Why Mystery Builds Better Brands

Today I want to talk about mystery. It’s a curious thing. As a storytelling device, it’s one of the most enticing and engaging tools we have. Whether it’s a murder mystery, a crime drama, a fight for the iron throne, or just the final minutes of a football match; mystery is what keeps us glued. The unclosed loop. The not-knowing. The unresolved. It's as old as storytelling itself.

So why am I, someone who writes mostly about digital content, suddenly waxing lyrical about mystery?

Well, I think it's one of the most powerful and underrated tools available to creators today. Not just in telling stories, but in building an audience. Maybe even a brand.

We’re often told to make things easy to follow. To drip-feed exposition. To frontload the context. We don’t want our audience to get lost, or confused, or feel like they’re not in on the joke. But what if the not knowing is the point? What if the lack of context is what actually makes something sticky?

Mystery invites curiosity. And curiosity is engagement.

This isn’t just about narrative. It’s about identity. It’s about mystique. Which is why I keep thinking about wrestling.

Wrestling, for all its ridiculousness, understood this early. The idea of "kayfabe"  (the commitment to keep up the illusion of the story even outside the ring) built a billion dollar empire. It wasn't just the action fans came for. It was the speculation. The debate. The mystery behind how the whole thing worked. Was it real? Was it fake? Did it matter?

When WWE started pulling back the curtain, showing the writers' rooms and the backstage politics, it didn’t deepen the fandom. It thinned it out. Because some of the magic was in not knowing.

And I think that same energy exists in some of the best digital creators working today.

Look at Amelia Dimoldenberg. Her videos feel awkward, chaotic, lofi but highly polished at the same time. How the hell are they getting these chickenshop bossmen onboard. How much if it is scripted, or is it all just off the cuff awkwardness? The line between what’s genuine and what’s crafted is never quite clear. There's a mystique there. You’re watching, but you’re also guessing.

Or look at MrBeast. He's open about data and performance, sure. But you never really see how the whole machine runs. You get glimpses, but never the full blueprint. And that creates a sense of scale. A mythology.

Dream built an empire behind a Minecraft avatar. Lo-fi Girl has been streaming forever with almost zero context and no explanation. Who is behind it? Even outside of the conventional ‘creator’ world -  Frank Ocean drops music when he feels like it and disappears for years.

These are creators who, intentionally or not, understand that mystery isn’t a weakness. It’s a strategy.

We live in a culture that encourages full access, total transparency, constant behind-the-scenes. And yet, the stuff we can’t fully explain? The people who stay just out of reach? They're the ones we keep returning to.

Mystery makes room for imagination. And imagination makes room for loyalty.

So maybe next time you feel the urge to explain everything, to show the process, to close the loop - don’t. Hold something back. Leave a question open. Let the audience do some of the work.

Because in a world full of reveals, not knowing is what keeps us watching.