How a $200 whisky shows us how we can sell 'story' to our clients
Patrick Moreau
What a $200 Whisky Teaches About Selling Story
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A 150 pound Oban bottle, the Riedel glass tests and Dan Ariely's vinegar beer.
At the Oban Distillery in Scotland, Patrick Moreau paid 150 pounds, close to $200, for an 18 year single malt because the label told a story of place and craft. Two studies show why that works. Drinkers rated identical wine higher from a Riedel glass, and Dan Ariely's MIT students preferred beer spiked with balsamic vinegar when it was framed as a special brew.
Patrick here, coming to you from a whirlwind trip to Scotland. I’m on a mission to capture the perfect drone shot for a client project, but I couldn’t resist a detour to the Oban Distillery to indulge my love of whisky.
As I explored their collection, one bottle stopped me in my tracks - an 18 year aged single malt with a price tag of £150 (nearly $200!).
Now, I’m no stranger to splurging on a fine whisky, but what really sold me was the incredible storytelling woven into every aspect of this bottle.
It got me thinking…
As filmmakers, we GET story, but getting our clients fully on board is often tough. They’ll often push for more facts and features.
*Well, buckle up because I’m about to share some science that will give you the ammo you need the next time you want to onboard a client to why story is the right approach.*
Why Story Matters
When it comes to crafting content for a brand, story is your secret weapon for two crucial reasons:
Capturing Attention: In a world drowning in noise and distractions, a compelling story is the only thing that will make people stop scrolling and pay attention to your message.
Shifting Perceptions: A well-told story can shift variables like perceived value, willingness to pay, and brand preference - all of which are key to driving business results for your clients.
The Whisky That Wooed Me
Back to that $200 bottle of whisky. From the moment I picked it up, I was drawn into a story of provenance, passion, and craftsmanship.
The front label alone hooked me with this powerful promise:
18 AGED YEARS. WE BELIEVE THAT ISLAY WHISKY SHOULD HAVE A SENSE OF PLACE, OF TERROIR THAT SPEAKS OF THE LAND, THE BARLEY AND WATER FROM WHICH IT WAS MADE, AND THE HUMAN SOUL THAT GAVE IT LIFE. THIS ULTRA-HIGH PROVENANCE SINGLE MALT WHISKY IS THAT VISION REALISED.
Flip to the back and the story deepens with details about their pioneering approach and commitment to raw ingredients:
By the time I left that distillery, I wasn’t just sold on the whisky itself, I was bought into the entire ethos and vision behind the brand.
That’s the power of story.
The Science Behind Storytelling
Now I know what you might be thinking - sure, story sounds nice, but does this solid storytelling actually change how one might experience the product?
To answer that, let’s look at two studies that reveal just how much story can sway perception and behavior.
First, let me tell you about Riedel, a wine glass company that claimed its glasses made wine taste better. - “it tastes better in Reidel“.
In blind taste tests, people consistently rated the same wine higher when told it was served in a Riedel glass. The story itself shifted their perception of taste. Despite physicists being unable to find any scientific reason, the glass itself was changing anything related to the flavor.
Next up, a beer experiment gone wrong (or right?) at MIT. Behavioral economist Dan Ariely served students beer spiked with balsamic vinegar.
When framed as a special MIT brew, the students rated the nasty concoction as more desirable than regular beer!
Only when Ariely revealed the vinegar before they tasted it did their preferences flip.
The takeaway?
Storytelling has the power to measurably impact how people experience and value a product, even if that story runs counter to objective reality.
Putting Story to Work for Your Clients
So how can you leverage this storytelling superpower for your clients?
Here are some key tips:
Develop the brand as a character, focusing on its Desire, Motivation, and Uniqueness.
Emphasize benefits over features, and craft those benefits into an emotionally resonant story arc
When pitching clients, don’t just spit facts - tell them stories! Use case studies like Riedel and MIT to illustrate the persuasive power of story. You can learn more in Seth Godin’s “All Marketers are Liars“ and Dan Ariely’s “Predictably Irrational.”
Back up your storytelling recommendations with the science and studies demonstrating your expertise and building trust.
If you can nail those elements, you won’t just create more engaging content - you’ll help your clients command premium pricing, loyalty, and market share.
Slàinte mhath,
Patrick
ps - I am super close to launching the QUEST method - a framework to help you lead sales conversations with your clients through a series of stages by asking a series. of strategic questions. Some early testers are getting powerful results! Coming very soon.
An 18 year Oban single malt, the Riedel glass tests and Dan Ariely's MIT beer study, and what they prove about pitching story to skeptical clients.
How a $200 whisky shows us how we can sell 'story' to our clients A 150 pound Oban bottle, the Riedel glass tests and Dan Ariely's vinegar beer. At the Oban Distillery in Scotland, Patrick Moreau paid 150 pounds, close to $200, for an 18 year single malt because the label told a story of place and craft. Two studies show why that works. Drinkers rated identical wine higher from a Riedel glass, and Dan Ariely's MIT students preferred beer spiked with balsamic vinegar when it was framed as a special brew.