Discovering the art of storytelling by showcasing methods, tips, & tools that help you find and tell your story, your way. Find me on Twitter @gimligoosetales
“There’s no reason that political advertising needs to be particularly boring, or particularly straightforward, or what people have been used to seeing in political ads for decades,” says McCabe. “We can make ads that are as cinematic—as well-shot, well-produced, well-written, clever, attention-grabbing—as the big corporations’ ads.”
Access the full article to see the 3.5 minute video which has gone viral. It's a well-shot, well-written ad that carries the viewer through MJ Hegar's life and experiences, that have led her to change her life direction - using the unifying theme of doors.
Kim Zinke (aka Gimli Goose)'s insight:
It all started with a door. Such a great example of how a great story can be told in under 4 minutes. A little of who I am, David and Goliath, and the quest. Goes to show how a great story can capture everyone's attention quickly.
"‘Reflections of The Past’ is an award-winning photo series by commercial advertising photographer Tom Hussey. The photographs show an elderly person looking pensively at the reflection of his/her younger self in the mirror. Hussey was inspired by a World War II veteran who said “I can’t believe I’m going to be 80. I feel like I just came back from the war. I look in the mirror and I see this old guy.”"
Read the full article to see more photos from this series that provides an amazing example of visual storytelling.
Kim Zinke (aka Gimli Goose)'s insight:
What a wonderful perspective! Who do you see, and what story do you envision, when you see/think about yourself?
Every photo I looked at in this series made me stop and want to find out more about each of these people's stories. This would be a really fun way to get your family involved in telling their stories.
"There was once a time that I didn’t think much about my family stories. It’s not that I didn’t care, but I just didn’t make time for it. I think what changed my course was having children. They start asking me questions like, “did you do that when you were a kid?” Or maybe it went more like, “back in the olden days did you…?”
Once I had children, I realized that it was important to share my stories of childhood and family with them. One of the best story prompts is a picture, and it only takes one to start the journey."
Read the full article to find out more about using pictures as story prompts as well as an example of telling a story with a photo.
Kim Zinke (aka Gimli Goose)'s insight:
I love the idea of adding items to a photograph as they did in this article. It can really enhance the story or fill in gaps.
"Brandon is an entrepreneur and photographer, but most of all he’s an expert at using words and images to capture what it means to be human. He started Human of New York after losing his job and moving to New York with the dream of photographing 10,000 people on the street and plotting them on a map of the city. During this arduous process, he started gathering quotes from the people he photographed and using these words to caption his photos.
Since its beginnings in 2010, HONY has gained 12 million followers on Facebook and 2 million on Instagram, partnered with the UN on a world tour, raised more than $1 million for a school in the Bronx, interviewed President Obama, and published a best-selling book. So this guy must be on to something."
Read the full article to find out more about these five storytelling lessons from HONY:
"No matter the tech, humans have invariably figured out a compelling way to tell each other stories.
That’s not to say we all tell stories the same way. Far from it. As Kay Turner, a folklorist and independent scholar who’s on the board of the New York Folklore Society, notes, “Even if a story is the same, each culture will tell it differently, because each one has its own genres and cultural rules.” That’s led to a host of different traditions and practices beloved around the world. Here are just some of them."
Read the full article to find out more about these storytelling traditions used across the globe:
"Some brands are inherently sexy, like the Ford Mustang. The name evokes an immediate feeling of caution-to-the-wind youth and speed. Even though it’s been around for ages, Ford does a pretty good job of keeping the Mustang image fresh and current. There’s a lot of material to work with: history, style, engineering, innovation (not to mention that it’s a sports car).
Sadly, we don’t all write content for Ford’s Mustang. Most brands are pretty darn boring. Marketers are called on to create compelling stories for things like toilet paper or tile grout and for companies that rent out heavy equipment or manufacture parts that go inside other products.
How do you work with that? And how do you convince an old-school CEO that the company’s story is worth telling? Creating a great story means digging right into the heart of what makes a company or a product special."
Read the full article to see some examples of brands big and small making it happen and how they fit into these categories:
Speak the Native Language
Use Humor to Approach Delicate Subjects
Create a New Story
Make Your Customers the Stars
Treat Your Employees Right
Kim Zinke (aka Gimli Goose)'s insight:
It can be challenging to find a great storytelling angle for an uninspiring brand. Sometimes, you have to tackle it from a new angle to make it work. The key - remain authentic.
Le storytelling est loin d'être réservé aux marques glamour, aux entreprises patrimoniales ou aux start-up flamboyantes. Il nécessite juste plus de créativité et un choix de techniques comme :
* utiliser le vocabulaire de votre cible,
* transformer ses clients en héros,
* traiter ses employés avec égard,
* créer une histoire de zéro
* ou utiliser l'humour pour traiter les sujets délicats.
