Module 60 — Narrative / Story
Frameworks: Neumeier trueline · Brand story arc (context → conflict → resolution → invitation) · Hero's journey (brand as guide, client as hero)
Goal: Crystallise the brand's founding story and its narrative arc — the conflict it was built to resolve, the transformation it delivers, and the invitation it extends to clients. The trueline is the single sentence that holds every story the brand tells.
Raw
The founding story (what happened, when, why this — not the polished version)
The conflict or frustration that made the brand necessary
What the world looks like when the brand's work succeeds (the transformation)
A client story that best illustrates what the brand does and why it matters
What would be lost if the brand didn't exist? (brand obituary prompt)
The invitation: what does the brand ask clients to do or believe?
Synthesis
Trueline draft (Neumeier: "[Brand] is the only [category] that [unique claim].")
Alternative truelines (2–3 variations, vary level of abstraction)
Brand story arc
| Beat | Content |
|---|---|
| Context (the world before) | |
| Conflict (what's broken / wrong) | |
| Resolution (what the brand does about it) | |
| Invitation (what the client is asked to do) |