What makes a brand story feel authentic?

Authentic brand stories start with the experiences of employees and customers, not a corporate claim in search of an illustration. The Frameworks argues that involving employees from the start helps build a brand identity the workforce can genuinely support and audiences can recognise as more than empty language.

For UST, The Frameworks created a film about its work with Nourish + Bloom Market, an autonomous grocery store whose technology is powered by UST. The narrative centred on founders Jilea and Jamie Hemmings, whose ambition to bring good food to their community was inspired by their autistic son, Jabari. The film included local suppliers, employees, shoppers, UST experts and the founders' family.

The Frameworks shaped the narrative, then let the people involved tell their stories in their own words. The practical lesson is to find the people behind an achievement, understand their reasons and experiences, and give their voices room rather than scripting every contribution into a polished corporate claim.

Authenticity does not require a literal or restrained account. The Frameworks argues that brands can be bold and experimental while remaining true to who they are. The distinction is between creativity that expresses a recognisable character and creativity that borrows a fashionable narrative without a genuine connection to the brand.

The Frameworks uses Volkswagen's Lemon advertisement to illustrate how an unexpected headline can draw an audience into a story. Calling a car a lemon creates a question; the playful framing expresses the brand's irreverence rather than relying on a straightforward product description.

For a brand team, the useful test is whether an imaginative choice brings the organisation's character into sharper focus. Unusual language or framing can serve authenticity when the audience can still recognise the brand and the truth being expressed.