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History marketing in 5 easy steps

Leverage your history

History marketing in 5 steps

For all companies that want to use their history as a business-driving, strategic asset: here are five fundamental steps to effective history marketing.

1. Identify the purpose

No matter what sparked the idea of using history – an anniversary, a change of ownership, an acquisition, or something else – think through why you really want to use your history. Is it to:

Strengthen the brand and build trust.
Create internal pride and nurture the corporate culture.
Manage change and risk in changing times.

Perhaps it's all of the above? Regardless, a clear purpose helps you decide which parts of your corporate history that are most relevant to highlight.

Flitig reklamman, nyårsdagen 1951. (Ur Gumælius Annonsbyrås arkiv hos Centrum för Näringslivshistoria.)

2. Inventory and organize historical material

How can you verify that your history is accurate and true? Start from real sources!

Collect documents, pictures, films, products, stories ...
Create an organized company archive – physical or digital – that is easy to search through.
Feel free to collaborate with a professional archive such as the Centre for Business History.

A well-organized archive is the foundation for telling the story effectively, factually, and authentically.

Med ordning och reda blir det lätta att återsöka i arkivet. (Foto: Emma Sofia Olsson)

3. Choose stories that truly carry the company's history

You can't fit everything that happened into your storytelling. So choose the stories that are true milestones - both positive and challenging! – and that really reflect who you really are.

Tell authentically and passionately – see it as fact-based storytelling!
Start from the future and work backward – this makes the stories relevant to today's business!
Focus on why you did things, not what you did. This makes your history more universal.

It's not about nostalgia, but about showing continuity and credibility. Feel free to seek help from experienced storytellers - like us at the Centre for Business History.

4. Work history into your everday communication

Structure your narrative and package your history so that it is easy to use in many ways, not just in an anniversary book or history site, but in all channels you use for:

Marketing, advertising, and more.
Internal communication, onboarding, and more.
As product packaging, labels, company presentations - and much more …

The history should not be a separate part – it should be woven into ongoing communication.

Världens längst visade reklamkoncept: ICA-såpan. (Ur ICAs arkiv hos Centrum för Näringslivshistoria.)

5. Follow up and develop

Never stop telling your story, always keep it alive – for old and new recipients:

Measure the impact: How do customers and employees react?
Continuously update the archive.
Keep collecting new stories – today's events are tomorrow's history.

Historiebrukets många verktyg. (Illustration: Åsa Kax Ideberg.)

More about history marketing

Read "History marketing - The company's history as a strategic asset"

A handbook in commercial use of history that we released in 2023 from our own Förlaget Näringslivshistoria. Full of both theory and practical examples - all based on our over 50 years of experience helping companies preserve and tell their story.