What is a Vision Story?

In the world of environmentalism and climate action, having a well-articulated vision can be one of the most powerful markers of a successful and meaningful brand. These industries are heavily focused on outcomes, and an organisation’s ability to garner support for its work depends on how well it can inspire hope and potential for the future. 

For example, companies like the World Wildlife Fund have vision stories that showcase the organisation's potential and paint a vivid picture of the world they strive to create through their work. Their vision story starts with a vision statement, which summarises the organisation’s vision and helps the audience understand the desired potential of their work.

For example, the World Wildlife Fund’s vision statement is “to build a future in which people live in harmony with nature. We seek to save a planet, a world of life.” The statement may seem broad at first glance, but it accomplishes its purpose by letting the audience know the company's intended goal. This statement tells the audience that the organisation is working to build a future “in harmony with nature,” showcasing their commitment to “save the planet” - and values - “to live in harmony with nature.” From this point forward, they can use these established goals and values to construct a meaningful story highlighting the potential of their work. 

This constructed narrative can then be used as their vision story, which paints a vivid picture of the future the organisation is trying to create through their work. This story is designed to inspire audiences and investors to join them on their journey toward this future, highlighting what success looks like for the organisation and inviting others to join the path toward achieving their goals. 

Vision stories paint more than just a picture of the future; they also serve as strategic guides, shaping every company decision, and keeping each initiative in line with their envisioned future. In many ways, they are the framework for an organisation’s work and play a critical role in keeping all company efforts in line with their values, ethics, and goals. Without a vision story, organisations are just walking blindly into the dark, unaware of where they are going or how to get there.

Why you need a Vision Story

As these descriptions highlight, a well-defined vision story is critical to a brand or organisation’s ability to inspire and drive a deeper connection with its audience. These stories also guide the organisation’s decision-making process, pushing their initiatives toward the future outlined in the story, ensuring alignment among members of the company, driving home the purpose, and further establishing the company’s ethics and values. By clearly outlining where you want to go, the vision story also makes every choice along the way clearer, ensuring that your daily operations are consistently contributing to the long-term objectives of the organisation.    

To expand the impact of an organisation and build a stronger brand that inspires audiences, the vision story goes beyond facts and figures, delving into the emotions and aspirations behind the organisation. This emphasis on personal elements creates an emotional connection that moves people to support the work and inspires them to be a part of the organisation’s mission, joining something bigger than themselves. This is the tell-tale sign of a successful vision story because the audience feels the desire to support the process and help actualise the vision. This story is about more than just selling a product or service; it's about selling a dream that resonates with you and your audience.

Now, the way you convey the vision and create this dream is the most challenging part of the process. As a storyteller, you have to create a crystal-clear window into the future. You have to find a way to articulate this future landscape and how your business or project will be critical to making this dream a reality. When an audience understands the world you are working to create and the ways you are taking steps toward this vision, they can begin to visualise the potential of a partnership with your organisation. Take these audiences on a journey, walk them through the process, and show them how you intend to get from the present to this transformative and beautiful future. In this way, your vision story is like an invitation, compelling the audience to join the work and support the process. 

This potential illustrated in the vision story excites investors, promising them a brighter future and a better tomorrow for the company and the planet. This story outlines the immense potential of your efforts, highlighting the gaps in the market you aim to fill, and lets them know why you are the right organisation to impact the world. 

Now that we’ve established why a vision story is important to a brand or organisation, let’s examine a few case studies and understand how they not only depict a hopeful future but also serve as strategic blueprints for each organisation.

Crafting Your Vision Story: Case Studies

To demonstrate the power and potential of a well-crafted vision story, let’s examine two from our portfolio — ERS and Eeden — which were developed by our team here at Brighter Future. 

Case Study 1: ERS’s Vision Story

Our team worked alongside ERS, an organisation that certifies ecosystem restoration projects on the carbon markets, to create a powerful brand and storytelling platform. The organisation’s unique and innovative standard is designed to empower efforts that combat climate change, uplift biodiversity, and improve livelihoods, meaning their vision story needed to reflect these goals and ambitions. 

We worked with ERS to develop their vision, which envisions a future where the natural systems of our planet are restored and thriving. Through a meticulous process where we collaborated with the organisation’s founder, we crafted an illuminating vision of ecological restoration and global unity, developing the following vision story:

"Imagine walking through a jungle decades from now. You stand beneath the canopy and gain a sense of inner stillness that embraces the steady connection between ourselves and the planet. Native trees and endemic vegetation grow together, swaying softly in the wind. The sounds of nature resonate across the jungle floor, reverberating in every direction and filling the forest with a renewed sense of life.

These once-ruined landscapes have become symbols of restoration. All across the planet, forests like this have been rewilded and now transcend borders, countries, and entire continents. In each of them, populations of native species have returned to reclaim their habitats and rightful place in the natural system.

