Andrea Palmentiero, Author at All Good Tales

Does controversial storytelling work?

We live in a generation where whether you like to admit it or not, we love a good story laced with controversy.

From political tabloids to the latest celebrity gossip and scandal, people today can’t help but click into these stories when scrolling through their newsfeeds. Big brand names like Nike and Pepsi have begun incorporating controversial storytelling into some of their most iconic campaigns.

But the question is, does this method of controversial storytelling work? The answer is, yes.

Grab audience attention

Back in the day when we saw an advertisement on television, it was pretty simple and straightforward. The campaigns would have main characters, a plot and portray their product as the hero, in the end, persuading their audiences to invest because it’s that good. However, this kind of campaign only creates a one-way conversation with its audiences. This would be transparent and not as effective with today’s audiences. This is because there has been a shift in what people want to see and what attracts their attention.

To find out how we can help you tell a great story, request a consultation here.

In order to create content that people are interested in and will create the greatest maximum impact, you must take a vital step in your storytelling approach and use a two-way communication approach. By using controversial storytelling you’re including more interactive content which enables a two-way dialogue between you and your audiences. This will not only attract more people to your campaign but it will have a bigger impact on society because it will get people talking and sharing their own views and opinions on it.

Controversial storytelling through a two-way dialogue creates the idea that you don’t just want people to resonate with your campaign, you want them to talk about it. By using controversial storytelling you get talked about because you’re starting a conversation with your audiences. So, instead of writing a piece that someone reads and then forgets about by lunchtime, controversial storytelling gets people talking.

Nike

Nike recently announced that San Francisco 49ers quarterback, Colin Kaepernick would be one of the athletes helping commemorate the 30th anniversary of the brand’s iconic slogan.

The ad that was created as a part of this campaign was a black-and-white close up of Kaepernick’s face with the words, “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything” which was a direct reference to the backlash the athlete got after kneeling for the national anthem in protest against police brutality in America.

Kaepernick got a lot of backlash from people who said that he was disrespecting his flag and his country, which is why Nike’s campaign became so controversial within its audiences. People from all around the United States started to boycott Nike and starting posting pictures and videos of them destroying their Nike apparel as a display of their loyalty to their country.

But Nike deciding to use Kaepernick as one of the faces of this campaign wasn’t by accident and was actually part of a strategic plan by their expert marketers. Nike knew it was a risk to use Kaepernick but they believed that whatever backlash Nike would take in the immediate aftermath of the release, would be outweighed by the long-term attention the brand would receive due to the two-way conversation it was enabling. This controversial campaign was successful. National conversation that it started within minutes of its release, which proved that it had already worked.

So whether your audiences are agreeing, disagreeing, supporting or hating the content you’re putting out there one thing is for sure: Its you who they are talking about and you who is now trending online, so either way you’re trending and either way you’ve made the news.

Here at All Good Tales, we believe that storytelling can help your business succeed. We’ve worked with the likes of Ancestry.com, Kingspan and DAA in helping them tell their story. We’d love to help you with a free consultation. You can call Gaye on (01) 254 1845 to organise yours today. Alternatively, you can get in touch here.

4 reasons why storytelling is an effective teaching tool

When asked about the classic fairytale Cinderella, most of us here at All Good Tales can give a detailed synopsis of the Disney Princess who with the help of her fairy godmother, triumphed over her evil stepmother, went to a ball, fell in love with a Prince, and lost her glass slipper all before midnight.

However, the last time that most of us have actually watched this film has been over a decade ago, so why is it still so fresh in our minds?

This is because storytelling is the most powerful and effective way to deliver a message. It is one of the first ways we are taught how to listen and learn as a human. Storytelling is used in many aspects of our life from bedtime stories, to Saturday morning cartoons, and even grade school and college. Storytelling is a creative and effective way for a message to reach an audience. But the impact of storytelling goes far past the walls of a classroom or box of a television screen. It can be used in your career to benefit to your business life as well.

Here are some reasons why and how you can incorporate storytelling into your professional life, and go from Cinderella to CEO.

Stories are more effective

A good story flows nicely, is easy for a speaker to tell, and therefore is more memorable for the audience. The more information you throw at an audience, the less likely they are to absorb it. Facts will be forgotten, but stories that incorporate facts and information will have a greater effect on listeners and therefore are more likely to be remembered.

Stories make people want to listen, by taking an abstract theory and turning it into a story with an emotional plot. From a business perspective, sharing important company information through a storyline will engage your employees. It will also increase your chances of being not only heard but thoroughly understood.

Stories teach you how to listen

To be a good team player and valuable employee, you must be able to listen just as much as you contribute. When you listen to other people’s ideas and suggestions you are able to give the respect you want in return. You are also putting yourself in a position to learn new things. Establishing strong listening skills within your employees is important. It teaches them how to see situations from different perspectives and opens their minds to new ideas. Listening creates empathy and respect within your employees which creates a more diverse workplace.

Stories teach lessons

When a story is being told, it usually has an underlying message or lesson that the speaker is trying to convey to its audience. Storytelling is an excellent tool. It helps explain expectations, strengthen character and teach desired behavior within a workplace. When a speaker turns information into a relatable story with a lesson attached, it’s easier for the audience to connect to and learn from it. The best way to understand if something works or not is through trial and error.

