The Moral of the Story: Why Your Brand Needs One

Jeff Freedman

After years in the advertising business, I came to understand that we’re ultimately in the business of helping brands build relationships with people.

The truth is that the majority of buying decisions are made with our hearts first. We choose the brands with which we feel the greatest connection and then validate those decisions with facts and data. It’s not the other way around.

Consider the sneakers you wear, the car you drive or the bank in which you invest. Sure, they have features and capabilities you wanted. However, there are likely many brands that could deliver on those criteria.

If you’re honest with yourself, you probably chose the brand because something about it resonated with you more than other brands. The fact that they could deliver what you needed, and provided proof that they could do it well, simply validated your decision. Equally important: the moment that relationship/connection lessens, you begin considering alternatives.

Brands that recognize this not only win but also thrive and outlast others. They are the brands we love. We trust and listen to them. We read their emails and watch their ads. We forgive their faults and provide them with the benefit of the doubt, assuming they’ll learn from their mistakes and improve. We place a higher value on them, making them more profitable. We introduce our friends to them and help them grow.

The strongest relationships are built upon shared beliefs. So, to effectively build relationships, brands must share what they believe: why they do what they do. That’s the moral of the story.

Whether intentional or not, every story has a moral. Consider the fairy tales you grew up with: Pinocchio: lying makes you look bad; The Tortoise and the Hare: slow and steady wins the race; Beauty and the Beast: true beauty comes from within.

In most cases, the moral isn’t written or directly stated. Instead, it’s the underlying thread that connects everything together and makes sense of everything that happens. The moral is the soul of the story.

Brands are stories, too. Every brand is a story that consumers ingest, one chapter at a time. Each brand interaction, marketing communication or news report provides another piece of the story. Consumers, consciously or unconsciously, interpret the moral of your brand story—the soul of your brand—and act accordingly.

Brands that understand this take the time to discover what they truly believe and ensure that that belief is demonstrated in everything they do. Without it, the story is inconsistent and heartless, and the brand’s true soul isn’t revealed.

The moral is the belief at the heart of the brand that connects with people and earns their trust and loyalty. It has to be what you actually believe. When brands try to reverse-engineer their beliefs from what’s trending or “what’s testing well,” it shows. It’s like lying on your dating profile. Sure, you might say you love farmers’ markets, indie films and long walks on the beach because it sounds good. But eventually, the truth comes out and the relationship falls apart.

The same thing happens with brands. Skip the posturing. Lead with what’s true. Be proud of it. And trust that the people who believe what you believe will find you and stick with you.

Finding your brand’s moral isn’t easy. For nonprofits or mission-driven startups, it might be closer to the surface, but for most companies, it takes soul-searching work.

Start by asking, “Why?” You’ll need to dig deep—through honest, open conversations with leadership team, founders, longtime employees and people who embody the brand, day in and day out. Why did they join/start the company? Why do they stay? What motivates them to work every day? What keeps them up at night? Ask them why their work improves the world/ people’s lives. Look for the thread that runs through it all.

Once you land on a potential moral, run it through the following seven criteria for truth and effectiveness. This may require additional discovery and research, but when it checks every box … Congrats, you’ve found your moral.

The seven criteria for the moral of your brand story

It explains why the brand does what it does. This is the most important criteria, the foundation of your brand. Everything your brand does should be able to be validated with the response, “we do this because we believe (moral). Johnson & Johnson believes that unwavering care builds a healthier world—and their iconic credo clearly supports that belief.

Your audience believes it and can be defined by it. If it resonates with your customers, they’ll feel they belong with you. Disney may appeal to parents of kids between the ages of five and 16. However, Disney’s audience ultimately are those who, like them, believe “it is fun to imagine.” The more they believe it, the stronger the potential bond.

It is unique to your brand. Others may share your belief, but they aren’t necessarily led by it like you are. Many organizations may believe “life is good,” but only Life is Good has built an entire business around it.

A first grader can understand it. Stay away from jargon, acronyms, complex language and industry terms. If it’s not simple, it won’t stick.

It doesn’t beg the question “why?” A strong moral stands on its own, so no explanation is needed. For this reason, avoid words like “should,” “could” and “would.”

It causes others to assume your strengths. Great morals create positive assumptions without you needing to brag. Red Bull doesn’t constantly brag about the energy it provides; through its content and sponsored events, it demonstrates that moral—it takes energy to live life to the fullest—and its audience concludes Red Bull provides plenty of it.

You’d hang it on the wall in your HQ lobby. If you’re not proud to put it up in bold letters, it’s not your moral. You want people to walk into your office and think to themselves, “I’m in the right place.” It’s also a useful way to weed out those who don’t belong.

This work may be messy or make you feel vulnerable, but that’s what makes it matter. When you finally uncover your brand’s moral, things begin to click. The fog lifts. Decision-making gets clearer. Messaging gets sharper. Culture gets stronger. Most importantly, your brand becomes more consistent, more connected and more trusted.

Brands that reveal their soul will attract people who share it. At the end of the day, the way brands connect with people is the same way people connect with people: through shared beliefs. That’s what turns a transaction into a relationship, a customer into a community, a brand into something people love.

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Jeff Freedman is a Managing Partner at Finn Partners, working across all offices and practice areas to help brands discover their soul and share their story. Jeff is also the author of the book, The Moral of the Story. He is based in Boston.