By Sam Stern Sam Stern is CEO of MagnifyGood, a communications consultancy that magnifies the good of social sector programs by improving the value of their communications efforts Creating change After the initial news of Harvey Weinstein’s longtime abusive practices spread across the globe, an innumerable amount of stories began piling up. For almost two months, the […]
All Together Now: Passion, Experience, Story
April 30, 2019 by Leave a Comment
The people of Pernambuco, Brazil, were up against a death or life situation. And death was winning. Each year, hundreds of members of their community were dying senselessly. Not because of poor medical care But because they couldn’t get the replacement organs they needed to survive. According to Brazilian law, it’s up to the family. […]
Want To Lead A Movement? Start With A Story
April 16, 2019 by 1 Comment
Two children were born on the same day in Uganda. Two children grew up in the same Ugandan village. One boy One of those boys dropped out of school. He never learned to read. He ended up cutting sugarcane. He eventually struggled with alcohol abuse and parented many children out of wedlock. The other boy […]
Ten Things A Movement Needs
April 2, 2019 by 4 Comments
Through the oppressive heat, and humidity, and driving rain they came. Traveling in their luxury limos, and the family sedan they came. Celebrating in their fancy, streamlined motor coaches they came. Crowded into rickety, old school buses and church vans they came. In broken down VW buses and specially scheduled trains they came. From the […]
What A Doughboy Knows That We Don’t
March 19, 2019 by Leave a Comment
It’s the beginning of a new semester. And Bob is at it again. Each semester, Bob shows a video to his international students. It’s this one. Behold the Doughboy effect “Does this make you hungry?” he asks them. They laugh nervously and answer, “No.” “Does this make you think of family or getting together […]
Empathy: The Overlooked Secret
March 5, 2019 by 1 Comment
By Mark Clevenger Mark Clevenger is the President of Clevenger Associates, a marketing research consultancy specializing in human behavior. Empathy is for practical people The question: “Knowing our customers is important, but isn’t empathy getting into la-la land?” Mangers worry. How can we improve efficiency? Detours are the enemy. Stay focused. Find the quickest path […]
Empathy, Experiences, Stories, Oh My
February 25, 2019 by 1 Comment
Joe is walking down a street when he falls in a hole. The walls are so steep he can’t get out. A doctor passes by, and Joe shouts up “Hey you! Can you help me out?” Sympathy The doctor writes him a prescription, throws it down the hole, and moves on. Then a priest comes […]
To The Truth Tellers
February 5, 2019 by Leave a Comment
Truth was naked and cold. Destitute. She had been turned away from every door in the village. Her nakedness frightened the people When Parable found her, she was huddled in a corner, shivering, and hungry. Taking pity on her, Parable gathered her up and took her home. There she dressed Truth in story, warmed her, […]
Visual Stories My Old Friend Tells Me
January 22, 2019 by Leave a Comment
We have met at least once a month for the last 22 years, my old friend and me. And every time I visit I see something I didn’t see before. Something new from my old friend to me. For 22 years Every time we’re together I feel inspired. That’s my old friend’s gift to me. […]
More Nothing: What Visual Storytelling Needs
January 8, 2019 by 1 Comment
Heather Anthony is an artist. She creates family portraits. To begin, she asks the family to send her photographs of each person. She asks them about the clothes they like to wear. And the fashion story they tell. Creating context From those contextual elements, she draws a digital sketch of the group for approval. Only […]
