Andy Pearson, the VP of Creative at Liquid Death, explained,
“The world lives on Instagram and TikTok. Our brand needs to fit within that world, and it’s made up of real people and interesting stuff. And it’s not made up of brands, and it doesn’t have these rigid rules. So, we have started thinking less of Liquid Death the brand, and more of Liquid Death the character. And we write for the character.”
Here’s the deal: influencers and content creators produce kick-ass content. When you’re churning out content day and night, you’re bound to find an audience. But that relentless pace means their content is potentially finding your audience and stealing attention from your brand. With more creator content dominating the For You Page (FYP) on TikTok and Explore page on Instagram, they’re not just part of the conversation—they’re owning it, even shaping the very aesthetic of social content.
Why Does Your Brand Require a More Immersive World?
At Planit, we get it. We understand that to thrive in today’s world, your brand needs more than just visibility—it needs a rich, immersive world where characters, stories, and experiences can flourish. Our content creators and social strategists know how to build that world for your brand through our process called Brand Worldbuilding.
What does that mean?
We’ve discussed this topic before, but to recap: it’s no longer enough to have a great-looking brand with great products and creative ad campaigns—you need to build a world.
Brand Worldbuilding shifts your perspective from simply promoting products to exploring a broader narrative. It helps you identify new, untapped areas of content that resonate with your audience—topics you wouldn’t typically consider because they don’t directly sell your products. By going through this process, you uncover fresh, engaging content opportunities that expand your brand’s influence and deepen connections with your audience.
Step 1: Define Your Brand’s World
Before creating content, you need to define the world your brand inhabits. What is the overarching concept of your brand’s universe? Think of it as the setting in a novel or film—where does your brand live, and what does it stand for?
- Concept: Identify the central theme that defines your brand. This could be adapted from your mission, values, or the unique lifestyles/interests of your target audience. Start by describing what your brand is all about: “Our brand is funny, friendly, and driven to help people live their best lives.” If you’re inviting people into your world, that vibe needs to shine through in all the content you create. How would you describe the world Liquid Death has created for itself?
- Origins: Reflect on how overcoming early challenges has contributed to your brand’s growth and evolution. But remember your world concept—the vibe. How does your origin story tap into the world concept of being “funny, friendly, and driven to help people live their best lives”? How has the origin story helped you live your best life? Are there funny anecdotes worthy of exploration?
- Characters: Your cast of characters includes your employees (from interns to lead engineers), founders, your customers, or even a fictitious character from your ad campaigns (remember Allstate Mayhem Guy?). These characters add depth to your story and help the audience put a face or associate a personality with your company. This world trait is the most critical: It gives your content team the ability to cast these characters in your brand’s social content.
- Setting: Consider the physical space where your brand exists. Is it rooted in a specific place, like your office location? If you’re located in LA or Denver, how does that impact your world’s vibe? How does your city’s personality or office culture influence the day-to-day lives of your world’s main characters? What would Dunder Mifflin be without a cubicle farm in Scranton?
- Currency: Whether you’re sharing expertise, providing entertainment, or fostering community, this transaction drives engagement, shares, and loyalty. By defining your brand’s currency—be it knowledge, humor, or experiences—you establish the goals and objectives of your brand worldbuilding efforts. How does your world create value?
Step 2: Plan Your World Content
Now, for the fun part. How do you transform Step 1 attributes into content? Worldbuilding isn’t a one-off project; it’s a continuous process. To keep your brand’s universe expanding, plan content like programming. This means creating a recurring series of interconnected content pieces that explore the concept, origins, setting, characters, and currency of your brand’s world.
- Expertise: Great content creators excel at discussing topics in which they’re experts. You have a team of skilled professionals—showcase their expertise on those topics by explaining concepts, sharing frameworks, processes, step-by-steps, and other tips. Perhaps create a whole content series with your “characters” answering FAQs or customer questions. Check out this channel run by a former Google Senior Manager. She’s incredibly smart and consistently shares insights on topics where she’s an expert, and as a result, she earned a follow.
- Behind-the-Scenes: Offer glimpses into the daily workings of your brand. This could be anything from how your product is made (like this Dr. Squatch example), to the innovation story behind a new product, to day-to-day office life. Behind-the-scenes content humanizes your brand and even reveals some of the magic and people creating your world.
- Founder Stories: Share the history of your brand, the challenges you’ve faced, and how you’ve evolved. This helps build a deeper connection with your audience, as they see the journey behind the brand. The best part? The origin story doesn’t need to be chronological or linear. Step into your founder’s office and ask compelling questions that capture candid moments of reflection. For instance: “Tell us about the company’s first office.” Have fun with it. Remember this founder’s story?
- Trends: Use relevant memes and involve your “characters” in current trends in a way that feels authentic to your brand world concept. This not only keeps your content fresh, but also shows that your brand is in tune with pop culture. Look how the Washington Post creatively approached both ASMR and Pumpkin Spice Latte.
- Employee Spotlights: Regularly feature team members in your content. Let your audience get to know the people behind the brand, turning them into familiar faces that your followers look forward to seeing. You can just have them answer simple questions, like this Spindrift example, that could interest your target audience and tap into the culture of your office.
- Customer Stories: Highlight your customers’ experiences with your brand. This not only validates your brand but also shows how your world impacts real lives.
Step 3: Establish Your World Aesthetics
How your content looks and feels plays a significant role in your brand world. Be sure to establish scalable brand guidelines and rules that evolve with the stylings of each platform while remaining true to your brand.
- Create for the Platforms: Each platform has its unique aesthetics. For instance, Instagram often demands more polished visuals, but your Instagram Reels can be more like TikTok—raw and spontaneous. Follow content creators and observe the filters or captions they use on different platforms. What works for them might also work for your brand.
- High-Quality Production: While authenticity and spontaneity are crucial, certain content deserves full production treatment. Assets like case studies, major product launches, or brand vignettes are opportunities where high production values can distinguish your brand from content creators. But, beware of just repurposing ads, videos or spots designed for TV/CTV or other ad platforms.
- Consistent Quality: Regardless of the style you choose, ensure your content maintains that consistent level of quality. And don’t forget microphones—poor audio can disrupt the immersion of your brand’s world.
As Andy Pearson from Liquid Death put it, today’s brands thrive when they think less like brands and more like characters in a world where people connect with real, interesting stories. Planit calls this Brand Worldbuilding. The steps outlined in this article are merely starting points. There’s no magic blueprint that guarantees efficacy. For your brand to succeed in today’s social landscape cluttered with other brands, influencers, and content creators, the key is finding what makes sense for your brand and being unafraid to explore every facet that makes your world unique. That uncharted territory is more interesting than you might think.