Tag Archives: branding

The Entertainer’s Guide to Storytelling: Lessons from Billy Joel’s Songbook

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Since 1971, Billy Joel has created music history with songs like “Piano Man,” “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” and “You May be Right.” His storytelling has transcended generations, intrigued millions and established a credibility that few have managed to garner from a start in a smoky piano bar. Last month, HBO Max released the documentary “Billy Joel: And So It Goes,” a two-part, five-hour biography that discusses Joel’s life in parallel with his songwriting. Though his stories and songs were an intimate reflection of his own life, millions of people around the world have resonated with them for decades.  

While Joel’s craft is fueled by finesse and artistry, his approach is undoubtedly a masterclass in storytelling of all facets. Narratives are a crucial key to success in public relations. It is how you connect with audiences, place stories and build brand reputations. And while writing a product announcement may be farfetched from writing a hit song, many of the principles in attracting the masses from Joel’s songwriting hold true, even in a corporate setting. Consider the following elements of storytelling we can learn from Billy Joel:  

  • Creating a Memory  

One of Joel’s greatest skills is creating memories. His ability to paint pictures with words and melodies have made people believe they are in the room with characters like Sergeant O’Leary or Bill at the bar. A brand looking to resonate with audiences needs to offer them something relatable, whether it be a thought leadership opportunity talking about a relevant trend or a product announcement solving a problem for a specific audience. Brands should consider how a narrative can help elevate their public presence, entice new audiences and maintain relevance with current audiences.  

  • Authentic Storytelling  

Billy Joel’s authentic experiences bleed through his music and lyrics. Throughout the documentary, Joel shares the true back stories behind tunes like “You’re My Home,” written about his cross-country road trip with his wife and stepson from New York to California. Or “New York State of Mind”, which was written about his experience coming back to New York from the West Coast.  

As Billy would say, it’s “A Matter of Trust.” In business, audiences can see through unauthentic communications, and it can erode trust much faster than it takes to build it. Over the last few years, for example, we have seen several brands get criticized for their approaches to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) that audiences deemed unauthentic. Last year, Tractor Supply Co. saw firsthand how unauthentic communications that do not align with a brand’s values and those of their stakeholders could quickly result in boycotts and social media debates. Brands must consider how their communications align with their audiences and brand values. Even the most well-intentioned communications can have an adverse effect if they are perceived as ingenuine.  

  • Knowing When to Pivot  

Throughout Billy Joel’s career, he evolved based on his connection to his art. From his first album, “Cold Spring Harbor,” to his last full length pop album, “River of Dreams,” Joel created a sound that was undoubtedly his. Every album, however, was vastly different. In 1993 when he decided he has said all he had to say in pop music, he pivoted to a classical album that debuted at #1 on the classical music charts.  

Brands that want to maintain relevancy cannot stay stagnant. Joel’s success shows that evolution is more than jumping on to a social fad or swaying with the courts of public opinion. Brands should be constantly evaluating their public presence, how they are being perceived and how that aligns with their offerings, values and goals. The world will continue to shift, but the brands that experience century-long success have known when to adapt, while preserving their core values.  

Effective storytelling is an artform, one that defines a musician’s career and a brand’s legacy. Joel’s songs remind us that the best storytelling can create shared memories, build trust and welcome new fans throughout generations. Whether writing a hit song, launching a new product, building a legacy or navigating a crisis, effective storytelling has the power to connect and inspire audiences that creates a foundation for long-term success.  

Guess Who’s Back (Again): PR Lessons From HBO Max’s Return

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There’s no shame in a branding misstep, especially when leadership knows how to recover from it. 

Last month, Warner Bros. Discovery announced the return of “HBO Max,” reversing course from the streaming platform’s 2023 rebrand to simply “Max.” What transpired in the two years since the rebrand offers a valuable lesson in brand strategy: listen to your audience and don’t be afraid to course-correct with a little humility. 

 Where Everybody Knows Your Name 

HBO is a household name, having been around since 1972 and responsible for creating publicly iconic television shows like The Sopranos, Game of Thrones and True Detective. The intention behind the rebrand of HBO Max was to convey the expansive programming that became available when HBO Max and Discovery+ merged. While logically it made sense, decisionmakers at Warner Bros. Discovery underestimated the power of the HBO name.  

HBO has a legacy. Over decades, it has gained worldwide acclaim for releasing shows with unrivaled storytelling and gripping visuals that quickly became cultural phenomenon. Removing the three recognizable and trusted letters confused the public and brand recognition took a hit. At the same time, many viewers and others could not let go of the name by force of habit. 

Recovery Mode  

When Warner Bros. Discovery announced the return of HBO Max, they could have chosen to do the about-face quietly. Afterall, many people never let the original name go. Instead, they embraced their branding 360 with humor and transparency by posting a series of promotional videos that poked fun at the name-change induced chaos. In one video, actors in HBO Max shows and movies joked about the switch, leaning into the very reaction audiences had. This is where Warner Bros. Discovery got it right. 

