This document discusses the similarities between chemical reactions and storytelling. It suggests that chemical reactions can serve as metaphors for how to tell a brand story effectively. Some key similarities highlighted include: having oriented reactants/messages, finding the right influencers or catalysts to speed up reactions/connections, avoiding side reactions or wasted efforts, and managing the trajectory and crisis points of the reaction/story. The document concludes that emulating successful chemical reactions can help strategize branding successfully by producing the desired effects and connections with customers.

1. Ali Anani

2. Chemical
Reactions
Story Telling
How are
they
related?

3. Understanding
this
relationship
improves the
efficiency of
your business

4. Act 1 Act 2 Act 3
Orientation Confrontation Resolution
1st turning point 2nd turning point
The three act of story
telling

5. The timeline trajectory of story telling
looks like
Act 1 Act 2 Act 3
Orientation Confrontation Resolution
Crisis

6. The timeline trajectory of chemical
reactions
Act 1 Act 2 Act 3
Orientation of
reactants
Collision of reactants End product(s)
Transition
state

7. So, chemical reactions may
serve as metaphors for story
telling

8. If you want to tell the story of your
brand, for example, what can you learn
from chemical reactions?

9. If the
molecules are
not oriented
they shall not
react
If your brand
message is
not oriented
to the
customers’
needs, custo
mers shall
not react

10. If impure
reactants are
used, impure
products shall
be obtained
Lack of
transparency
of your brand
messages
shall not yield
the right
reactions
from your
customers

11. Chemical
reactants
need different
type of
vessels to
accommodate
reaction
conditions
Your target
group
determines
the packaging
of your brand
messages

12. Differences
among
reactants
define to a
great degree
the type and
mechanism of
reaction
(ionic, covalen
t,…)
The
differences
between
clients and
your brands
may need
different
mechanism
to react

13. The rate of
reaction is
determined
by the
transition
state; the
higher it
is, the longer
time the
reaction takes
The crisis
peak
determines
the rate at
which you
wish your
customer to
react
What to do
then?

14. Chemists use
catalyst to
speed up the
reaction
What catalyst
a story teller
may use?

15. Finding the
right catalyst
is crucial
Finding the
right
influencer is
essential

16. The catalyst
could be a
chemical
Find the
influencers
through
social
network
analysis

17. The catalyst
could be a
chemical
Find the
influencers
through
social
network

18. The
influencer
could be
intangible
Starbucks doesn’t want to just sell us a
cup of coffee; they want customers to
become invested in their story, the
ambiance, the community. The goal is
to become the “third place” for
people (work, home and
Starbucks). They say, for them, “It’s
really about human connection.”
www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/01/29/better-user-
experience-using-storytelling-part-one/

19. The
influencer
could be
intangible
Find emotional bridges to connect to
your customers. The stronger a bridge
is, the stronger the bonding is

20. Avoid
byproducts in
chemical
reactions
Avoid side
reactions of
your brand
story. Focus
your
messages

21. Like you
manage
human waste
You manage
branding
wasted
efforts. Best
is to
eliminate or
reduce them

22. The story of your brand is similar to
chemical reactions. These reactions may
or may not produce the desired effect
Emulate the successful chemical reactions
to strategize branding successfully