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Brands are an integral part of our lives. They’re everywhere – our laptops, jackets, and water bottles are all branded.

They differentiate themselves from other industries and competitor brands to be recognizable to consumers.

When considering a brand, you consider its visual identity, product quality, and company values. You want to buy from a brand that signifies something to you and is aligned with your values.

This is where brand storytelling comes in. Yes, a brand has a defined mission statement and values, but it must convey them to consumers. Every touchpoint must represent the brand to attract and retain consumers.

Brand stories make or break consumer connections by buying water bottles from Stanley, Hydroflask, or Yeti.

Brand stories are not only told with marketing campaigns – they are said with UX design. Since more consumers (we call them users) interact with websites or apps to purchase goods, UX has become more critical than ever.

In this Guide on our Design Journal, we will review how UX design is involved in brand storytelling and then discuss your storytelling tools in your design toolkit.

How is UX design involved in brand storytelling?

Every modern-day company has an established brand. Some of us know well, like Apple and Coca-Cola, while others we can’t name off the top of our heads.

But what do companies like Apple and Coca-Cola have in common? Though not in the same industry, they use brand storytelling to claim and personify their brands – connecting with their target users.

But what goes into brand storytelling? How does UX design contribute to bringing it to life?

What is brand storytelling?

Brand storytelling isn’t just the typical marketing campaign. It represents a brand’s mission, identity which conveys through every user touchpoint.

Brand storytelling crafts an experience that engages, excites, and builds trust to develop a long-lasting relationship with target users.

To develop this long-lasting relationship with users, brands must connect with them at an emotional level.

For example, consider Patagonia’s brand. Their mission statement is, “We’re in business to save our home planet. ” Their values include quality, integrity, and environmentalism.

People wear their apparel in extreme weather, and the website offers used items to purchase.

Patagonia consistently and effectively uses narrative elements (messaging, tone, and visuals) to create a brand personality that users can relate to and remember.

So, before generating your brand’s narrative, you need to decide on its personality.

Is the brand environmentally conscious like Patagonia, or is it innovative like Apple? Regardless of the brand personality, every single user touchpoint must support and maintain it. If it doesn’t, you risk confusion (and fewer users).

Any interaction with a brand, whether through a website or a brick-and-mortar store, communicates the brand’s messaging to the right users in the right way at the right time.

Let’s explore how UX design integrates with brand storytelling through these critical digital touchpoints regarding website interactions.

UX design is the vehicle for brand storytelling

UX design is pivotal in shaping how users engage with a brand. The vehicle carries the brand’s story by clearly speaking to users so they invest emotionally.

Because UX designers have an intuitive digital journey, users are guided through the narrative the brand wants to tell.

But UX goes beyond aesthetics because it’s meticulous about every user touchpoint.

UX tells the brand’s story through visual design, information architecture, and interactions.

Visual design

Visual or UI (user interface) design is essential for UX design. Fonts, colors, and imagery work together to set the tone for the experience and reinforce the brand’s personality.

For example, Coca-Cola uses bright red alongside white and black to create an exciting yet friendly personality.

In contrast, IBM uses a muted blue with white and black to convey a professional and confident personality. Regardless, these visual elements combine to appeal to the user and influence their behavior emotionally.

Information architecture (IA)

Another crucial UX principle to incorporate into brand storytelling is information architecture (also known as IA).

IA creates the structure and organization of content presented to users. In a well-organized website or app, users can easily navigate through the digital touchpoints, which tell the brand’s story comprehensively as the user moves through the site or app.

An intuitive user flow clarifies what the brand stands for, what it offers, and why it matters to the user.

If the information architecture is confusing the brand’s storytelling can get lost in the noise, leaving users abandoning the site.

Interactions

Interactions are the final UX piece to a brand’s narrative puzzle. Each click, hover, or swipe adds depth to the brand’s story by creating an engaging, dynamic experience.

For example, a subtle animation when a user hovers over a button, or an engaging notification after completing a task makes users feel they are interacting with something alive and responsive.

Interactions not only give users feedback that an element is actionable or that their task was successful, but they also reinforce the brand’s personality, contributing to the overall emotional experience.

Brand storytelling and UX design go hand-in-hand – you can’t have one without the other.

UX design establishes the user’s digital journey by guiding them from one touchpoint to the next and ensuring that each interaction contributes to the brand’s narrative.

Whether using the brand’s colors for primary call-to-actions or animating confetti when a user makes a purchase, the designs create a smooth user flow to the story and make users return for more.

