Kevin Zier, executive creative director at Purple Strategies, has shared his perspective on the current state of corporate storytelling. With over two decades of experience working with Fortune 500 companies across sectors such as healthcare, education, and energy, Zier highlights a shift in how organizations approach their narratives.
According to Zier, many companies have replaced genuine stories with what he calls “messaging architecture written in paragraph form.” He notes that when a narrative tries to cover too much ground, it often becomes generic and ineffective. “When a narrative tries to say everything, it actually says nothing – too flat to guide decisions, too generic to get used, and more likely to end up on a shelf than in any hearts and minds,” said Zier.
He observes that the term “narrative” is now widely used in consulting but often lacks substance. Instead of developing one clear story with different chapters or plotlines for various audiences or situations, companies tend to create multiple separate narratives—one for each aspect of their business. This approach can lead to messaging that is devoid of emotion or tension.
Zier points out the tendency for organizations to rely on familiar buzzwords like “patient-centric” or “innovative,” which may test well in focus groups but do little to differentiate one company from another. He argues that this practice leads many corporate narratives to sound similar and become forgettable.
The challenge is compounded by competing interests within organizations: marketing departments want their priorities included; government affairs seek coverage; legal teams look for protection; and agencies want alignment with advertising campaigns. As a result, Zier says the focus shifts from telling a compelling story to blending various demands into what he describes as “soup.”
“Great stories all have one thing in common: tension. Characters face a conflict. They make choices. They transform, and they succeed. Or they don’t, and they fail,” Zier explained. He believes that avoiding tension makes narratives less effective because they lack emotional impact.
To address these issues, Zier suggests building narratives around core elements such as characters (real people), setting (context supported by relevant data), tension (conflict), and transformation (change). Drawing inspiration from playwright David Mamet’s view on drama—requiring real characters facing real challenges—Zier encourages companies to ensure their corporate stories follow similar principles.
He advises organizations not just to focus on messages that perform well in testing but instead ask critical questions about the unique aspects of their story: Where is the tension? Who are the important characters? What sets them apart? What lessons have been learned?
“People won’t remember the exact number of jobs you’ve created… But tell a good story about why you’re doing all those things, and they’ll never forget it,” said Zier.
