Great stories beget great products. The best product narratives – detailing origins, development, ethos and morals – give the customer a role in the story, creating points of commonality, and developing an emotional investment in the brand’s history and imagery.
When Erickson Aviation approached Modern Edge for assistance in updating their brand experience, Modern Edge crafted a story of durability, safety and commitment for Erickson’s Aircrane Helicopter.
We began by defining usage models – establishing the primary purpose of the Aircrane in the context of particular industries. An Aircrane employed by firefighters serves a substantially different role than does an Aircrane used for shipping enterprises. By identifying the similarities and differences between usage models, Modern Edge ensured that each story would speak poignantly and truthfully to its intended audience.
Modern Edge then developed the scenarios that comprise the story and make the Erickson Aircrane brand relevant to the consumer. In these scenarios, the helicopters become the “protagonists,” embodying the qualities important to a particular usage model. An Aircrane extinguishing a flaming building is the “warrior,” defending his comrades from the blaze; fitted with a rescue basket, the helicopter becomes a “superhero,” swooping in to the aid of natural disaster victims.
Through our work, Modern Edge provided Erickson with stories and a method of storytelling to reach out to a large audience and evoke emotional connection with the Aircrane and its capabilities.