The people and communities that steward these lands are valued, and their work is appreciated. Their knowledge and rights are respected, and they lead the way on the frontlines of restoration. The introduction of the Ecosystem Restoration Standard elevated global efforts toward restoration, helping spark the recovery of these lands and their biodiversity.

The approach we employed redefined the certifier’s role, and the technology we developed rebuilt trust in the Voluntary Carbon Markets. Our work paved the way forward to global net zero, igniting a worldwide movement to restore our planet’s once-degraded lands.

This is our vision of the future, a picture of our potential, a wilder Earth where people and nature may once again thrive together."

ERS's vision story is powerful because it paints a vivid and grounded picture of the organisation’s potential. This story takes their vision and makes it realistic, giving the audience a tangible image of the future created by the organisation, and highlighting the potential of their product. This story does more than simply state their goals; it invites the audience into a transformed world, showcasing the profound impact of their work and providing inspiration for the audience to support their organisation. 

For ERS, our team really focused on the feelings and emotions associated with their envisioned future, guiding the audience on a journey through a futuristic jungle that has been formed by the potential of the organisation. We wanted to evoke feelings of hope and promise, allowing the audience to sit in the future and inspiring them to want to support the organisation’s vision. From there, we showed them how we got to this beautiful future, highlighting the organisation’s role in the transformation, and providing critical steps that built this promising new reality. 

Case Study 2: Eeden’s Vision Story

With Eeden, a sustainable textile manufacturing company, we developed a vision of a circular future that was shaped using their guidance, collaboration, and expertise. Through collaboration with their founders and key leadership, we worked to refine a vision of the planet where textile products are no longer sources of climate destruction, pollution, and inequity but key pieces in the creation of a more regenerative planet. Together, we developed the following compelling narrative:

‍"Over the past few decades, the surge in textile consumption has increased exponentially. By 2050, this growth is projected to double the number of metric tonnes of textiles needed to fuel the needs of the expanding global population, compounding the industry’s effects on the environment.

We view this growth not as a significant challenge for preserving our planet's natural systems but as an opportunity to build a circular textile industry. Instead of waste and destruction, we picture an era of positive transformation, a future where we embrace the recycling, reusing, and repurposing of discarded materials.

We envision a world built upon more sustainable production methods that utilise green energy, reduce overstocking, and prioritise higher-quality products. We’ve employed automated sorting solutions, putting an end to hidden waste exports and supporting a flourishing regenerative economy.

This world prioritises longevity, a future where our fashion industry crafts products that are circular, longer-lasting, and cherished. We’ve transformed the industry's relationship with waste, championing a culture that prioritises the repair, reuse, and recycling of textile products. This regenerative mentality contributes to the thriving circular economy, and uses thoughtful consumption as a catalyst for positive change.

This isn't a distant dream; it's a kinder, smarter vision of tomorrow, where we, as a united community, are diligently working together. This is a new and innovative era where the growth of the fashion and textile industry is no longer dictated by the destructive consequences on the planet but, instead, fostering a global shift toward responsible consumption and building a world where textiles are part of the solution, not the problem."

Eeden's vision story is compelling because it focuses on a critical issue and uses that as a launch point to build a narrative full of hope and innovation. In this way, it takes this significant problem in our current world and spins it on its head, using it to positively showcase the potential for change and reformation. This was a crucial part of this narrative since a lot of climate storytelling focuses on negativity, Eeden wanted to rewrite that narrative and imagine a hopeful vision of the future.

Their vision story also demonstrates their commitment to making this vision a reality. In many ways, the story acts as a strategic roadmap, highlighting their current efforts, and providing guidance for future steps toward building a circular textile economy. By showcasing this foundation, the vision story will continue to ensure every decision made by the organisation contributes to their vision of a regenerative future.

These stories from ERS and Eeden not only paint a picture of a hopeful future but also underscore a critical point: when an organisation's vision aligns with its actions, the vision story is a surefire way to cultivate deeper trust and connection with the audience. 

How to Pair the Vision with the Origin Story

It’s important to understand that the potential alone isn't enough; the audience may be inspired by the dream you are painting, but they must believe in your ability to turn that vision into a reality. This story is part of a larger effort to highlight a clear and compelling plan that reassures investors their money is in capable hands. The goal is to instil trust in your work. The combination of these two stories should leave no doubts about what you aim to achieve and why you are the person or business to make it happen. An investor loves to see these two things - potential and the ability to execute. 

To learn more about combining the Vision Story with an Origin Story, check out our article “How to Use an Origin and Vision Story to Attract Investors” 

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, a vision story is more than just a narrative; it's a strategic tool every entrepreneur should wield when seeking investment or support for their organisation. The vision is the bridge between the past and future, creating a powerful image that showcases the potential impact of your hard work and innovation. This story shows your audience their return on investment and encourages them to join in the journey. The Vision Story is your secret weapon - use it to inspire, engage, and secure their support from the beginning of your journey to the end. 

If you are looking for support with your storytelling, reach out to us here.