Visual storytelling demands a place in any organization’s business communications. Photos, graphics, charticles – apparently, when it comes to fish, what happens in Vegas does not stay in Vegas – etc. all provide storytelling fodder. Which brings me to the infographic. You could make an argument that the infographic is the new black. Beyond the visual appeal, …more
I’ve been considering this question since August 22, 2011. That’s when The Financial Times column, “Chief Googler’s ‘amazing’ clichés are dull and void” appeared. Lucy Kellaway took Larry Page to task for his poor communications on the Motorola acquisition. Channeling high school biology, she dissected the following statement from Page phrase by bloody phrase: “Together, …more
Yesterday’s Wall Street Journal carried the story, “A Kenmore Fridge, at Costco?” No, I’m not tracking the white goods sector with a keen eye. It’s the sourcing of the story – Sears plans to sell its Kenmore brand of appliances through other retailers – that got my attention. How does the Journal know this? Check …more
Steve Jobs offers so many classic story angles, not the least being the prodigal son banished only to return the “homeland” to glory. As discussed last week, he knew how to cultivate Apple’s story in a way that had little to do with words. But what about the third-party storytelling on Mr. Jobs? I’ve culled through the …more
I got hooked on European soccer when I lived in the UK for a couple years. Taking the train from Redding to Liverpool for a match at Anfield where I was hugged after a Michael Owen goal – Who says the Brits don’t have emotion? – was quite an experience. So when I stumbled across the following …more
Everyone refers to Steve Jobs as the consummate showman. Not true. He is the consummate storyteller with “showmanship” just one way to accentuate a given story. Paul Theroux, in the recent issue of Newsweek, noted: “… while the computer world gained a supergeek, the literary world might have lost a powerful storyteller.” I don’t know about “the …more
Given Mr. Jobs’s communications acuity, it’s no surprise his resignation letter tells a crisp and understated story. Here’s the text of the letter in its entirety: To the Apple Board of Directors and the Apple Community: I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and …more
“Friday Levity” returns on Thursday (not necessarily back by popular demand). Check out the following photo from a Chinese website selling English language lessons. Always good for models in an advertisement to exude friendliness. The fellow waving “hi” to the reader looks fine. But the girl’s wave is so close to her face it looks like …more
Pete Lewis and I have created a storytelling curriculum that reflects both journalism and PR perspectives. As the first the technology editor for the New York Times (personally registered the nytimes.com domain), Pete has some interesting takes on the media landscape and storytelling. I posted the first part of a Q&A with him last week. Here’s the …more
