Perhaps you’ve enjoyed Ramune, a delicious soda sold in a unique hourglass shaped bottle. Instead of a bottle cap, a freshness seal is made with a clear marble pressed up against the opening from the inside. To open the bottle, you have to follow an attached 6-step instruction set to pop the marble loose. It takes attention, patience and skill.
In this age of consumer convenience, making your customers work to get your product seems counter-intuitive. Yet Ramune is more popular than ever. Ramune has a great product story because the product is the story. Here, the story structure is desire> obstacle> action> success> reward. Or specifically: thirst> marble> pop the marble> opened bottle> refreshment. The customer makes the Ramune story a personal experience, perhaps a rite of passage for a child and a cherished memory for an adult. Remove the bottle story and Ramune is nothing more than carbonated sugar water.
When you are creating a product story make the product the story to create a personal experience. Engage your customer by making them do something that leads to a reward. You’ll have more success engaging your customer for increased sales.
To learn for yourself how to open a bottle of Ramune, go to Wiki How.