Stop Proving, Start Believing: a guide to innovation storytelling

What happens when innovation storytelling goes AWOL

I had invented a new material: D3O. I had spent more than 2 years in the laboratory at a university testing the performance and building what I thought was a compelling set of data, showing the measurable advantage of our new product in direct comparison to the existing competition.

I took the samples, and a folder full of data to my first customer conversations, with companies like Adidas and Puma, everyone was interested to hear more about our new material. I had a great measurable argument to justify the advantage of our material, but no one pursued it any further than our initial conversations, it was too expensive for the advantage it offered.

All that work for nothing. But, the problem was I was thinking like a scientist, wanting to prove everything to justify an advantage.

This experience reveals a fundamental truth about innovation: compelling evidence alone doesn't drive adoption. In the realm of transformative ideas, the most successful concepts don't simply rely on overwhelming evidence - they harness the power of belief. This article explores why creating belief is often more effective than accumulating proof, especially when introducing novel ideas or technologies to the world. For us, building a belief system is just another way of saying “building a brand”.

Why belief trumps proof in driving action

When seeking to inspire action and adoption, belief holds a distinct advantage over mere evidence. While evidence speaks to our rational mind, belief engages our emotions and identity. As Geoffrey Moore illustrates in his book "Crossing the Chasm," the chasm between early adopters and the mainstream market isn't bridged by technical specifications - it's crossed through creating belief systems that resonate with people's values and aspirations.

Belief is inherently motivational. When people truly believe in something, they become advocates rather than mere consumers. They don't just use a product; they champion its cause. 

Take for example the early adopters of technologies like personal computers, electric vehicles, or plant-based foods - their passion stems not from proof of superiority, but from belief in the transformative potential these innovations represent, and the new future they can create - it’s how it makes them feel.

As Moore explains in "Crossing the Chasm," the early majority (or "pragmatists") who constitute the mainstream market don't make decisions based solely on evidence; they seek social proof and reassurance. They need to believe the new solution is not just technically superior but also socially validated and aligned with their identity. You need to build trust and the associated feeling of safety - and for that you need a brand.In short you need a brand both before you have a ‘large enough group of customers to justify the work’ to gain belief in the future, and after to cross the chasm through belief and trust.

The storytelling advantage: how narratives create belief

Stories outperform data when it comes to creating belief for a simple reason: our brains are wired for narrative. Neuroscientific research has demonstrated that stories trigger neural coupling, allowing listeners to synchronize their brain activity with storytellers. When we hear a story, our brain waves actually start to synchronise with those of the storyteller, creating a shared experience that cold facts alone cannot replicate.

Research by Uri Hasson at Princeton University found that when one person tells a story and another listens, their brain activity actually begins to mirror each other in key areas that process meaning and context. This neurological alignment helps explain why humans naturally trust information delivered through stories more readily than written facts.

Stories work at multiple levels:

1. Emotional engagement: Stories activate emotions through the release of neurochemicals like oxytocin, which neuroscientist Paul Zak calls the "moral molecule" that promotes trust, empathy, and cooperation. This emotional response creates stronger, more durable beliefs than rational arguments alone.

2. Meaning-making: Stories provide context and meaning. As Dr. Pamela Rutledge notes, "Stories are how we think. They are how we make meaning of life." When people encounter a compelling story, they don't just process information - they integrate it into their understanding of the world.

3. Human connection: We inherently trust information from other humans more than from abstract sources. Research shows that our brains are naturally prone to trusting others, and personal stories tap into this fundamental human connection.

4. Memorability: Psychologist Peg Neuhauser found that information presented in story form is remembered more accurately and for far longer than facts and figures alone. Jerome Bruner's research suggests facts are 20 times more likely to be remembered when embedded in a story.

   
   

When Tesla launched, they didn't merely present battery specifications - they told a story about a sustainable future where driving could be both thrilling and environmentally responsible. This narrative created believers, not just customers.

Future-focused innovation: why data can't predict what doesn't yet exist

Perhaps the most compelling reason belief outperforms proof lies in the nature of innovation itself. The future - especially one that represents a significant departure from the status quo - cannot be fully evidenced by existing data.

The limitations of evidence-based approaches to future innovations:

1. The data paradox: Truly innovative ideas often lack historical data because they create categories that didn't previously exist. When the first iPhone launched, there was no market data on smartphone adoption because the category barely existed.

2. The constraints of extrapolation: Traditional evidence relies on extrapolating past trends. However, transformative innovations don't extend existing trend lines - they create entirely new ones.

3. The problem of paradigms: Within existing paradigms, data collection is inherently limited by current frameworks of understanding. Revolutionary ideas require imagination that transcends these limitations.

   
   

In "Crossing the Chasm," Moore emphasises that the early market - comprising technology enthusiasts and visionaries - connects with new technologies through belief in possibilities rather than established evidence. These early adopters understand intuitively that when creating something new, the absence of evidence isn't evidence of absence — it's simply the natural starting point of innovation.

Building effective belief systems

To create effective belief systems around innovations, you need to think about how to:

1. Create compelling origin stories: Share the journey that led to the innovation, highlighting the problem, the vision, and the persistence required to bring it to life.

2. Focus on transformation: Emphasise how innovation transforms experiences rather than just improving metrics.

3. Connect to values: Link the innovation to deeper human values and aspirations that transcend mere utility.

4. Build belief communities: Foster communities where believers can share experiences and reinforce each other's commitment.

5. Use selective evidence strategically: Present evidence not as the foundation of your case but as validation of an already-compelling narrative.

Conclusion: the synergy of belief and proof

This isn't to suggest abandoning evidence altogether. Rather, the most successful innovations combine compelling belief systems with strategic evidence. The belief creates emotional investment and openness; the evidence then reduces perceived risk and provides rationalisation.This means building a brand, with meaning and shareable stories that inspire.

In Moore's framework, crossing the chasm requires understanding that different segments respond to different combinations of belief and proof. Early adopters may need only a compelling vision to believe, while the early majority requires both belief and enough evidence to justify their leap of faith.

The most transformative innovations in history - from democracy to digital technology - began not with comprehensive proof but with powerful beliefs that inspired action before all the evidence was in. By recognising the primacy of belief in human motivation and decision-making, innovators can focus on creating not just better products but more compelling visions of possible futures.

In an age of information abundance, the scarcest resource isn't proof - it's belief. By mastering the art of creating belief rather than just accumulating evidence, innovators can bridge the crucial gap between having a good idea and changing the world.Your No.1 Job when launching a new product is to gather believers, and the way you do this is by building a belief system, A BRAND.

My invention d3o is patented and has commercial secrets to protect commercial copying, however the real value of the company is the brand we created, and how we used innovation storytelling to power it, which is more unique and powerful than the material properties it represents.