Backstory is a brand strategy and messaging consultancy that closes the gap between brand and performance marketing. We build premium brands for premium exits by helping founders and executive teams communicate their full value at a company, audience and offering level. Our insight-driven process combines the best of qualitative and quantitative analysis to uncover insights that set you apart and attract the right customers, employees and investors.
Our four-step process includes Brand Discovery, Brand Foundation, Brand Expression and Brand Activation.
Brand Discovery includes in-depth interviews, a brand audit and competitive analysis. The resulting data-driven insights inform everything that follows and give executives and team members confidence to adopt and align around a shared set of messages. Using these insights, we build minimum viable messaging and validate Message Market Fit®.
Brand Foundation clarifies and articulates your Brand Purpose, the difference you make beyond making money; brand position: what you stand for in the minds of customers; brand promise: the overarching value you deliver to customers; brand pillars: your five biggest differentiators and benefits; and brand personality: how your brand looks, sounds and feels.
In the third phase of work, Brand Expression, we define the firmographic and psychographic characteristics of your ideal customer profiles (ICPs) and customer personas (buyers and those who influence them), along with your audience and offering messaging. From there, we develop your strategic brand narrative, including your company's elevator pitch, about us statement and company overview. We also write taglines, build brand architectures, and provide naming and visual brand identity services.
Through Brand Activation, we take your story to market with consistency across customer touchpoints. These services include SEO/AEO search-ready sitemaps, wireframes, and website copy, content marketing, sales presentations, and collateral.
Backstory Branding offers valuable branding services, with clients praising their professionalism and collaborative approach. While specific project costs aren't mentioned, their ability to deliver impactful branding solutions has led to significant client growth and engagement.
Clients consistently praised Backstory Branding for their professionalism and punctuality in delivering projects. Their ability to meet deadlines and maintain effective communication was highly valued by clients.
Deep Understanding of Client Needs
Backstory Branding demonstrated a deep understanding of client value propositions and needs. This enabled them to deliver tailored solutions that effectively bridged clients' visions with their audiences' needs.
Impatience in Project Completion
While Backstory Branding's urgency helped complete projects efficiently, one client noted a desire for deeper engagement in defining processes, suggesting a potential area for improvement.
High Collaboration and Engagement
Clients appreciated the collaborative approach taken by Backstory Branding, particularly the involvement of their founder, Jed, who facilitated a highly engaging and participative process.
Effective Brand Articulation
Backstory Branding helped clients articulate their brand promise effectively, leading to increased client engagement and confidence. Their work resulted in successful brand identity development that resonated with target audiences.
Successful Brand Launch and Adoption
Backstory Branding's work resulted in successful brand launches and high adoption rates across multiple locations, significantly impacting company culture and employee engagement positively.
“They were professional and effective in every way.”
Oct 9, 2026
Managing Partner, Optimal Impact, LLC
Pete Skalla
Verified
Business services
Salt Lake City, Utah
1-10 Employees
Online Review
Verified
Backstory Branding helped a growth advisory firm articulate their brand promise. They guided the client in choosing their company name, logo, brand messaging, and website design and development.
Backstory Branding delivered branding elements that engaged the client's potential customers and helped establish their confidence in the business. The team was professional, effective, and punctual. They also deeply understood the client's value proposition and needs.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I'm the managing partner of Optimal Impact, LLC, a growth advisory firm that guides leaders to scale a company that matters in the world.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with Backstory Branding?
We needed help to powerfully articulate our brand promise.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
Backstory Branding guided us in choosing our company name, logo, brand messaging, and website design and development.
What is the team composition?
We worked with two teammates from Backstory Branding.
How did you come to work with Backstory Branding?
I had known Jed Morley personally and professionally for years and chose them for this project because of his reputation and expertise.
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked together from October 2023–April 2024.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We launched the company with branding that engaged our potential clients and helped establish their confidence in us. We received feedback from existing and new clients that the logo, messaging, and website spoke to them. We also grew and had more business than we could handle.
How did Backstory Branding perform from a project management standpoint?
Backstory Branding was absolutely punctual in meeting their deliverables. They were professional and effective in every way. We communicated via in-person meetings.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Jed (Founder) understood and engaged with our unique value proposition more deeply than anyone ever had. He was a highly effective bridge between our aspirational vision and our clients' needs. He expertly guided us to translate our vision into tangible form.