#RIPRobinWilliams tweets show how to serialize your story
"What can you learn from Norm MacDonald’s Twitter tribute (would that be twibute?) to Robin Williams? What can’t you learn?! MacDonald shows us how to serialize our stories, how to get the word out in 144 characters or less — and when to stop typing."
Read the full article to view the six tips to take from MacDonald's tribute:
Tell a story
Serialize your story
Start strong
Keep it short
But don't compress the life out of it
Know when to quit
Kim Zinke (aka Gimli Goose)'s insight:
A really good example of serial storytelling in bite-size bits. Scroll down to the bottom of the article to see the collection of tweets that make up the story of Norm's encounter with Robin Williams.
"Eleven years ago, StoryCorps began with the simple mission to get people to slow down and hear what others had to say. Beginning with a single booth inside New York's Grand Central Terminal, over the years, they’ve amassed 55,000 interviews from across the U.S.A.—stories the cover the spectrum of the great human condition. For their work in capturing contemporary America's collective oral history, the company recently won the annual TED Prize award, $1 million dollars that will go towards funding a “wish to inspire the world,” to be announced in March."
Read the full article to see or access examples of their work
a combination of audio overlayed on animation
audio followed by a written a transcript.
For more information and DIY tips, visit the StoryCorps website.
Kim Zinke (aka Gimli Goose)'s insight:
I've been following StoryCorps for quite a few years now, and am impressed by what they have accomplished and the number of stories they've amassed.
It's such a simple concept. Participants bring in loved ones to interview, and for 40 minutes they talk to each other about their lives, how much they matter to each other, and how they want to be remembered. All that's needed is the recorder and mike. Each participant gets to take a copy home and have the option of publishing it in the Library of Congress.
Unfortunately, StoryCorps in person recording sessions are only done in the US. But they do provide alternative options such as:
"For authors, journalists and creative writers, self-publishing platforms and the explosion of digital and social media is a game-changer. Twitter, Facebook, blogging — even newer platforms such as Vine or Snapchat — can all be valuable resources for authors trying to gain exposure, get published, respond to feedback and connect with fans.
As storytelling evolves to keep up with digital culture, authors are getting more and more creative with their online tactics, particularly when it comes to incorporating visual content into their written work. While a published novel or memoir might contain only text, a piece of content published online has almost limitless potential for creative, visual assets to complement the story."
Read the full article to see examples of, and find out more about, these suggestions on how authors utilize social to promote their work, brainstorm ideas and supplement their creative processes using:
Facebook, Twitter and "traditional" platforms
Blogging and guest blogging
Social media for research and inspiration
Beyond Facebook and Twitter: The unconventional players in the social media space
Kim Zinke (aka Gimli Goose)'s insight:
Great examples of how individuals have extended their story onto other platforms. Not only are they using social to tell, promote and/or collaborate on a story or project, they are also telling their personal story. People love the back-story from the story behind the story, tidbits about you, bits from the cutting room floor, to your process. It takes the solitary function into a social realm.
"Few newsrooms are leveraging the storytelling potential of their audience and working with citizen reporters and their footage in meaningful ways. The recent Tow Center study on user-generated content found that “UGC is used by news organizations daily and can produce stories that otherwise would not, or could not, be told. However, it is often only used when other imagery is not available.”
The reporting projects below do not use citizen content only as a last resort. Instead, they work with citizens as collaborators in sourcing, investigating and reporting stories. They curate citizen content by finding, verifying and presenting reports from the communities they cover and help their audience understand the larger story that they contribute to. They have resulted in consequential and award-winning coverage, and for journalism educators gathered at this week’s annual AEJMC conference, as well as newsroom editors and entrepreneurs, they provide models of innovation worth paying attention to."
Read the full article to link directly to and find out more about these innovative collaborative storytelling opportunities:
India's community correspondents
Reports from prison
Making sense of a deluge of war videos
Facilitating a community storytelling process
Eyewitness videos form centerpiece of investigation
Kim Zinke (aka Gimli Goose)'s insight:
Take a look at these sites and be inspired. How could you create your own collaborative storytelling effort for your family, group or community?
"The question is what makes a good story? A good story is one that buyers enjoy believing."
Read the full article to find out more about these five examples of brands, companies, and service organizations that sell through story. Each mini case study contains a "moral," aka, practical advice, for how to improve the quality of the stories your firm tells:
"Our ancestors used it to preserve history; sometimes even drawing images on cave walls and rocks to support their narratives. Kids before grew up telling stories around the campfire, their eyes reflecting the joy and wonder at new chronicles heard over roasted marshmallows.
