Some stories can still cut through info overload
THE power of storytelling is not new. People have been telling stories to share information, connect emotionally and inspire change for civilisations – dating right the way back to early cave paintings. But while the medium may have changed, the impact of storytelling has not.
For proof, look no further than the plastic revolution or, as it’s now being called, the “Blue Planet effect”.
Campaigners had been calling for a change to single-use plastics for some time, but David Attenborough’s supreme storytelling in Blue Planet II late last year has pushed plastic pollution and recycling firmly to the top of the news, and political, agenda – in the UK and further afield.
In case you are among the few who didn’t see the last episode of the award-winning series, it was dedicated to the effects of humans on our seas. In a particularly moving scene, audiences watched a mother pilot whale nurse her dead calf, presumed poisoned by the build-up of plastic in its mother’s milk.
It was in this episode that Attenborough took the opportunity to appeal to his enraptured audience.
“We are at a unique stage in our history,” he said. “Never before have we had such an awareness of what we are doing to the planet, and never before have we had the power to do something about that. Surely we have a responsibility to care for our blue planet. The future of humanity and indeed all life on earth now depends on us.”
In an era of deep public distrust for expert voices, Attenborough’s authentic and considered storytelling cut through cynicism and captured public consciousness.
After the programme finale, there was a surge in net searches for plastic recycling and the dangers of marine plastic pollution. Colleges offering marine biology courses reported an increased interest from inspired would-be students and marine conservation charities saw a surge in web traffic. Plastic pollution has rarely been out of our headlines since.
Just last week, the European Union proposed a ban on many single-use plastics, issuing a challenge to the UK to try to outdo it. ITV News ran a special report revealing the impact of plastic pollution on the Galápagos Islands, while the House of Commons wrote to the football leagues in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland urging them to stop using single-use plastic.
At the end of last year, the Environmental Audit Committee recommended a deposit return scheme on plastic bottles. UK Prime Minister Theresa May has pledged to end avoidable plastic waste in Britain by 2042 as part of a “national plan of action”, while chancellor Philip Hammond has announced a potential ‘plastic tax’ on many single-use plastic items. More than 40 large supermarket and food brands have also voluntarily pledged their support to eliminate single-use plastic packaging by 2025.
The issue surrounding plastic is not an isolated example of storytelling delivering a memorable and impactful message.
There are many. Remember Channel 4’s documentary series Jamie’s School Dinners? Responses to Jamie Oliver’s critique of school dinners’ nutritional value included the British Government (then led by Tony Blair) vowing to take action, and one of the largest suppliers of school dinners banning Turkey Twizzlers.
Other examples include Michael Buerk’s BBC broadcast of the 198385 Ethiopia famine, which proved a seminal moment in crisis reporting and led to another historical TV moment – Live Aid.
Many feel the lunar landing of 1969 has had a lasting impact on public optimism – the feeling that if we can land a man on the moon then we can do anything – and the first presidential debate to be televised, between John F Kennedy and Richard M Nixon in 1960, arguably changed political campaigning forever.
But emotional storytelling is not a device exclusive to news broadcasters dealing with huge global issues. Storytelling remains one of the most accessible and potent tools businesses have to bring their organisation to life.
Whether a global brand or a ‘mumpreneur’ promoting a start-up, those who succeed do so because they have a clear brand narrative, understand their target audience and share with them creative content that makes them feel something and encourages them to get involved.
Think you don’t have a story worth telling? You do.
The story of why your company was created in the first place, what really matters to you and your team, and what drives you all on every day can give your target audience an inside look at your business and help you to stand out from the competition.
Your brand narrative should inspire and influence every communication you make, from a major marketing campaign right the way through to how you greet people when they arrive. And remember, that, as in life, it’s good to be authentic. Stay true to your roots and don’t try to be someone you’re not – your audiences will clock this a mile off.
In an era of continued information overload, it pays to remember the power of storytelling if you want to cut through the noise and win hearts and minds.