10 Brand Story Elements of REI’s Disruptive #OptOutside Black Friday Campaign
When I was a kid growing up North of Seattle, my dad would take us downtown to Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI). This was in the 1970’s, and REI was…
From flop sweats to rock star: How audiences buy into your story when you OWN it!
The confidence of owning your business story Last June, I shared the business storytelling stage with my friend Bryan Adams of PH Creative in Liverpool, England. Bryan and I co-hosted two workshops in his…
Have you had business storytelling up the Wazzu?
Then create a brand story you can celebrate with your customers The new president of Washington State University cringed at the school’s legendary nickname: WAZZU. V. Lane Rawlins took the helm of…
Rocking the Casbah: The Story Behind Where the Beatles Really Got Their Start
What is truly authentic? I was born in 1961. On Valentine’s day. The Beatles were in their infancy, too. They started playing clubs in Liverpool in 1959. Most historians point…
6 ways to grow your business when you have your brand story straight
I have been in advertising for more than 30 years, and I remember when the introduction of the fax machine was a breathtaking technological leap forward for business. Seriously. It was…
What B2B marketers can learn from the Doritos “Ultrasound” Super Bowl TV Spot
As all of you students in my Executive Master of Sustainability Leadership communications course know, a universal structure to storytelling pervades our lives. We see it in the movies we…
Why you should think like a screenwriter to humanize your B2B content marketing
I love this poster for Justin Trevor Winters’ new movie. It depicts Richard Dreyfuss’ character as a retired high school gym teacher willing to do whatever it takes to leave…
The 1 rule you must obey when crafting brand stories
Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. Confucius told us that centuries ago. I learned this lesson, AGAIN, yesterday. I was teaching storytelling to 7th and…
A simple 3-step strategy that will inspire your business storytelling
Plus 6 great story insights and one terrific quote Some of my clients and students tell me that they don’t lead interesting enough lives to have great stories. Nothing ever…
5 storytelling resources to help hone your business and brand communication
Every week, I will share the five stories that I have found useful to help our clients and my students sharpen their business storytelling skills. Some are new articles, while…