Are there any areas they could improve?
Jed was impatient for the project's completion. I wish he had engaged even more deeply to help me better define our process and help clients engage with it. However, he went deeper intellectually than anyone, and his urgency helped us complete the project.
RATINGS
5.0
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
Cost
5.0
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
Brand Development/Strategy for Property Mgmt Franchising Co
Branding
Brand messagingBrand strategyCorporate identity
Confidential
Mar. 2023 - Jan. 2024
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
5.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
"Our franchise partners became more engaged in growing their businesses."
Oct 9, 2026
VP Marketing, PMI
Greg Allison
Verified
Real estate
Lehi, Utah
51-200 Employees
Online Review
Verified
Backstory Branding provided brand development and strategy for a property management franchising company. The team created the client's brand foundation, identity, logo, tagline, and brand style guide.
Backstory Branding's work led to the adoption of the client's brand foundation and the launch of their new branding across 400 locations. The team helped the client create company values and transform their culture. Backstory Branding delivered on time and made the process highly collaborative.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the VP of marketing for PMI, a property management franchising company. We provide franchise opportunities for entrepreneurs seeking to manage property management businesses across residential, short-term rental, association, multifamily, and commercial verticals.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with Backstory Branding?
We needed to establish a strong brand foundation for future growth. We needed a more compelling brand story and a more modern and contemporary brand identity to firmly position us as the category leader in our industry.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
Backstory Branding provided brand development and strategy, ideal customer profile (ICP) development and mapping, and content frameworks. They also created our brand identity, including our logo and tagline. The team delivered frameworks and a brand style guide that guided the development of collateral and websites.
What is the team composition?
We worked with 2–5 teammates from Backstory Branding.
How did you come to work with Backstory Branding?
We found them through an online search. We chose them because they offered exactly what we were looking for, spoke our love language, and were a great culture fit.
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked together from March 2023 to January 2024.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Backstory Branding’s work led to the adoption of our brand foundation and the launch of our new branding across 400 locations. We also saw the creation of company values and a transformation of our culture. We had 100% adoption of our new brand identity across all 400+ locations in less than one year.
Our franchise partners became more engaged in growing their businesses, and our employee morale and retention increased. We maintained a 98% retention rate of all employees, and our employee net promoter score (NPS) was above 90.
How did Backstory Branding perform from a project management standpoint?
They delivered on time and then some. We primarily communicated via virtual meetings, but in-person as much as we needed.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Jed was a consummate professional and made the process highly collaborative instead of determinative. His guiding hand and expertise throughout the process were much appreciated.
Are there any areas they could improve?
There’s nothing we can come up with.
RATINGS
5.0
"Exceptional experience and value. Over-delivered every step of the way."
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
Cost
5.0
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
Branding for IT Company
Branding
Brand messaging
Confidential
October 2020
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
4.5
Willing to Refer
5.0
"Backstory Branding was great."
Oct 11, 2026
Founder, Grow
Rob Nelson
Information technology
Utah, United States
51-200 Employees
Online Review
Backstory Branding helped an IT training and job placement platform develop their brand messaging. The team provided messaging guidelines, a tagline, a rallying cry, and short and long descriptions.
Backstory Branding's work made the client's marketing clearer and more concise. Their product development also became more aligned with their priorities. The team was great, and there was nothing they could improve on. They delivered on time and communicated well via various channels.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the founder of GROW, an IT platform that provides practical training and guaranteed job placements to help individuals transition from education to employment. We focus on bridging skill gaps in high-demand fields like IT.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with Backstory Branding?
We needed help crafting the right messaging for the market. It was a complex problem set we were solving, so we needed to explain it in a clear, simple way that resonated with the audience.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
Backstory Branding helped us with our brand messaging strategy. The team provided messaging guidelines, a tagline, a rallying cry, and short and long descriptions.
What is the team composition?
We worked with one teammate from Backstory Branding.
How did you come to work with Backstory Branding?
Someone referred Backstory Branding to us. We chose them over other options because they had high ratings, were close to my geographic location, and had company values that aligned with ours.
