Introduction
Storytelling is an integral component of public relations, as it attracts the attention of the wider public and enables explaining the company’s goals to them in a less direct, hence less aggressive way. In the article by Kent (2015), the author mentions the quest for public relations master plots. It lies in searching for an artifact, place, idea, personality, or other that is able to change the protagonist’s life. For instance, Cotopaxi, a manufacturer of clothes, packs, and accessories for outdoor activities, became famous after finding a technique for producing one-of-a-kind bags (“Cotopaxi,” n.d.). This feature actually determined the success of the brand.
Main body
The company began by designing and sewing backpacks by several Filipino people. They created each model from scratch, choosing the color of cloth as well as threads along with any other aspects that contributed to the quality of the final product. Their main task was to enable uniqueness; simply stated, every backpack needed to be different from the other (Ade, 2018). Achieving that goal boosted the imagination and creativity of the designers, due to which their project eventually developed into a multimillion-dollar corporation. The story of Cotopaxi demonstrates the result of searching for something, notably, uniqueness, which makes it an example of a quest (Kent, 2015). In fact, this master plot is presumably among the most inspiring, hence popular.
Summary
To summarize, Cotopaxi is a brand that appeared as an outcome of a quest. According to Kent (2015), using this master plot “provides an opportunity for an organization to evolve,” which the company under review actually demonstrates (p. 486). Notably, its history describes how Filipino designers found a way to make unique, uncopied backpacks, which favored further development and helped their small businesses expand worldwide.
References
Ade, M. (2018). The art of effective storytelling and its role in PR. Critical Mention. Web.
Cotopaxi. (n.d.). Taunton Leisure. Web.
Kent, M. L. (2015). The power of storytelling in public relations: Introducing the 20 master plots. Public Relations Review, 41(4), 480-489. Web.