Did you catch the launch video of actor Ranbir Kapoor‘s new clothing brand ARKS?
ICYMI, here you go!
I wear sneakers, but I don’t understand them much, but what I do know really well, is Storytelling!
That is what this post is all about.
I found some cool storytelling tropes in this one…
Origin Story – RK begins by paying homage to the city of Mumbai. He says he has travelled the world, but it is Mumbai that is home to him. He goes on to show how he has memories in every nook & corner of the city and how it has shaped him. At some point you see a beautiful mural of his father and his home. RK simply puts the origin story in place by anchoring the roots and the identity of his brand that is born out of Mumbai and Made in India.
The Entrepreneurial Spirit – With the sea link in the background, RK gets off his bike and shows his brand more closely. He says, this is the city that has given him the courage to try, fail and get back again. He is saying it out, he is willing to work through the tropes of a new career, just as he had in his first one. RK is making himself vulnerable. That’s a great trope to carry as an entrepreneur.
Nostalgia & Flashback – Notice how he dives back in time recreating the memory of his first sneakers. The video goes into animation and we see RK as a young boy opening a box of sneakers. I believe him at this moment! A simple trope to take you back to the genesis of his love for sneakers. RK wants his share his boyish love for shoes with his fans / buyers. This is not the story of a boy who wanted to grow up to be an actor, in fact if anything, he is changing that notion right here for you! He tells you about that passion that he is chasing. At some point you see his enviable range of shoes and you believe that he knows his shoes! Tell me if you didn’t recall your first fancy shoe at this moment?! At this exact moment, I recalled my first pair of heels, the ones I bought from a prize money.
First Customer – RK gets his childhood buddy to unbox the first shoe. Until then we see the shoe on his feet, now we see a new RK the maker, the seller, the entrepreneur who wants to impress his customer. “Did you smell it?” He asks. Is that what you do with new shoes? Maybe yes…what a brilliant way to make a product sensorial. Notice RK’s eagerness. He describes the shoe, the friends compare it with another legendary brand, its tried on, this time RK on the knees doing the job of a shoe salesperson! The first sale is a win! “Do I have to pay for it?” Asks the friend. “Yes”, replies the entrepreneur. That RK sells his shoe to his first customer makes it a terrific sale!
Brand Extension – As an actor who has minimal social media presence, one who gives interviews only around his movies, RK is reclusive in the modern world. Yet, he understands that he is a brand on his own. A closer look at the website and social media and you can see that RK is now making himself accessible to the customer, audience and fans through Studio Stories with Ranbir Kapoor. The video ends with him saying that the shoes are a reflection of who he is, telling the buyer to believe in HIM. That’s the ultimate test of a brand. We buy, only when we believe the name behind it. Do you?
Notice anything else in the video? Write your comments below!
Did you like this Storytelling Breakdown? Would you like to see more such posts?