Today, storytelling takes on the form of interactive media. Thanks to advancements in technology, we’re not just exploring stories from history or science – we’re also discovering each other’s tales. From students, journalists, cooks, photographers, and even entrepreneurs: we’ve become the new breed of digital storytellers."
Read the full article to find out more about these six platforms for digital storytellers:
Une sélection de 6 plateformes digitales, variées et faciles à utiliser pour organiser votre contenu du simple témoignage à un storytelling plus complexe
"In this excerpt from Consciousness Engineering, Lisa Nichols gives some practical examples of what we mean by "telling your story" and how it can help you in every aspect of your life, whether it's professional or personal."
Most people tell a story. Showing requires more of you. It means finding the colours by showing what you were thinking, feeling, seeing.
Watch this short video to discover the difference and power of showing someone a story. You'll hear two examples of the difference of telling and showing someone a story by hearing:
Lisa's financial hardships raising her child
Being angry
Kim Zinke (aka Gimli Goose)'s insight:
In this short video, we get two powerful examples of what makes a great story. Lisa outlines it as:
Willingness to take risk
Being clear & concise with your story
A show me story not a tell me story.
To get your story going, identify the state of time it takes place in. Paint the picture, take me to the environment, set the backdrop.
"To make the time pass and to allow its residents to enjoy a little culture, Grenoble has introduced short story dispensers in public areas around the town.
It is now possible to read stories that can be consumed in however much time you’ve got to kill. The ‘three minute’ format, for example, takes the form of a piece of paper 8cm wide and 60cm."
Read the full article to find out more about this unique storytelling vending machine.
Kim Zinke (aka Gimli Goose)'s insight:
Love this idea. I would like to hear more about this idea. Who writes the stories and if you can pick a genre. I could see these types of dispensers being used to tell local stories and history.
I love this idea - what a way to transform the irritation of waits in queues, not to mention all the other possibilities for this approach to story sharing.
"In Made to Stick, Gary Klein, a psychologist who studies high-pressure decision-making, suggests that stories are often retold because they contain wisdom. In a medical context, stories provide a simulation of what to do in a certain situation.
But according to Made to Stick, stories contain something else: inspiration.
A story has the power to provide contextual simulation (knowledge about how to act) as well as inspiration (motivation to act). Both aspects are “geared to generate action“. The authors highlighted three story plots that inspire us to act: challenge, connection, creative."
Read the full article to find out more about these 11 examples of storytelling in marketing that use the three plots:
Warby Parker
Dollar Shave Club
Greats
Toms
Pura Vida Bracelets
tentree
Airbnb
Asana
Sugru
Hampton Creek
Moleskine
Kim Zinke (aka Gimli Goose)'s insight:
At the core of every great brand is a story. Ask yourself: what is the motivation behind your brand? What problems did you set out to solve? The story you tell shouldn’t be any story; it should be a story about your passion and motivation. Focus on telling that story, and people will listen.
"Before it became an overused bit of business jargon, storytelling was the job of authors, poets, playwrights, and not brands. History’s greatest storytellers are visualized in this timeline infographic by culture site Raconteur.
If brands really want to captivate consumers, maybe they should consider including more ghosts, witches, and monsters in their marketing stories."
The diversity of this list is wonderful. There's multiple ways to tell your story. Be inspired by this list. Develop your own style and tell a story that is captivating.
"When reorienting a brand and clarifying their core reason for being, companies are too often satisfied with a shallow exploration, settling on empty cliches when they should be seeking the real concept they’re sincere about and deeply committed to.
The Slippery Part of Finding the Untold Story. It’s because it’s so obvious to “everyone.”
But when you dig a bit deeper, you discover the “everyone” is made up of all those inside the company, those who breathe this stuff everyday. But those outside the company may never have heard your story. In other words, since it’s SO obvious to you, you no longer notice or talk about some of those subtleties that make you different. You take them for granted. You simply forget how different your company is compared to all the other choices your audience has."
Read the full article to find out more about:
the 3-step formula for fully defining a company’s untold story and unearth the human component
the case study of how a dance school, 29 years in business, rebranded and revitalized themselves by finding their untold stories
Kim Zinke (aka Gimli Goose)'s insight:
How do you redefine a brand after 25 years? American Dance Institute confronted this to give fresh new meaning to their brand. This case study shows how they found their untold story and the products produced to support it.
At the bottom of the article you'll find links to examples of how other companies uncovered their untold stories. And check out these 19 questions to ask before you start.
"The “Stay Together” campaign is Skype’s creative approach to use its video features -via photographer John Clang- to masterfully capture portraits of a Skype call.
