h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

How can we use the techniques associated with great storytelling in a business or organisation and how can stories be used to help companies like brand management consultancies convey their pitch to a client? I believe that we are moving away from the information society towards a time when all products are more or less the same and consumers will buy the product more for the story associated with it, e.g. the brand story, identity they feel they will appropriate when they own the thing in question, e.g. wearing Nike trainers makes you adventurous and 'the best' and drinking Coke brings you happiness, love etc.

What does anyone think? Can storytelling in business appeal more to people's hearts than to their heads? WIll using the technique of creating and sharing stories help businesses communicate and evolve an emotional edge by virtue of being captivating........

Ideas?

Steph.

In business and advertising, as in everything, there is a wide spectrum between the "successes" and "failures". Historically, what constitutes a successful ad campaign is striking a chord in a major demographic. If you were to play by the numbers, most business execs would target the largest demographic they could, call for a poll, and go from there - in short, the pitch would have to "appeal to their heads". These pitchs tend to waver from "luke-warm interest" to "failure". What they don't seem to realize is good storytelling flows past the boundaries of demographics. A good story will appeal to anyone, and obviously requires talented storytellers. A good story makes virtually anything palatable, and tends to linger in the mind. Facts are easily forgotten, and while I still believe that in the long run superior products will best inferior ones, any newcomer needs an "in", something to grab one's attention, and hold it long enough for a test drive. Everyone, even the world's incurable cynics (such as myself), CRAVE inspiration. A 30 tv spot which successfully conveys history, conflict, tangible emotion and a gratifying conclusion does the job, and sells the product. And more. The word spreads, not because the client is paid to do it, but rather he wants to. It becomes almost infectious, good stories are funny that way.

Incidentally, a great site to check out some great ads: www.adcritic.com

Ecomancer

We are communicators.

We, being the human race not the multitude of smaller we's that could be miscommunicated by that word. Thus the problem, we... communicate poorly, inexactly, trying to become clear we become BORING, IRRITATING, and no one can remember the message.

Ever seen a bee dance? These guys communicate and it looks like fun.

The key is to stop trying to deliver the message and tell some stories because people naturally communicate by telling each other stories. Really, no really, this is our nature - we tell stories and we learn from hearing stories, it is how our brains are wired. If you want people to remember what you say put it into a context which they can relate to.

Tell them a logical story with the message you want remembered as an integral part of the story. If you tell stories about your brand the stories will connect with the target because the stories are about them.

Tell a story that has a surprise or punch - the term used for effectivly disrupting our response is "abruption".