 Rather than doubling down or defending decisions that led to the failed rebrand, they chose to align with the audience’s perspective. They acknowledged what viewers had already decided, HBO is the brand they trust. The pivot demonstrated to viewers that their voices were not only heard, but worth listening to. 

 Three Takeaways for Brands 

For communications professionals, the HBO Max name change(s) is a masterclass in how to rebound from a branding fail with grace. Consider the following:  

  • If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it: HBO’s switch to Max removed the part of the name that had built the brand’s credibility over decades. HBO took a gamble with brand recognition and while risks can sometimes yield positive returns, this case proved that a strong brand identity is hard to come by. When considering big risk, brands should ensure they are considering their core values, what makes them recognizable and how the proposed change could be perceived by the public.  
  • Listening is part of strategy: Brand decisions may be made in boardrooms, but brand perceptions are crafted by the people. Effective public relations means staying in tune with what audiences want, how they are reacting and how to continue to engage them. In HBO’s case, many continued to refer to the brand’s streaming platform by its original name, rather than accepting the name change. If the public is not willing to jump on board, it might be time to listen, rethink and pivot. 
  • Tone matters. By responding with humor and humility, the platform made the change seem more like a silly stunt gone comically wrong rather than a corporate correction. The audience wasn’t talked down to, they were invited in. In one of the videos, Olivia Cooke, a cast member of House of Dragon, even says “why would you remove the biggest part of the branding?” HBO’s humor around the issue demonstrated transparency, proving to audiences their value while poking a little fun at the corporate blunder.  

Today’s audiences are brand-savvy, and they are not afraid to be critical. They notice when companies fumble and when they truly connect with a brand, they engage. HBO Max’s return is more than a case of a company admitting it was wrong, it serves as a reminder that sometimes the most strategic thing a brand can do is lean into a mistake with transparency, respect for audience feedback and maybe even a touch of humor. 

 HBO Max’s content hasn’t changed, the rebrand just adds clarity. The lesson? Great brands don’t just tell audiences who they are, they listen and meet their audiences where they want to be met. 

Brand Authenticity Requires Communicators to Play Lead Roles

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While brands have a voice in shaping their narratives, it is their publics who play an outsized role in holding organizations to their brand promise and reputation.

One of the best time-tested methods of ensuring adherence to brand authenticity is having a public relations or communications professional at the decision-making table from the start. Failing to do so runs the risk of self-inflicted reputational harm that is extremely difficult, and often expensive to dial back later.

In brands we trust

B2C as well as B2B consumers have vast resources to evaluate brands and a wealth of options from which to choose. Brands that consistently speak to the values and priorities of their consumers engender trust and an emotional connection. According to April 2024 data released from Shopify, 86% of American consumers say authenticity is a key reason they buy or engage with a brand.

Whether it is Red Bull, GE or Salesforce, these companies and others are great examples of organizations that use engaging storytelling, emotionally targeted messaging and brand authenticity to reach and connect with their audiences. We know Red Bull gives you wings. We know GE is focused on imagination at work, and that Salesforce positions you to manage success, not software. Their messaging goes beyond taglines, and their stories resonate with their publics because they meet a need.

What Ben Franklin said

Ben Franklin famously quipped, “It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it.” There are countless brands that illustrate Franklin’s point.

The example set by Target regarding its shifting DEI policies has put … well, a target on the Target brand with calls for boycotts and declining sales. Such inconsistent messaging causes brand audiences to reconsider the authenticity and trustworthiness of the organizations at issue. Consumers aren’t sure what, if anything, the brand stands for and repairing that damage will be a long and expensive undertaking.

On the B2B side, there is no more powerful example of reputational damage due to a lack of authenticity—as well as transparency—as WeWork. The company promoted a utopia-style revolution in how workspaces would evolve while leveling the playing field for entrepreneurs to work collaboratively. In reality, the company infamously misled everyone regarding its spending, profitability and stability, leading to a loss of trust among investors and business clients that ultimately led to the founder being ousted and a Chapter 11 filing in 2023.

The power of communications strategy

A chief communications officer with a seat at the leadership table can help organizations adhere to brand authenticity. These professionals are trained to assess the communications risks of any given action by an organization that plays out in front of its publics—internal or external. They help brands avoid unforced errors and plan for a range of responses from their target audiences.

Having that comms professional in the room from the start of major brand decisions can lead to important conversations and questions filtered through a public perception lens, such as:

  • How does this align with the public’s understanding of who we are and what we do?
  • What risks are we taking with this change, and what can we do to mitigate them?
  • Does this change align with our core values?
  • How should we communicate this change clearly to our audiences, and what are the best channels to do so?
  • What is the plan to measure the impact of this change on our brand reputation and perception?
  • What is the backup plan if this change is not well received, and what is the trigger to institute that plan?

Brand leaders are best served when their PR teams challenge group think and work to consider the reaction to organizational change among various audiences. This approach can strengthen and even improve the proposed changes, better aligning them with the brand’s reputation and perception and lead to a smoother introduction to its publics. However, making change better and more sustainable only happens if the communicators are in the room where decisions are made from the beginning. That is how you maintain brand authenticity, and it matters.