http://www.ishmaelscorner.com Storytelling Through A Business Prism Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:23:23 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Apple's decision to pull out of Macworld is a little like Simon Cowell taking a pass on "American Idol." Sure, the show will go on, but in what form? Naturally, the news caused a stir in the blogosphere, with one of the better posts coming from Philip Elmer-DeWitt at Fortune.   Although unlike Elmer-DeWitt, I ... http://www.ishmaelscorner.com/2008/12/17/apple-dumps-macworld/ Cloaked with a veneer of secrecy that leaves readers to wonder "Who the hell wrote that article?" The Economist takes pride in baffling the garden-variety PR person. Its editorial decisions can at times seem quirky for the sake of being quirky. I mean, do we really need 499 words devoted to ornithology and ... http://www.ishmaelscorner.com/2008/12/15/the-engima-of-business-journalism-the-economist/ Everyone recognizes the benefit of steering clear of major media events when making an announcement. It's safe to say that January 20 is not the time to roll out a new line of laptop computers. But there are scenarios when news relevant to your story hitting in roughly the same timeframe works to your advantage. Take the ... http://www.ishmaelscorner.com/2008/12/04/when-competing-news-helps-your-story/ The brainiacs behind electronic paper, the $99 computer and making money at blackjack have decided to take on new terrain: Storytelling. The MIT Media Laboratory recently created what they're calling the Center for Future Storytelling. Demonstrating the science behind the power of storytelling can only advance the cause, even if it's from a technical bent: By applying leading-edge technologies ... http://www.ishmaelscorner.com/2008/12/01/mit-takes-on-quantum-physics-rfid-and-storytelling/ The Media Management Center at Northwestern University recently came out with a report called "Six Competencies of the Next Generation News Organizations". The introduction scopes the report's objective: Advances in technology continue to spur great innovation in media -- especially in the news industry. At the same time, these rapid-fire innovations have ... http://www.ishmaelscorner.com/2008/11/24/six-competencies-of-the-next-generation-news-organization/ The recent BusinessWeek piece titled "BitTorrent's Bram Coen Isn't Limited by Asperger's" got my attention. The inventor of the technology that brought digital movie sharing into the mainstream let the world know he suffers from Asperger's syndrome. The painfully honest profile intersperses good, bad and not-so-pretty elements: "For Cohen, this has been a fraught journey into ... http://www.ishmaelscorner.com/2008/11/10/when-business-leaders-show-humanity/ I tend to associate infomercials with Ginsu knives and historical videos on World War II. Obviously, the Barack Obama infomercial that aired last month was not in the order-now-and-get-free-shipping genre. Putting politics aside, the video comes across as a powerful communications vehicle. How can you go wrong with world-class production quality, panoramic views of "amber waves ... http://www.ishmaelscorner.com/2008/11/03/obamas-infomercial-offers-lesson-in-storytelling/ Oprah is a good storyteller who's even better at facilitating a story. More than any single element, Oprah has turned tapping into the emotional reservoir of her viewing audience into an art form. That's why when Oprah came forward on Friday and proclaimed Amazon's Kindle (e-reader) as life-changing people paid attention. In fact, Oprah's revelation created more noise in ... http://www.ishmaelscorner.com/2008/10/27/oprah-heartfelt-storyteller-or-paid-shill/ It's not enough that Warren Buffet has generated a net worth of around $62 billion, making him one of the richest men in the world. He's also a world-class storyteller. (If it makes you feel any better, at least he's not handsome.) With Warren Buffet in the spotlight for rescuing Goldman Sachs with a $5 ... http://www.ishmaelscorner.com/2008/10/15/warren-buffet-tells-a-good-story/ If you ask people what's the one digital device they absolutely can't live without, the mobile phone comes out as the clear leader. That's why you have industry heavyweights like Google's Eric Schmidt calling mobile advertising the  single most exciting opportunity for the do-no-evil guys as far back as 2006 (The Wall ... http://www.ishmaelscorner.com/2008/10/06/the-evolution-of-the-tiny-story/