However, whether you fail or succeed, you still walk away from every situation with a story to tell that ends with a lesson you learned. When you inform your employees about something work related to actual events, you are creating a mutual understanding that prevents history from repeating itself.

What to keep in mind

Once you decide to implement storytelling into your workplace, make sure to keep the following things in mind to ensure the highest level of impact on your employees:

The stories you tell should be short and to the point. This helps keep the audience’s attention. If your story is too long then there’s greater possibility that your audience will lose interest. So make it short, sweet, and to the point.
The stories you tell should be easy to understand so the speaker’s message doesn’t get lost. If you use big words, or complicated storylines it will be easy for the listener to get confused and stop listening. So make it an easy and enjoyable listen.
The stories you tell should spark emotion within your audience. If a story is significant to you it will show in your delivery, and will then become significant to your audience as well. So make emotion a priority.
The stories you tell should have a final lesson at the end that ties in your original message. If your initial thought is clear at the end of your story, then your audience will take away more from the experience. So make your message follow through.

By using storytelling as a teaching tool in business, you are ensuring that a message is reaching your audience in efficient and effective ways. A story doesn’t have to be produced by Disney in order for it to be heard and remembered. It just takes a good plot, a good lesson, and a good listener at the other end.

Here at All Good Tales we are always keeping an eye on the latest trends. Right now we are doing great work for brands like Kingspan, Glandore, Ancestry.com, and daa, to name just a few. We are building brand newsrooms, executing exciting PR strategies, and training key staff how to source, structure and tell great stories. For more information please click here or call Gaye on (01) 254 1845.

Why Lidl supermarket is our PR and social media hero

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No–It’s a PR Hero!

Lidl is a German global discount supermarket chain turned beloved Irish food shop. It has become one of the most recognized food stores in Ireland today. The first Lidl was introduced to Ireland in July 2000. Since then it has changed the way people food shop in Ireland. With its top-quality products made available at the lowest possible prices, Lidl has quickly moved from discount retailer to mainstream supermarket brand over its lifetime in Ireland.

Today, Irish consumers are much more price conscious than they’ve ever been, but do not want to compromise on the quality of food that they’re purchasing. Consumers now have less brand loyalty to products and are more willing and wanting to buy own-brand products. Because of this, Lidl puts a huge emphasis on Irish products, bringing in the value that their customers are seeking and at cheaper prices. Lidl is bringing in 1.5 million weekly customers around Ireland. This puts them in serious competition with big brand supermarkets like Tesco, SuperValu, and Dunnes store.

Public Relations Gurus

Aside from its quality products and discounted prices, Lidl is also notorious for its excellent public relations team. These group of talented PR pros flawlessly maintain the relationship between the company and its consumers. By impeccable use of PR and social media, the Lidl communications team is a perfect example of how to build a positive customer relationship that benefits both the company and its public. They are aware of their influence in the public eye and take full advantage of it when communicating.

Lidl Ireland practices good PR through its Sponsorship with Women’s Gaelic football. This shows their appreciation and support for Irish culture. Another way they practice good PR is through their strong corporate social responsibility by positively contributing to the communities that they are apart of. Through responsible sourcing and protecting the environment with efforts on energy efficiency, renewables and waste reduction across their businesses, they have a created an opportunity to do good through their profits.

Social Media Superstars

Lidl’s strong social media presence is essential in building and maintaining a relationship with their publics. Aoife Clarke is Head of Communications at Lidl Ireland and leads all public relations, social media, internal communications within the company. She started the first Lidl Facebook page in 2010. Today, the page has one of the largest followings for a retail brand in Ireland. Lidl Ireland sees their social media accounts as a fun and creative way to inform their publics and complement their recent business activities.

With the success of their Facebook, Lidl Ireland went on to create other social media pages including their infamous Twitter account. This account has most recently gained attention after Storm Emma. When the Lidl Ireland, Tallaght branch was destroyed by a digger and looted during the storm, the Lidl Ireland PR took to Twitter. The team used their account to respond to the massive crisis they had on their hands. Instead of letting the situation spiral out of control, Lidl used its social media accounts as a platform for good crisis management and control. Lidl’s Twitter account began posting witty comments regarding the incident. These proved successful and had people in tears of laughter and resulted in numerous shares, comments and retweets.

Okay, we've seen some very 'creative' floats in the #StPatricksDay parades today… but which is the best? 😂 pic.twitter.com/TR0WlXAih7

— Lidl Ireland (@lidl_ireland) March 17, 2018

Instead of being publicly upset about a blatantly bad situation, Lidl chose a different route. Their communications team were able to create a sense of lightheartedness within its public and let the positive overpower the negative. Their crisis response via social media distracted people from the bad situation at hand. It left people impressed by their consistent positive attitude throughout the incident. By staying calm and collected, Lidl Ireland was able to focus public attention on their amusing tweets, while they worked hard internally to repair the damages.

Why they are heroes

The Lidl Ireland communications team didn’t want to create worry and panic within its public. They know it would only hurt their efforts to move forward and manage this crisis. By use of good PR and social media presence, they were able to manage this crisis one step at a time. Starting with the support of its public through emotional management. Lidl Ireland’s excellent PR practice and good use of social media to help maintain a good relationship with its consumers is what PR Heroes are made of.