Steve Burkhart recently joined The Hoffman Agency as U.S. general manager. The news release shares the facts. This Q&A with Steve probes the intangibles. Nicely deflecting the tough questions, Steve manages to tell stories and still stay on message. Q. Consider this an official welcome to the team. A. Thanks. I am very excited …more
Here’s another grab-bag post, capturing a smattering of thoughts related to storytelling techniques. Apple Ads Didn’t Always Display a Certain Panache Apple has done such a masterful job in creating its “look and feel,” one forgets the evolutionary process behind the brand. Check out the print ad below signed off by Mr. Jobs in the …more
Here’s another “grab bag” with a smattering of observations, updates and snarky remarks. Psychoanalyzing The New York Times Twitter Description It seems logical to assume publications pay attention to the words in their own outbound communications. If that’s the case, does the NYT Twitter description reflect a greater emphasis on engaging readers than The Wall …more
We periodically delve into the murky world of investigative reporting. If you recall — and I suspect you don’t — it was this property that broke the story that The Wall Street Journal failed to dig into the background of Tim Bray who had a history of dissing Apple before joining Google. It is in …more
Here’s my second “Grab Bag,” pulling together a few vignettes that caught my attention. Donut Drama I’m a huge fan of The New York Times Dining section that appears every Wednesday. How much drama can be found among a bunch of glazed donuts? Actually, quite a bit if you’re Pete Wells observing the action at …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
I had the pleasure of speaking at Compass USA’s communicators’ conference in North Carolina this morning. As one of the largest food service companies in the country, Compass has a good story to tell. With all due respect to my technology brethren, it was liberating to discuss storytelling in the context of banana bread, grilled …more
There’s no question that startups enjoy an advantage in applying storytelling techniques to the “About Us” section on the company website. For Exhibit A, look no further than a new venture called SigFig. Its site gets the story off to a good start with with the subhead, “Our Story.” Now, check out the narrative: Before starting …more
Most organizations waste the “About Us” section on their web sites. This is the property’s big moment to woo you. If there was ever a place on a web site to apply storytelling techniques, it’s here. Yet, the section typically regurgitates the company party line. I’m going to periodically take a look at an organization’s “About Us” section. Today’s “lucky” …more
