Storytelling and Fearless Branding

I am CEO and Co-Founder of One Shot Immersive and this is an awkward first stab at a blog. It is perhaps the beginning of our brand adventure, but more than that, it is an important step towards telling our story. I will make it as personal as I can. This is not through some desire to be autobiographical, but so I can hold myself accountable for the company that One Shot Immersive becomes.

“Seek out the moments you feel uncomfortable or vulnerable”

This advice was from a world-leading brand consultant during a recent workshop we held for One Shot. For me, this was most certainly a pointed statement and writing this blog is certainly uncomfortable. I think he was telling me to get my head out of a dark place, front up and tell the world what you are about. He laid it bear in case I hadn’t taken the hint:

“The longer it takes us to get it out there, the more people will die. Loved ones, will lose loved ones. This isn’t something that happens to other people. It is just a matter of time until it happens to you.”

A little sensational I thought. At first. Then I wondered why. Why is this sensational? One Shot has a vision to empower people to save lives. What could be more urgent? By presenting life-saving knowledge through our VR platform to one person today, allowing them to gain the confidence to treat, may well empower them to save a life. Our product needs to be out there now.

A lot of the vulnerability I feel about the branding of our company is surely wrapped up in my own ego. I am conscious that my former colleagues in service may cringe in the same way I did when reading the above statement. But this is more than my personal fear, ego and peer pressure. It is about the power of our business and the talents of the people within it to make a real and lasting impact. It is the reason I have given up my medical licence. It is the reason I have left a well-paid job. It is the reason I travelled to the Syrian border to explore how One Shot may be able to help in conflict. And it is the reason I will continue to take personal risk in order to achieve maximum impact.

So what is branding if it is not a reflection of every piece of the causes you stand for? Why you exist. We know our cause, our fight, and we are re-writing the rules of engagement. We now need to tell our story and be fearless about doing so.