The campaign literally brings together the physical and digital worlds.
For each of the four stories in the Skype “Stay Together” Family Portraits, the brand is completely interwoven in each story and could not be told without Skype.
Instead of focusing on the nuts and bolts of the technology, “Portraits” focus on how it affects lives. Each story is wildly different from the next and equally as emotional."
Read the full article to find out more and watch one of the series, “The Impossible Family Portrait.”
Kim Zinke (aka Gimli Goose)'s insight:
Find out more details, results, and videos from the series from the Stay Together campaign at
"Take two minutes to watch this advert from IKEA. Those two minutes are guaranteed to change how you think about marketing your business. This video is more than just advertising designed to sell something, it’s a home run in brand storytelling."
Read the full article to find out more about these 10 things that Ikea did to make their story great:
Understood their customer’s worldview.
Made the customer the hero.
Started with his story.
Changed how the customer felt and acted in the presence of their product.
Understood what they are really selling.
Helped us to see reflections of ourselves in the hero.
Tapped into our emotions, creating a visceral connection with the brand.
Created advertising that aligns with the company’s vision and brand personality.
Backed up the story with the experience delivered in store and across all touchpoints with the brand.
Gave potential customers something to believe in.
Kim Zinke (aka Gimli Goose)'s insight:
It's so much easier to adopt default thinking and lead by telling people what we do—which is why most do it. Try breaking the routine and utilizing these tips the next time you tell your story.
"Never Alone, a new video game by E-Line Media, has been generating a lot of buzz in recent months. Its developers teamed up with the Cook Inlet Tribal Council, a nonprofit that works with Native Alaskans, creating Never Alone as a way to help transmit traditional tribal stories to younger indigenous kids."
Read the full article to get a peak at the trailer promoting the game and read interview highlights with Amy Fredeen of the Cook Inlet Tribal Council and Sean Vesce of E-Line Media that covers:
this unlikely collaboration
representation in games
whether video games can have a larger purpose and still be fun to play
Kim Zinke (aka Gimli Goose)'s insight:
The developers of this video game hope it can teach Native Alaskan children about their folklore and traditions while still being fun to play. I think it's a novel and beautiful way to tell these tribal stories, not only to the indigenous children, but children and adults from any walk of life.
"If you still think that storytelling is just a “nice to have,” a luxury for blue-chip corporations who have resources to spare, you need to meet Rob Morris a long-time human rights advocate."
Read the full article to find out how one story turned a nonprofit into a worldwide phenomenon by using these story tips:
Statistics can make an impression, but stories raise emotion … and emotion leads to action.
Keep your story simple; resist the urge to provide every little detail.
Make it easy for your brand advocates to share your story.
"What is the point of writing and sharing our stories when no one will listen?
This can be one of the greatest challenges for teachers, as some pupils do not see the point of writing, creating stories or exploring their imaginations as no-one will properly read their story. Knowing that your work is going to have an audience is a real motivator for us all when writing, and for pupils this may simply be their parents reading their work. Even more care is given when a larger audience is likely – but finding that audience can be a challenge.
As social media now becoming a constant part of our daily lives, author David Mitchell is releasing his new short story via his twitter feed, which got us thinking…what a great idea for pupils to share their stories – 140 characters at a time."
Read the full article to see the story Mitchell told on Twitter and how you can use Twitter and Storify to tell your own story.
Kim Zinke (aka Gimli Goose)'s insight:
The author brings up a great point that even young children can use Twitter to tell a story (complete with pics or other multi-media) and could even be a motivator. Besides being trendy, it's not overwhelming (you only have to come up with 140 characters at a time), it keeps your thoughts concise, you can tell it through as many tweets as you need, and you can make it as private or public as you like.
Chipotle unveiled a new program called Cultivating Thought, which features original essays from 10 writers, actors and thinkers on cups and bags.
Must a cup, or bag, suffer an existence that is limited to
just one humble purpose, defined merely by its simple function?
What a great question to introduce the Cultivating Thought author series. Be sure to visit their site and check out the video introduction and see examples from their first 10 writers, actors and thinkers.
Kim Zinke (aka Gimli Goose)'s insight:
I love finding examples of stories being told in ways (and surfaces) that we haven't seen before. Yes, Starbucks has been putting inspirational quotes on their cups and sleeves for a while, but Chipotle is attempting full stories. My guess is people would put their digital device down to read their bag or cup.
Be inspired. Think out of the box. What other unusual surfaces or products could you tell your story on?
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It all started with a door. Such a great example of how a great story can be told in under 4 minutes. A little of who I am, David and Goliath, and the quest. Goes to show how a great story can capture everyone's attention quickly.