In one corner we have the biggest, baddest and most valuable company on the planet, Apple. In the opposite corner sits the U.S. government getting more ornery by the minute. As you know by now, the government has asked Apple to unlock a phone used by a terrorist in San Bernardino. Apple has refused, believing …more
Storytelling is the new “black” when it comes to business communications. To understand the plight of storytelling, consider the chart put together by our crack research group using Factiva to search on the number of articles containing the word “storytelling” in general and business publications. .. The data doesn’t exactly quantify the communications profession embracing …more
There is so much “baloney” – pick your noun – in corporate communications that honest talk can serve as a brand-building exercise. That’s what we saw from Google last week when it publicly shared the diversity numbers behind its workforce in a blog post that starts: We’ve always been reluctant to publish numbers about the …more
Every once in a while I’ll get an email or comment from someone calling me out for passing myself off as a storyteller. They’re right. I’m not a storyteller. My passion lies as a student of storytelling and applying the techniques that underpin storytelling in business communications. There’s a huge difference between the two. For …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 haven’t. Until now. Welcome to U.S. District Court of California with the Honorable John F. Walter presiding over the spat between the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and Zediva, which rents DVDs online. One quick housekeeping note – While we support Zediva on the PR front, we had no involvment with the brief. I’m guessing I’ve read through 100 or so …more
I took the “story” on the road during the month of May. As a closet introvert, I make a conscious effort to push myself beyond cubicleland. Here’s a snapshot of how May played out. UnGeeked Elite in Chicago (May 12) Cd Vann has created the “uncola” of gathering. The speakers are charged with leading a discussion, not pontificating via a slide …more
Amy Tenderich highlighted her gonzo journalism style in the first half of the interview yesterday. What I particularly like about her blog is the eclectic mix of content shared with a conversational tone. As Amy puts it, her philosophy for attracting readers is simple -“Fresh content gets attention.” I ran the first part of the …more
