, take on greater value for you.
Storytelling is the perfect medium to carry you on that journey.
The brands with the vision and imagination to capture and write a brand’s narrative story and then share it, will win your heart and devotion.
Instead of having traveling-consumption feet, you’ll rest them. You’ll gather around the kitchen table of brands that craft and share their stories of realness.
Bread is a staple in our life and so are stories.
Feast and enjoy.
Your daily bread to consider
Before you run out and grab a mug of tea and some beautiful bread slathered with butter, just think on this …
Are you putting that effort into your brand stories, to give them 360 degree exposure?
Are you writing narratives that build bridges and create experiences that are tasty, wholesome, full of goodness and satisfying? Do I sound like a commercial?