INGENIOUS, a leader in high-end, clinically proven collagen supplements, was at a crossroads in 2023. They needed to elevate their communications, boost brand awareness, and create a loyal tribe that advocated their products and understood the powerful effects in comparison to mass-market ‘celebrity-led’ collagen competitors.

With the UK collagen market forecasted to skyrocket to £30m by 2028, INGENIOUS was determined to stand out as the UK’s premier luxury, science-backed supplement – and one that genuinely enhances and changes lives. The problem: cutting through the noise in an over-saturated market.

Our research revealed the world of collagen supplements as a crowded market rife with pseudo-science and misleading claims. Yet INGENIOUS stood apart: this is a brand with authentic stories and scientifically superior products. The problem was that all these stories, the true magic of INGENIOUS, the why, remained untold.

Kick off was our two-day Story Method workshop with the INGENIOUS team, run by our directors Rob and Theo. The aim: to unpack, explore and identify the heart of the INGENIOUS brand. This is the UNTOLD approach: the journalistic / storytelling methodology that comes from our team’s decades of experience ideating and writing for broadsheet newspapers, broadcast channels and some of the biggest media in the world. We explore the authentic stories that make the brand what it is, then devise the ways to build that world in compelling, authentic ways.

Step 1: Building a Brand World

INGENIOUS puts customer advocacy, transparent processes, high-quality ingredients and a robust clinical base central to its identity. Unlike other collagens, INGENIOUS was initially devised by a leading pharmacist and medical research consultant; the man who was hired to discredit the research ended up being so impressed, he joined the team. The Story Method process facilitated the outpouring of these incredible and unique stories – from the founding partner’s ambition to create a natural arthritis medication to the sustainable creation of the powerful antioxidants used in the capsules, and how it powers a Swedish village. From these distant points we could begin to crystalise around a unified mission and a vision, before refining and narrowing down the brand’s origins, purpose and aspirations.

Many brands focus solely on product descriptions, overlooking the emotional and personal stories that transform them from product into lifestyle. The real magic lies in these stories – the subconscious pull that drives customers to choose INGENIOUS.

Step 2: Storyboarding

At UNTOLD, we use a bespoke storyboarding process to augment our understanding of a brand’s key audiences and demographics. By mapping out purchase / usage journeys exactly as like storyboarding for a film or a book, we reveal a far deeper understanding of the experiences, the emotions and the triggers that lead people to consider, purchase and recommend a product. With INGENIOUS, we challenged the team to think about who these people are, why they are buying and mapped out individual experiences of consumers engaging with the brand across touchpoints. This fed into our evolving story strategy to ensure INGENIOUS was speaking to and representing the real jobs being done

when consumers committed and subscribed to the brand. We knew that if the brand got this right, long-term advocacy, loyalty and new customer acquisitions would follow.

The Story Method™

The Story Method workshop brought together all these insights and helped us begin to build the INGENIOUS brand world. Time and time again, we’re reminded that people don’t buy products, they buy stories. Our conclusion was that INGENIOUS is far more than just a collagen supplement. It embodies genuine care, is a force for good and is a catalyst for life-changing transformations.We identified four pillars from our findings: People, Planet, Products & Ingredients and Community. Each would be populated by stories that conveyed the ingenuity, authenticity and expertise of INGENIOUS, and to stimulate intrigue, emotional touchpoints and the desire to be part of a community in readers.We focused on the personal stories of INGENIOUS users, which ranged from marathon personal trainers to those healing from injury and people just reclaiming their zest for life. These stories delved deeper than the surface-level effects of collagen, showing profound personal transformations. Through authentic interactions and meaningful conversations, these real-life advocates helped us build a larger body of loyal customers.Our deep understanding of the brand enabled INGENIOUS to reposition itself. The pillars and topics we developed now inform content across its website, social channels, email newsletters and consumer messaging, resonating deeply with end-users. INGENIOUS is no longer just a supplement – it’s a way of life.By harnessing the power of storytelling, INGENIOUS has not only distinguished itself in a crowded market but has also built a community of advocates who see the brand as integral to their daily lives.