I started the count down yesterday. Today, I continue with the rest of my top 10 posts from 2011. What’s The Story With Netflix? You don’t hear complaints when Kellogg’s raises the price of Pop-Tarts. But the Netflix customer base responded to a price increase with the emotional fervor of a South American futbol match. After losing millions of …more
We need a better cliché than “time flies by.” With 2011 in wind-down mode, I’ve captured what I consider to be my top 10 posts from the year. Some got the nod from sheer number of views. Others were personal favorites. I’ve split the list in half with the initial five today and the rest …more
Many people dread Wednesday, the “hump day” of the work week. I, on the other hand, can’t wait for Wednesday and cruising through the Dining section of The New York Times. For my money, the best storytelling in daily newspapers can be found here. Sure, the journalists are skilled writers, but it’s their expertise in both finding …more
Consider how the media differentiates itself. By being first. By being the only media property with a particular story. Storytelling. Analysis that makes sense of an event. For wire services such as Associated Press, we associate success with breaking news. That’s why the recent memo from Michael Oreskes, senior managing editor at the Associated Press, …more
The difference between classic storytelling and applying storytelling techniques to business communications often comes down to this— Storytelling in business does not require a full narrative. Just one wrinkle can be enough to elevate a story. Take a look at the story below on a new coffee maker in Bloomberg BusinessWeek: Do you have any idea …more
I love the idea of rabbis holding a workshop with Hollywood writers – picture the intersection of “Desperate Housewives” and Moses – to strengthen their storytelling in front of their congregation. The point is, business storytelling benefits from other vantage points. That’s why I welcome today’s perspective from Nancy Dodd whose credits range from screenplays …more
Our humble corner now enters unchartered waters with two guest posts in a row (now one guest post away from “Bingo”). Teresa Pham captures the highlights from PRSA’s annual Media Predicts event on Wednesday evening. My two cents — Reed Hastings and Netflix will be the comeback story of the year in 2012. It’s easy …more
Writing alone does not guarantee terrific storytelling. You need to able to dig out that contrarian twist, anecdote or perhaps even failure that sets the stage for later success. Which brings us to the interview. Tom McHale, our director of client services based in Beijing, tackles this very subject — emphasizing scientific sources — drawing …more
The Thanksgiving break offered relaxation, pumpkin pie and plenty of football (sorry Niner fans). My personal indulgence involved reading Sports Illustrated cover to cover. The latest issue showcases long-form journalism at its best, examining the broad issue of sports in America with the piece “In My Tribe.” While I’ve pointed out that business communicators can take away lessons from the …more
