I consider myself more of a writer than a talker (though my mom might disagree). Still, I appreciate organizations periodically hoisting me up to a speaking pulpit to scrutinize and evangelize the wonders of storytelling in business. Such will be the case on April 18 when I’ll take on the topic of “Life, Liberty and …more
The four-word stacked headline appeared in the print version of The Wall Street Journal last Wednesday: WPP’s Sorrell Faces Probe The online headline went for the jugular, “WPP Is Looking at CEO Martin Sorrell’s Possible Misuse of Assets and Allegations of Improper Behavior.” Before digging in, let’s get the disclosure out of the way. I …more
Conducting our storytelling workshops never gets old. It’s energizing to help the workshop participants connect the dots to a simple premise: Given a choice between “interesting” and “dull,” human beings pick “interesting” virtually every time. I have to use the adverb “virtually” allowing for the individual who sports a “math is fun” button. Similar to …more
By Jason Cao, Hoffman China General Manager Running out of office space is a good problem to have since it reflects a growing enterprise. Such was the case with our China team where 2017 saw our staff grow from 19 to 33 employees as our “Big Tech” positioning gained traction. In the case of our …more
David Ogilvy penned his infamous advice on writing on Sept. 7, 1982 in a memo to his employees. His point of view still has relevance for anyone who touches business communications, not just the jingle jockeys and slogan makers. Still, they could use a refresh for 2018. Toward this end, I’ve captured Ogilvy’s 10 tips …more
By Haley Dowell, Account Coordinator In PR, storytelling is the foundation of everything we do. Not only is every story unique, but the methods in which each one is told vary greatly. A creative narrative for one B2B technology company looks completely different from the ideal story for another, although the end goal is …more
Our younger son gets married on Saturday. At a time when everyone looks ahead, I decided to also look backward to the marriage of Marv and Ruth Hoffman. The photo above shows my parents on their wedding day flanked by their moms. Their story is a common one for their generation — their parents arriving …more
By Mandy Heiser, Account Coordinator Bocce. The plural form of the Italian word boccia, which means “bowl.” One of the oldest sports in the world, with roots tracing back to 5200 BC. . A popular game enjoyed by many historical figures, including Roman Emperor Augustus, Leonardo Da Vinci, Galileo Galilei, Queen Elizabeth I, …more
The key to branding isn’t just knowing who you are and what you stand for. It also calls for communicating those very qualities to the outside world. Take the Singaporean store in the picture. Is there any question about its value proposition? Closer to home, everyone seems to think there’s a deep lesson in Donald …more
