The third C of brand storytelling: Character

Have you ever read a book or watched a movie where the hero or the villain just jumped out of the story? That's the power of a fully-realized character. It gives us someone to identify with or root against, and we become more engaged in the story.

The hero of your brand's story is the brand itself, although it may be represented by any number of other characters. Founders, employees, customers, even imaginary proxies -- all can channel your brand attributes.

If you haven't already done so, a great place to start defining your hero's character is by defining those attributes. They will help you create a portrait of your hero with staying power in a world where brand storytelling has become more episodic than sequential. Ultimately, you want to get to an understanding of your brand character that fulfills three critical imperatives:

• Be true. Make sure your brand character represents you as you really are, not as you wish you were. The market smells false promises a mile away, and will sniff out any gaps between what you say and what you do. So if you're going to promise great customer service, you better deliver on it or risk being exposed.

• Be likable. You want to create a brand character that people identify with. They are more likely to do that if they like or admire your character -- if it represents something they hold dear. This doesn't mean you need to be likable to everyone. In fact, the opposite is true. Understand what your best customers like about you and let that shine through.

• Be consistent. Actors spend months at a time shooting a movie in a series of disjointed scenes with long gaps between their time on camera. So how do they deliver performances that blend seamlessly into a single character? They spend a great deal of time getting to know their characters and the backstory that makes them who they are and gives them their motivation. They know what their character would never do or say and what s/he would always do or say. You should know the same about your brand.

The villain of your brand story will need to be consistent as well, which means you must understand your villain as well as you understand your hero. Your villain can be a competitor, but the more compelling villains are forces or concepts. They're much bigger and more universal than any concrete villain, which gives them the added benefit of making your hero an underdog. And everybody loves an underdog.

The characters in your brand story are what turns the story into something your audience can personally relate to. They build affinity. They create sympathy. And they give you the vehicles for delivering your unique point of view and message.