a dummies guide to storytelling
DESCRIPTION
This covers the fundamentals of what a story is and the story choices that brands have when communicating with their customers.TRANSCRIPT
A DUMMIES GUIDE TO STORYTELLING
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POSITIONING YOUR BRAND AS A MENTOR IS AS EASY AS ABC
1 OCTOBER 2013
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GET YOUR HERO UP A TREE
ACT1/ THE SITUATION
STORY / THE KEY ELEMENTS
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THROW ROCKS AT HIM
COMPLICATIONS
STORY / THE KEY ELEMENTS
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GET HIM DOWN RESOLUTION
STORY / THE KEY ELEMENTS
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A MAN WANTS TO GET DOWN FROM A TREE BUT HE CAN’T BECAUSE PEOPLE KEEP THROWING ROCKS AT HIM.
STORY / THE KEY ELEMENTS
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ABC
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A
STORY / THE KEY ELEMENTS
1. A hero
2. A desire
3. A villain
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A WANTS B
STORY / THE KEY ELEMENTS
1. A hero
2. A desire
3. A villain
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A WANTS B BUT C GETS IN THE WAY.
STORY / THE KEY ELEMENTS
1. A hero
2. A desire
3. A villain
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A WANTS B BUT C GETS IN THE WAY. (HOW CAN THE BRAND HELP?)
STORY / THE KEY ELEMENTS
1. A hero
2. A desire
3. A villain
4. A mentor
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HOW CAN WE HELP THE MAN?
STORY / THE KEY ELEMENTS
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HOW CAN WE HELP THE MAN?
STORY / THE KEY ELEMENTS
• We don’t. We make him anxious and scare him into buying our ladder.
• We can empower him by guiding him down and encouraging him every step of the way.
• We can use our magic powers to remove all the obstacles and he can now climb down the tree himself.
• We can lie to comic effect and tell him the view at night from the tree is apparently fantastic!
• We can tell the truth to comic effect and suggest that at least he’s got a good excuse to not see his in-laws!
© 2009 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved
NISSAN RACING ACADEMY
Men WANT to be racing drivers BUT life has got in the way and taken them in a different direction.
HOW CAN BRAND HELP?
It can clear away all of life’s obstacles and give men with the right skills a chance to fulfill their dreams.
(Empowerment storytelling with magic powers)
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People WANT to feel good about themselves BUT they have bad breath and this makes it difficult.
HOW CAN BRAND HELP?
It scares them into buying its product.
(Inadequacy / Anxiety marketing)
LISTERINE
DOVE NATURAL BEAUTY
Women WANT to feel confident about themselves BUT the marketing messages of the beauty industry has made this difficult.
HOW CAN BRAND HELP?.
By celebrating real beauty and telling the truth about all the tricks the industry plays.
(Empowerment storytelling)
LYNX
Average blokes WANT to be desired by gorgeous girls BUT they aren’t because such women are out of their league.
HOW CAN BRAND HELP?
It can turn average blokes into sex gods.
(Telling a lie to comic effect)
OLD SPICE
Average blokes WANT to desired by gorgeous girls BUT they aren’t because such women are out of their league.
HOW CAN BRAND HELP?
It can’t turn average blokes into sex gods but it can help you smell like one...and then imagine the possibilities!
(Telling the truth to comic effect)
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THANK YOU
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LIFE AS A WRITER
Created and co-wrote Valiant, an animated feature film released in 2005.
Commissioned to write further screenplays for Dreamworks, BBC Films, Working Title, UK Film Council.
LIFE AS A CONTENT STRATEGIST
Director of Content Strategy, Critical Mass
@georgew1971 (I don’t tweet much but I do reply!)
GEORGE WEBSTER
DIRECTOR OF CONTENT STRATEGY, CRITICAL MASS