• by Doug Parks , 5 hours ago

My favorite part of stories is worldbuilding.

The confluence of the culture, the settings, the interactions and norms—they realize a compelling framework for the characters and plot to inhabit. When it’s done well, the reader can fill in the gaps with their own imagination so naturally that it happens almost unconsciously.

Brand building isn’t so different, when you think about it.

As marketers, we create the scaffolding. We build on it. Illustrate it (using only approved colors and fonts from our brand guidelines, of course). Our campaigns become examples of how those foundational tenets come to life. But we leave space for our customers to fill in the gaps, to become part of the story.

Now imagine the sparks that must surely fly when worldbuilding and brand building are truly one and the same.

In 2005, the children’s picture book Elf on the Shelf hit the shelves and in the subsequent years it enmeshed itself in millions of homes as a new tradition. From there the story grew and now, under the helm of sisters Christa Pitts and Chanda Bell, the Lumistella Company has created an entire universe—the Santaverse—that comes to life across books, TV shows, music, video games, and more.

This week we sit down with Christa and Chanda, co-Founders and co-CEOs of the Lumistella Company, to talk about how they are reengaging their aging audiences with their newest story and first foray in YA fiction, The Rise of Nicholas the Noble.

You can listen to the entire podcast at this link.