The Rise of the Chief Storytelling Officer Role

Aug 19, 2025

Discover the essential role of the Chief Storytelling Officer in today's businesses. This role transcends marketing, impacting leadership and growth across departments. Learn how a CSO ensures brand consistency and engages both internal and external stakeholders with aligned messaging. Insights from industry leaders reveal the importance of crafting a cohesive narrative that enhances brand identity. Tune in for tips on making storytelling a pivotal aspect of your organization!

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Storytelling Is A Company-Wide Tool

Storytelling is not just marketing; it's a company-wide communication tool used internally and externally.
You must ensure the story remains consistent regardless of who tells it to maintain trust and clarity.

ANECDOTE

Nike's Early Chief Storyteller Example

Rain described Nelson Ferris at Nike as an early example of a Chief Storytelling Officer who shaped brand narrative over decades.
Nelson's long tenure at Nike illustrates how the role can originate from boots-on-the-ground practice rather than a job posting.

INSIGHT

CSO Role Is Growing Across Industries

The CSO title has spread across large companies and thousands now list it on LinkedIn.
The role scales to organizations of all sizes because narrative alignment becomes more critical over time.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

“The CSO needs a seat at every department’s table—product, marketing, sales—because story threads through all of it.” — Rain Bennett

Storytelling isn’t just about marketing anymore—it’s about leadership, alignment, and growth.

In this special 200th episode of The Storytelling Lab, Rain kicks off Season 14 by exploring the rise of a new essential role in business: the Chief Storytelling Officer.

Whether you’re at a massive company like Nike or a scrappy startup, someone needs to take responsibility for narrative consistency across your entire organization.

Rain shares insights from his interviews with real CSOs, including Nike’s Nelson Farris, and breaks down what this role looks like—why it matters, what it includes, and how to fill it (even if it’s you). From establishing your brand’s core “why” to ensuring cohesion across departments like product, marketing, and sales, the CSO is the linchpin of a modern brand. And as Rain writes his next book on the topic, he’s bringing listeners along for the journey.

This episode sets the stage for a season focused on clarity, alignment, and the systems that make brand storytelling sustainable.

In this episode, you will learn to:

Understand the purpose and impact of the Chief Storytelling Officer as a leadership role, not just a creative one.
Translate your brand’s purpose and vision into aligned stories across product, marketing, sales, and internal culture.
Avoid misalignment and brand dilution by building a system of narrative cohesion from top to bottom.
Identify the right person to fill the CSO role—whether that’s you or someone already doing the work informally.
Create trust and connection with customers, teams, and investors through one clear, consistent story.