The latest issue of BusinessWeek ran a piece called “The Leaner Baby Boomer Economy” In short, the story looks at how major brands like Starwood Hotels and Mercedes are responding to baby boomers cutting back on their discretionary spending. Like all compelling storytelling, the writer David Welch makes good use of anecdotes. For example, he …more
I stumbled across a compelling three-and-a-half-minute video with NPR’s Scott Simon sharing his perspective on how to tell a story (video below). It’s captivating, as reflected in the 43,000+ views. Before going further, let’s acknowledge that Scott Simon’s voice by itself is captivating. He could explain a recipe for nouveau meatloaf and I’d listen. Plus, anyone …more
OK, let’s start with the confession. It’s been a number of weeks since I last blogged and this post doesn’t exactly fall under the “art of storytelling” umbrella. But my reflections on hitting our 21-year anniversary strive to tell a story, so here goes: Nothing like a milestone number to prompt a walk down memory lane. …more
There’s an enduring dimension to the David-against-Goliath story that resonates with people. It brings out a fundamental of good storytelling, the unexpected. No one expects a David to beat the proverbial Goliath. The same technique makes for a compelling read in the business world. That’s why when an accomplished mathematician surfaces to challenge Google, …more
PR consultancies are notorious for not applying their craft to building their own brands. I’d like to think we’re an exception to the rule. Equally important, we strive to bring the art of storytelling to our own communications as well as our clients. As a result, we’ve enjoyed attention in publications ranging from …more
I have to give credit to BusinessWeek’s Executive Editor John Byrne. He got the engagement religion and has never wavered in prostelyzing the message. While the BusinessWeek pages — both print and the digital variety — serve as the pulpit for most of Byrne’s communications beyond the BW corridors, he penned a op-ed for The Christian Science …more
Watching the volcanic outrage over the AIG bonus money playing out in the media I wondered how the company would respond. Many companies make the mistake of ducking for cover thinking they can wait out the storm. While AIG is hardly the poster child for business communications, it made the right move with an op-ed from the CEO Edward Liddy …more
Leveraging a high-profile topic can open the door to your own story. We’ve used this technique in our own communications. When Sequoia Capital rolled out its “R.I.P Good Times” pitch that caused considerable hoopla in the world of venture capital, we countered with a guest blog on VentureBeat called “R.I.P. The Controlled Message.” But there are times when this …more
There’s something about the shadow of business that causes people to actually strive for a rigid and vanilla tone in their communications. That’s why the following automated note from Twitter (forgot my password) caught my attention: Hey there. Can’t remember your password, huh? It happens to the best of us. Please open this …more