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked with Backstory Branding in October 2020.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Everything became easier after this project. Our marketing became clearer and crisper, and our product development aligned better and became more clear on what was most important. Honestly, our business just became easier after we had our brand messaging guidelines nailed down.
How did Backstory Branding perform from a project management standpoint?
Backstory Branding delivered on time. We communicated via in-person meetings, virtual meetings, and email or messaging apps.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Backstory Branding was great.
Are there any areas they could improve?
There was nothing they could improve on.
RATINGS
5.0
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
Cost
4.5
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
Branding for AI-Powered Revenue Intelligence Platform
BrandingMarketing Strategy
Confidential
Sep. - Dec. 2023
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
5.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
"The content was very valuable."
Oct 11, 2026
Founder, Delicious AI
Brad Curtis
Information technology
Lehi, Utah
1-10 Employees
Online Review
Backstory Branding provided messaging and positioning services for an AI-powered revenue intelligence platform. They helped develop a presentation for a global audience of Coca-Cola bottling leaders.
Backstory Branding's work was well-received by the client and internal stakeholders. They helped the client explain how their platform supports better merchandising decisions and communicate the double-digit sales lift they had seen on managed displays. Their work was clear and compelling.
The client submitted this review online.
BACKGROUND
Please describe your company and position.
I am the Founder of Delicious AI
Describe what your company does in a single sentence.
I founded DeliciousAI and led sales during our engagement with Backstory. Based in Lehi, Utah, DeliciousAI developed an AI-powered revenue intelligence platform for consumer packaged goods brands and direct-store-delivery businesses. Our technology captures sales execution at the point of sale, identifies gaps, and coaches field teams to improve merchandising and product availability. By helping teams align retail displays with customer demand, the platform supports double-digit sales increases.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What specific goals or objectives did you hire Backstory Branding to accomplish?
We needed to communicate complex technology in a way that made its business value clear to enterprise executives. Our platform goes beyond traditional 2D image recognition, but explaining the technical differences wasn’t enough. We needed to show how those differences help teams improve merchandising decisions and sales. We also had an opportunity to showcase our work with Swire Coca-Cola North America at DigiCon 2023 in Hong Kong. We hired Backstory to clarify our positioning and help develop a compelling presentation for a global audience of Coca-Cola bottling leaders.
SOLUTION
How did you find Backstory Branding?
Referral
Why did you select Backstory Branding over others?
High ratings
Close to my geographic location
Great culture fit
Referred to me
How many teammates from Backstory Branding were assigned to this project?
2-5 Employees
Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.
Backstory clarified our positioning and messaging, connecting our platform’s technical capabilities to practical commercial benefits. Jed developed and refined the executive video script featuring me and Jen Reese from Swire Coca-Cola North America. The narrative connected Swire’s Consumer Cube, which supports strategic consumer targeting, with our platform’s ability to improve execution at the retail display level. Backstory also developed website messaging explaining our capabilities and the differences between 2D recognition and 3D sales intelligence. Jed collaborated with Bobby Macey at Macey Media to translate the story into executive commentary, visual demonstrations, and store-level scanning sequences.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
The video premiered at DigiCon 2023 in Hong Kong and received enthusiastic feedback from Swire Coca-Cola leadership, who described it as a standout presentation. Backstory helped us explain how our platform supports better merchandising decisions and communicate the double-digit sales lift we had seen on managed displays. Their work gave us a clear, compelling way to present that value to enterprise decision-makers.
Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?
Excellent. Jed coordinated messaging revisions and stakeholder feedback within a tight conference production schedule, working with our team, Swire, and Macey Media to prepare the presentation.
What was your primary form of communication with Backstory Branding?
In-Person Meeting
What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?
Jed’s ability to translate complex technology into a clear business story. He connected what our platform does with why it matters to the people buying and using it. The presentation brought together strategic consumer targeting and store-level execution in a way that made the overall opportunity easy to understand.
Are there any areas for improvement or something Backstory Branding could have done differently?
The output from the project was in a video format. The content was very valuable. It would be helpful to understand how to carry that content over to our other marketing channels
RATINGS
5.0
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
Cost
5.0
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
"Would absolutely work with Jed again
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