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…
High performance storytelling drives Audi “Prom” spot for Super Bowl XLVII
Smart brands on the world’s most super advertising stage know that powerful storytelling outperforms stupid spots every time. I have held storytelling workshops around the country showing people how to…
What crazy ass stories are your customers making up about your brand?
Our brains are suckers for story. They’ll take the most benign stimuli (like most powerpoints, car dealership commercials, and mission statements) and attempt to knit narratives from them in an…
What marketers can learn from the freaks, cheats and familiars at Burning Man
Have you ever been to Burning Man: this 55,000+ burner event in Black Rock City, Nevada? If not, have you ever wanted to go? Or do you think like some…
Patagonia’s Director of Philosophy shares the power of authentic storytelling with students of new Executive Master’s for Sustainability Leadership program at ASU
I have been in advertising for 30 years, and our agency has celebrated many successes turning creative campaigns into meaningful movements that matter. But the democratization of social media, the onset…
Can the Story Cycle make you a better storyteller and seller?
Great storytellers – from Aristotle to the Apostles to Shakespeare to Spielberg – have used a proven story structure that has been around since the beginning of time. Joseph Campbell,…
Infographic: The story behind the structure of MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech
Nancy Duarte of Duarte Design dedicates countless hours to understanding the shape of powerful presentations. She is an architect for orators. Nancy recently published this amazing ebook, Resonate, on how…
New Executive Master’s for Sustainability Leadership program launches at ASU
The movie I recommended more than most last year was Finding Joe. It was created by the Joseph Campbell Foundation as an inspirational documentary on how we all travel a hero’s journey:…
What shape are your stories in?
My brother called from Virginia on Saturday looking for some storytelling help. His son, Riley, is writing an essay for his college applications. He has a whale of story, too,…
Virgin America spins culture out of compliance through storytelling
Southwest Airlines got it first. They turned the compliance exercise of robotically spewing flight safety information to its passengers into funny stand-up routines. Industry folk thought its was alarming. Weary…
