How to Persuade any Audience with the Power of Storytelling
Business storytelling is how leaders change beliefs and shape behaviors. On a trip to Amsterdam for the Arizona State University Masters students in the Executive Masters of Sustainability Leadership program,…
Own your story to grow your brand, or suffer the consequences
I had my own ad agency for 20 years. We did great work for brands from small Phoenix-based companies to behemoths like Coca-Cola. But, to be honest, I didn’t much…
The universal story structure of an international water conservation campaign
There is a universal pattern to story that underpins all of our lives. Joseph Campbell, America’s foremost mythologist, called it the Hero’s Journey, or monomyth. The Hero’s Journey is the structure…
The 15-minute competitive advantage for every marketer
For most chief marketing officers, it’s difficult to see through the day-to-day anguish of this transformational market to truly innovate. In her article, “Find the 15-Minute Competitive Advantage,” Rosabeth Moss…
Are you this sanctimonious sustainability jerk?
Modern Family guest star, Jesse Eisenberg, portrayed one of the most hilarious over-the-top environmentalist that I have seen. If you’re a passionate chief sustainability officer, please remember to tell stories…
How UPS’ viral story has our brains hopped-up on oxytocin and why it matters to marketers
I have been studying neuroeconomist Paul Zak’s work on storytelling and how it actually changes the chemistry in our brain. When we’re seduced by a good story, we produce cortisol,…
Did powerpoint bring down two Space Shuttles?
Do you remember where you were on February 1, 2003? Let me remind you. As you were leading your peaceful terrestrial life, the space shuttle Columbia was disintegrating over the…
Cool new tool for creating a quick video story on your iPad
Pick a template. Upload an image. Record your voice in snippets. Add music. Then post your video. It is that easy with Adobe Voice. Let’s face it, if content is…
What social marketers can learn from a common man’s story on NPR’s StoryCorps
Once I learned about the Hero’s Journey from Joseph Campbell’s work, it started appearing everywhere. This universal pattern to story permeates all of our lives. It’s not only in the stories…
How I got myself unceremoniously fired on Basecamp by my self-publisher
I need some help with self-publishing. And apparently at communicating. I was working with a local group to publish my new book, Story Built. But they terminated me. That’s not…