Treat the user journey like a narrative arc

In UX design, the user journey functions like a narrative (or story)—every step, interaction, and decision builds toward a satisfying goal.

But instead of the story’s hero defeating their enemy and living happily ever after, the user completes a task (like making a purchase).

So as the user goes through their narrative arc, UX designs guide them through a journey that emotionally engages them to create a lasting connection.

This is best done by creating a narrative through user flow, embedding emotional design in the UX, and adding personalization and customization.

Create a narrative through user flow

A user flow is the path a user takes through a digital product – from the moment they enter to the point they achieve their desired goal.

Like storytellers construct a plot, UX designers structure the user flow as a logical progression. Each step should feel intuitive and lead the user forward in their journey without confusion or frustration.

However, sometimes confusion occurs, so these flows account for both “happy” and “sad” paths.

We always want the user to succeed, but they may deviate from the ideal user flow and encounter errors or unsuccessful outcomes.

It’s essential to recognize that narrative arcs can take a turn for the worse, leaving users locked up in a dungeon. Thus, the UX designs should help the users escape.

The key to crafting an engaging narrative through the user flow is seamlessness.

Transitions between actions should feel smooth and intentional, with every design element guiding the user from one step to the next.

The user flow should always move the user toward a goal, whether making a purchase, finding information, or meaningfully interacting with the brand.

By creating a logical and smooth user flow, designers meet the UX’s functional requirements and integrate the brand’s emotional tone.

Each moment, from the user’s first click to their final interaction, maintains the brand’s identity to ensure the user feels part of its larger narrative.

Embed emotional design in UX

A story cannot be without emotions. A story without happiness, suspense, or anger is dull and monotonous. The same is true for brands and designs.

Emotional design focuses on positive, engaging experiences that elicit emotions such as delight, trust, or curiosity in users.

This type of design goes beyond aesthetics by incorporating user-centered elements to tap into psychological triggers and influence behavior.

For instance, warm colors, rounded and soft fonts, and appealing visuals make a website feel welcoming.

Bold, clear call-to-actions and intuitive navigation create a sense of confidence and control.

Entertaining animations, subtle micro-interactions, or other feedback mechanisms (like a friendly “We got it!” after submitting a form) add layers of emotion to retain users.

Embedding emotions into UX design turns an ordinary experience into a memorable interaction – helping the user build a positive connection with the brand.

UX design doesn’t only need to meet functional needs; it must also evoke emotion to leave users wanting to come back for more.

Add personalization and customization

Personalization and customization in the UX deepen the quality of the narrative arc, making each user feel that the story is uniquely theirs.

Personalization tailors the experience based on user data and behavior. It can range from greeting users by first name to recommending products based on browsing history.

Users feel relevant and intimate When they see content, offers, or suggestions that speak directly to their preferences and needs. They feel recognized, which strengthens their connection with the brand.

Customization takes this further by giving users control over how they interact with the interface. For example, users can adjust settings, choose themes, or curate their content experience.

For example, Spotify creates custom playlists and pushes relevant artists to users based on their listening history.

However, Spotify is most popular for its end-of-year “Spotify Wrapped,” which gives users a personalized data compilation of their year’s activity.

A user’s “Wrapped” tells them what artists they listened to most and what city they have the most in common with based on their music tastes.

It also allows users to share their results on social media easily.

The personalized and customized design makes users feel they are actively participating in the brand’s story.

Rather than passively consuming content, they are given a dynamic experience that adapts to them, creating a sense of ownership of what they get out of their relationship with a brand.

Visuals and interactions as storytelling tools

Design is more than aesthetics—it’s a storytelling medium communicating a narrative that informs and connects with users.

Designers have many brand storytelling tools (fonts, colors, imagery, etc.) in their kit that they can use to optimize a brand’s story harmoniously.

Set the tone through fonts and colors

A brand’s fonts and colors are meticulously selected because they represent its personality and intended emotional tone.

Fonts communicate a brand’s character before a single word is even read, like when you’re skimming a website’s landing page.

A bold, sans-serif font (like Helvetica) makes the brand feel modern and confident, while a serif font (like Merriweather) suggests the brand is more traditional and reliable.

Not only does the font matter, but the spacing, size, and weight of the font styling further guide how the user perceives information.

Color is equally significant as fonts because they influence users’ moods and perceptions on a subconscious level.

A brand’s color palette ensures visual harmony and reinforces what the brand even is.

