After completing the UX Upskill course at Hyper Island, I was the lucky recipient of a grant through Grafill (the Norwegian Association for Visual Communication). This enabled me to participate in this workshop at Hyper Island I was very interested in: Brand Strategy and Storytelling.
Here we learned that marketing as we know it is gone and to be relevant to the audience, brands need to tell stories. In true Hyper Island spirit, the four-week series of workshops, held by Inaki Escudero, was made up of active learning in the form of writing reflection journals, engaging with the other participants' stories and really integrating the storyteller mindset.
It was a very interesting approach, where we wrote our life stories, and identified how the events and obstacles in our lives have shaped who we are. Becoming storytellers of our own experiences first, we then applied these principles to the development of brand storytelling and strategy.
It was a very interesting approach, where we wrote our life stories, and identified how the events and obstacles in our lives have shaped who we are. Becoming storytellers of our own experiences first, we then applied these principles to the development of brand storytelling and strategy.
I chose Altra Running as the brand where I could practice what I had learned. As Altra is a shoe manufacturer centred around the 'zero drop' sole I focused on the ground, the moment of impact and being grounded as a means to connect to nature and to heal.
After developing frameworks for strategy and brand inventory I created an 'About us' or manifesto page positioning the brand as mentor, the audience as hero:
Altra Running
Our Manifesto
We believe in the endless power of human inventiveness and adaptability.
Our shoe was created in a garage workshop through patience and the belief that going down a new path might lead us somewhere breathtaking. It was developed with the same passion that inspires you to tie your shoelaces and go outside, yet again, to try a new route, a new tactic, a new training plan.
We help you harness the power that resides naturally within you – the power of human interconnection with nature.
In that moment, when your foot hits the ground, preparing to propel you forward, we are there to help you utilise your innate physical force – without getting in your way. When you face doubt, fatigue, bad weather (it is inevitable) we are there, believing in you.
We are committed to natural running principles in everything we do, as we believe they build the most solid foundation for a long-term love of running and exploring the outdoors.
Images property of Altra Running
