STORYTELLING WORKSHOP1.24.2014

Why We’re Here

• Ensure a cohesive presentation of the Penn State brand

• Empower each campus and unit to operate creatively and flexibly within the brand framework

• Produce a consistent net perception of the Penn State brand

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Goals for Today

Gain a better understanding of:• The Penn State brand positioning and strategy• How to use storytelling to bring the brand to life• How to leverage different types of content to tell these

stories• The importance of a social strategy to support storytelling

efforts

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BRAND STRATEGY REVIEW

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Target Mindset

WELL ROUNDED

Students, faculty, administrators, staff and any in the Penn State community who combine personal ambition and perseverance with passion for a larger purpose and a commitment to service. They are focused on learning and achievement, and they are hard-working builders: of careers, families, communities and institutions. As a group, they are inspired by goals that bridge the divide between individual achievement and social benefit, and are strongly motivated by a sense of gratitude and a desire to give back.

OPTIMISTIC

CAN DO HONESTY/INTEGRITY

ALTRUISTIC HARD WORKING HUMBLE PASSIONAT

E GENUINE COLLABORATIVE

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Penn Staters are not only high academic achievers, they’re doers— nurtured by a culture that encourages setting lofty goals and investing the effort to achieve them. They are molded in an environment that values success, teamwork, and service to others, and are intent upon living inspired, purposeful lives.

Universities talk about producing leaders, but ask employers where they go to find individuals who inspire others, know the value of hard work, and lead by example. They go to Penn State.

PENN STATE POSITIONING: “INSPIRED DOERS”

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Supporting MessagesPenn State is committed to the success of each student: Providing support, leadership opportunities, mentorship, and jobs to achieve their dreams and goals.

Penn State is highlyranked across a wide range of academic disciplines and is recognized as one of the world’s elite universities.

Penn State makes important contributions

to society through education, research, and

stimulating economic development.

Penn State is known for having a strong feeling

of lifelong family, community, and unity.

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Leadership Personality

EXCELLENCE INNOVATION PASSION COLLABORATION

TELLING THE PENN STATE STORY

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1010

hklk

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Guardian – Three Little Pigshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDGrfhJH1P4 

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OUR BIAS

KnowledgeReliableSolidAnalyticData-driven

StorytellingNebulousEphemeralSubjectiveIndirect

Good BadWrong!

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“THE BEST STORIES LEAD FROM THE HEART, NOT THE MIND.”

- Stacey Snider, President, DreamWorks Studios

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The Power of Wordshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hzgzim5m7oU

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BUILDING A HIGH-IMPACT STORY

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UNDERLYING FRAMEWORK: THE PLOT

Elements Of A Compelling Story

Slow and Steady

Wins the ace

Villain Victim Hero Moral

Conflict Controversy Crisis Change

The Characters

BUILDING A HIGH-IMPACT STORY, CREATING THE ”NARRATIVE”

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What is the Intended ‘Net Impact?’• Grounded in the mindset of the target audience• At the intersection of emotional and rational• Features to Benefits to End-Benefits

RATI

NAL

EMOTI NALCircle of Comfort

1. Environment2. Need3. Solution

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Net ImpactWho is the intended audience?

What do they want? Need?

What do you want them to do?

What is the headline you want to see?

How do you achieve the net impact in a 140-character, Twitter world?

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Google Chrome – Dear Sophie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4vkVHijdQk

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It Begins With A Blank Canvas

BUILDING A HIGH-IMPACT STORY, CREATING THE ”NARRATIVE”

22BUILDING A HIGH-IMPACT STORY, CREATING THE ”NARRATIVE”

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But Color and

Texture are

Powerful

BUILDING A HIGH-IMPACT STORY, CREATING THE ”NARRATIVE”

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Others Are Also Painting On Our Canvas

BUILDING A HIGH-IMPACT STORY, CREATING THE ”NARRATIVE”

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CRS: Crisis Relief Singapore

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Dove: Real Beauty Sketches

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New York Times – “One Race”http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/08/05/sports/olympics/the-100-meter-dash-one-race-every-medalist-ever.html?_r=0 

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JHU – “Thank You”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEy5MCWI1sE

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FORMULATING CORE MESSAGES

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Focusing On End-Benefits

• Goal is to move from Features to Benefits to End-Benefits.• As you move out this chain, you get closer and closer to the

human dimension and the essence of an effective story.

Features Benefits End-Benefits

FORMULATING A CORE MESSAGE

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Duracell – Trust Your Powerhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2HD57z4F8E

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Framework For Compelling Messages

The NEED Message EmpathyThe challenge or problem created by the environment.

The SOLUTION Message ExpertiseHow what Penn State is saying or doing will help address or solve the problem.

The ENVIRONMENT Message CredibilityHigh-level trends that position you as an authoritative source and make your story relevant to the audience.

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Skype – Born Friendshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nRKyQ11494

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IBM Smarter Planet

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Expedia

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J&J: Pediatric Nurses http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PVeOq60GcA

EFFECTIVE CONTENT STRATEGY

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The Need for Content

80% of business decision makers prefer to get company information in a series of articles versus an advertisement.1

60% of consumers feel more positive about a company after reading custom content on its site.2

90% of consumers find custom content useful, and 78% believe that organizations providing custom content are interested in building good relationships with them.3

More than 9 in 10 CMOs think that custom content has a positive effect on audience attitudes, strengthening the bond with consumers.4

60% are more likely to be on the lookout for products when looking at content marketing.5

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New Approaches to Content

GE’s ecomagination Coca-Cola Journey IBM Forward View

Objective Credible Writers VisualHighly Social

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Effective Content Strategy

A systematic approach to identifying, creating and syndicating content to tell a brand’s story.

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Content Plan

50/30/20Ink / Video / Infographics

70/30New Points of View / Joining Conversations

80/20Evergreen / News

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Content Principles

1. Length 2. Visual 3. Connective 4. Readability 5. Tone

6. Credibility

7. Empathy8. Episodes9. Unique10.Interactivity

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Content Hub

• Easy to navigate

• Highly and easily shareable

• Responsively designed

• Highly visual

• Turn comments on. Use clear guidelines to moderate, but do not censor.

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SEO and Syndication Are Critical

Search Engine Optimization Improving the search rank of content so that

new readers discover content when conducting online searches

Content SyndicationSharing and distributing content so that new readers discover content through their social

media networks and favorite sites

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Content Syndication

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Continuous Performance Management

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CREATIVE EXERCISE

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Creative Exercise

Content Topics:• New student recruitment - Groups 1 & 6• End of the capital campaign – Groups 2 & 7• Commonwealth Campus (Altoona) – Groups 3 & 8• World Campus – Groups 4 & 9• Research (sustainability) – Groups 5 & 10

Considerations• What is the challenge?• Who is your target audience? What do they look like? (be

descriptive)• What do we want them to think/feel/believe/do?• What is the story? • How does it relate to the brand strategy?• What are the core messages of the story?• What types of content would you use? Where would that content

live?• How would you measure success?

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Articles & Resourcessites.psu.edu/brandupdate/

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STORYTELLING WORKSHOP1.24.2014