For example, big-tech companies choose to calm and reinforce its identity restaurants celebrant oranges or reds to suggest urgency and excitement.

When combined, fonts and colors are the brand’s conversation starter to users.

Users may decide to continue the conversation or leave it altogether simply by looking at the font and color selection (it’s that powerful).

So, fonts and colors shape a user’s emotions and associations when they encounter a design, which makes or breaks their connection with the brand.

Choose imagery to speak volumes

Imagery, as well as iconography, are the narrators of the visual design world.

Though they are used to support text, they also amplify the brand’s story by creating emotion, conveying values, and helping users better understand the brand.

A tech startup (like OpenAI) opts for futuristic imagery and minimal iconography to emphasize characteristics like innovation and development.

In contrast, a wellness brand (like Headspace) favors warm, organic imagery and uses rounded icons to convey a sense of tranquility. To create unity, the imagery must be consistent and aligned with the brand’s voice regardless of style.

Alongside the typical images is iconography, which has become heavily used in UI designs because it simplifies concepts into intuitive, recognizable symbols.

Instead of a button that says “Delete,” you have an icon with a trash can symbol to do the same function. Though the user must easily understand icons, they reduce clutter and aid navigation to enhance the user’s brand engagement.

When imagery is thoughtfully chosen and consistently applied, it illustrates the brand’s message and emotionally connects with users to support the brand’s story.

Bring the story to life with animations

In the previous sections, we reviewed static design elements with color and images, but what about dynamic content?

Microinteractions and animations are subtle but significantly contribute to the UX and brand narrative by providing feedback, guiding user behavior, and conveying the brand’s personality.

Microinteractions, such as a button changing color when hovered over or a playful loading indicator, strengthen the storytelling experience by making it feel more dynamic and interactive.

They create small moments but boost user engagement and tell more about the brand.

For example, a cheerful, bouncy button on a child’s small moment, boosts user engagement and telling while a smooth, polished transition on a luxury brand’s website conveys sophistication.

Animations establish the pacing of a website’s experience. They guide the user through content in a controlled, deliberate way.

Think about a smooth animation that introduces a product on a landing page or even a fade-in effect on text.

These transitions capture attention and make the experience feel well-integrated as if the brand speaks directly to the user through its design.

Also, the style of animations and micro-interactions support the brand’s core values.

For instance, a sustainability-focused brand uses slow-paced, organic movements in its website elements to give feelings of calmness and eco-friendliness.

However, a tech startup like Mailchimp uses jumpy, precise animations to emphasize efficiency and innovation.

So, while fonts, colors, and imagery set the stage, animations and microinteractions add life to the brand story.

These visual and interactive tools work together to create an immersive narrative that leaves a lasting impression.

Together, they form a story that is effective, memorable, and uniquely reflective of the brand’s storytelling.

Conclusion

Brand storytelling is not just about extraordinary marketing campaigns; UX design is not just about visually appealing interfaces.

They are combined forces that shape how users (or con; experience and connect with.

Every element of UX design contributes to telling a brand’s story, from the deliberate use of fonts, colors, and imagery to smooth navigation and dynamic interactions.

By integrating emotional design and personalizing the user journey, brands can engage users on a deeper level to develop long-lasting relationships.

UX design principles users through websites and helps them feel part of a brand’s narrative.

So users don’t just buy any water bottle; they buy THE water bottle from the brand they’re connected to.

Frequently asked questions

What are the four pillars of brand storytelling?

The four pillars of brand storytelling are authenticity, emotion, consistency, and an audience-centric approach.

Authenticity ensures the story reflects the brand’s true mission and values, emotion helps connect with the audience on a deeper level.

Consistency reinforces the brand identity across all platforms, and focusing on the audience makes the narrative relatable and relevant to their needs or challenges.

What is Apple’s brand story?

Apple’s brand story is centered around “thinking differently,” making technology accessible and empowering everyone.

From its beginnings with Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak creating the Macintosh to redefining technology with the iPhone, Apple tells a story of innovation, creativity, and challenging the status quo, inspiring users to push boundaries and create extraordinary things.

What is the purpose of brand storytelling?

The purpose of brand storytelling is to build an emotional connection with the audience by humanizing the brand, differentiating it in the market, and creating trust and loyalty.

It engages the audience by sharing values and vision, fostering long-term relationships and advocacy through compelling, relatable narratives.

How To Use UX Design To Narrate Brand Storytelling?

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Allie Paschal

Inspire the next generation of designers

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