Survival of the fittest storyteller: How stories insure our sustainability
What is the primary function of our brain? Survival. The oldest portion of our noggin – the brain stem – is our “Reptilian Brain.” It triggers our most basal instincts of…
Telling stories won’t sell my jewelry
The lady proclaimed that she owned a fairly prominent jewelry store chain in Phoenix – one I had never heard of, by the way – when she called me about…
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 the sharing economy accommodated us in France
Michele and I had never used AirBnB until our recent three-week adventure through France. There was a terrific article in the NY Times today about the vacation rental company in…
INFOGRAPHIC: Data tells, story sells
In his new book, Trying Not to Try: The Ancient Chinese Art and Modern Science of Spontaneity, Edward Slingerland writes: “Science traffics in facts, not values: it can tell us…
Future sustainability leaders to nurture their inner storyteller
(The following article originally ran in Sustainable Brands news) Park Howell, president of Phoenix-based brand strategy and marketing firm Park&Co, also heads the Communications thread of the Arizona State University School…
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…
