When building a brand its important for people to know who you are or have a sense of your story, its why people fall in love with Disney stories because we get to have a back story on who the characters are. We as humans love a good story its easy to remember and helps us relate to other people.
You ever watched a movie and wanted the bad guy to win? well that is usually because they showed us their backstory and we related to their struggle or their goal etc. So below are the story arcs and what most stories are built off of and examples of them.
Use this to help build your story so people can relate and fall in love with your brand
1. Rags to Riches
– Explanation: A character rises from humble beginnings to achieve greatness, wealth, or success.
– Movie Example: Cinderella, Slumdog Millionaire.
– Real-Life Example: Oprah Winfrey — grew up in poverty and became a billionaire media mogul.
2. The Underdog
– Explanation: A character, overlooked or disadvantaged, overcomes huge obstacles to succeed.
– Movie Example: Rocky , The Karate Kid.
– Real-Life Example: J.K. Rowling — rejected by many publishers before becoming one of the best-selling authors in history.
3. Overcoming the Monster
– Explanation: A hero faces a great evil (literal or metaphorical) and defeats it.
– Movie Example: Jaws, Beowulf, Harry Potter vs. Voldemort.
– Real-Life Example: Malala Yousafzai — stood up against the Taliban for girls’ education rights.
4. The Quest
– Explanation: The hero embarks on a journey to find something important and faces trials along the way.
– Movie Example: The Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones.
– Real-Life Example: Ernest Shackleton’s expedition to save his crew after their ship was trapped in Antarctica.
5. Voyage and Return
– Explanation: The protagonist travels to a strange place, faces challenges, and returns wiser.
– Movie Example: Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz.
– Real-Life Example: Astronauts returning from the Apollo 13 mission after a near-disaster in space.
6. Tragedy
– Explanation: A main character is brought down by their own flaws or circumstances, often ending badly.
– Movie Example: Macbeth, Titanic (Jack and Rose’s love story), The Godfather.
– Real-Life Example: Kurt Cobain — immense talent overshadowed by personal struggles leading to tragedy.
7. Comedy
– Explanation: A series of confusing or chaotic events eventually lead to a happy resolution, often involving marriages or reunions.
– Movie Example: Much Ado About Nothing, The Hangover* (modern chaotic example).
– Real-Life Example: Think of people who go through chaotic weddings or misadventures but end up happy — like celebrities with dramatic romances that still end in marriage (e.g., David and Victoria Beckham).
8. Rebirth
– Explanation: A character undergoes a transformation, redeeming themselves after a dark period.
– Movie Example: A Christmas Carol (Scrooge), Beauty and the Beast.
– Real-Life Example: Robert Downey Jr. — overcame drug addiction to become one of Hollywood’s top actors.
9. Institutionalized (modern addition)
– Explanation: A character struggles against a system or institution, questioning their loyalty or trying to change it.
– Movie Example: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Dead Poets Society.
– Real-Life Example: Edward Snowden — whistleblowing on NSA surveillance practices.
I am Clifton Alexander and I specialize in helping people and businesses build their brands and gain massive exposure.
