Story Branding: The Secret to Successful Public Relations

Galactic Kids Next Door: A Perfect Example

One of the best public relations campaigns I’ve ever scene was the Galactic Kids Next Door campaign in 2015. If you grew up in the 2000s, you might remember a show on Cartoon Network called Codename: Kids Next Door. After it was cancelled, Tom Warburton, the creator of the show, really wanted to create a spin off or a sequel movie, but Cartoon Network wasn’t interested. So, he turned this into a passion project instead. He rounded up the original cast and crew, and they created a short two-minute animatic about the new Galactic Kids Next Door, along with an interactive website filled with Easter eggs from the show and a mysterious timer. The timer was supposed to be counting down to the premiere of their animatic. Unfortunately, someone hacked the website, found the video, and posted it on YouTube, and it went viral. Rumors spread. People all over social media were saying that this was a trailer for a new show and that the countdown was leading up to an announcement of that new show.

Tom saw this wild fire and immediately went into crisis management mode. He called the cast and crew back in, and they created another animatic where the characters from the show explained that they had accidentally leaked the video before the timer went off and that there are no plans for a Galactic Kids Next Door show. The crisis was averted in an immersive and interactive way that let fans down easy. Instead of having a relatively unknown spokesperson put out an announcement, Tom used his beloved characters to explain the situation in a way fans could understand. He dove into the Kids Next Door world to manage a real-world PR crisis.

Tom later wrote that he was amazed at what a passionate community he’d created with his show and with this little passion project. And I really aspire to that level of community building and online engagement. While a tv show has an advantage because of the immersive storytelling aspect of it, I think every brand has a story to tell, and if people connect with that story, they can build just as passionate of a community.

The Storyteller's Cottage: Immersive Storytelling

I was able to apply this immersive storytelling in every aspect of my job at the Storyteller's Cottage. We created a world of stories and magic and mystery that guests could really dive into. Every escape room had its own characters that people got to know as they read clues left behind and solved puzzles to help those characters complete certain tasks. Every event had a story arc to follow, and guests were invited to either join in or watch it unfold.

The house itself told a story. After fielding numerous questions from guests about the history of the house, I decided to do some research and put together a brief history of the old Victorian house, which I put on the back of every monthly flyer. This let guests know that they were stepping into a house with a story, and that for a brief moment in time, they were a part of that story.

These stories made marketing and public relations easy. I could fill our social media pages with fun facts about the house. I could write in the voice of different characters or ask our followers to come help them solve a mystery. If you tell a story that people can relate to, they'll want to be a part of it.

The Food Bank: A More Relatable Story

This applies to any kind of business or service. When I worked at The Food Bank, our story was a lot more grounded. We were collecting food and donations and raising funds to help feed our neighbors in need. There was nothing magical or fantastical about it, but it was still a story people wanted to be a part of. I used social media to promote our fundraising events, and I found that the story of The Food Bank was just as immersive as the Storyteller's Cottage or the Kids Next Door. Sharing individual stories, keeping people up-to-date on your progress, and inviting them to take part in your mission are all ways to immerse your audience in your organization's stories. This is how you build a community that's passionate about you and what you do. It's the secret to successful PR.