Leaders face a daunting challenge of getting audiences to see things the same way they do.  So why do so many still overly rely on words, stats and bullets to get their points across?  In this age of big data and digital daydreaming, these relentless barrages of boring presentations are even less effective.  Visual storytelling is the way to go.

We’ve always known that pictures are worth a thousand words.  But pictures that tell a visual story are worth millions. If you want to win the hearts and minds of audiences, draw them the big picture – literally.

Graphic recorder Sunni Brown, shown here, sketched a live Zappos.com meeting. – Source: Wall Street Journal

In A Whole New Mind, Daniel Pink described that drawing and sketching are more effective ways to develop the aptitude of symphony, the ability to connect seemingly unrelated pieces to create deeper understanding.  Check out the great cartoon-driven RSA-animate video on employee motivation which speaks to his point.

Research in cognitive learning proves the advantages of diagrams and sketches in communication and problem solving.  Unlike words, diagrams relieve working memory, making learning physically easier on the brain (van Essen & Hamaker, 1990).  Diagrams also help people better digest and reorganize large amounts of information, which, in turn, facilitates deeper meaning (Larkin & Simon, 1987).

The corporate community is just waking up to this visual dawn – something the tech community has known for years.  Whiteboards, chalkboards and writable glass are now staples in organizations that need to share knowledge and information.  According to Rachel Silverman’s Wall Street Journal piece, firms are holding training sessions to teach employees the basics of what’s known as “visual note taking.”  Others, like Zappos, have in-house doodlers – graphic recording consultants who sketch what’s discussed in real time, ultimately producing a cartoon-style “big picture” of what was covered and how all the pieces fit together.

According to Silverman, doodling proponents say this act helps generate ideas, fuels collaboration and simplifies communication. It can be especially helpful among global colleagues who don’t share a common first language.  To top it off, studies show it can help workers retain more information.

Silverman also cites a 2009 study published in the journal of Applied Cognitive Psychology, which found doodlers retain more than non-doodlers when recalling information presented in a boring context, such as in a typical meeting or conference call. The logic, according to Jackie Andrade, a psychology professor at the University of Plymouth in England, is that “doodling takes up just enough cognitive energy to prevent the mind from daydreaming.”  This goes to show that contrary to popular belief, doodling can be productive.

This is especially useful if you need to communicate complex strategies or product features. So to get people or audiences on the same page, replace your PowerPoint with a power sketch.

According to Mike Rohde, author of Sketching: the Visual Thinking Power Tool, a drawing creates a unique space, enabling people to think differently, generate a variety of ideas quickly and explore alternatives with less risk.  Now doesn’t this sound like something that encourages constructive discussions with colleagues and clients?

Can’t draw?  Don’t sweat it. It’s not about beauty.  Lines, stick-figures and basic shapes work just as well.  Give it a try.  Next strategy meeting, use a white board or flip chart to draw out your strategy and draw in your audience.

Have you seen examples of good strategy sketches?

Reply here and share with the group.

To be regarded as a love-brand is a status all brands aspire to reach and one only few can achieve.  You see love is loyalty beyond reason.  It’s what transforms a customer from being committed to a brand, to feeling like they can’t live without it.  It’s what creates life-long customer devotion and evangelism for companies like Apple, Harley Davidson and Coca-Cola.

Becoming a love-brand is no easy feat.  To be considered a love-brand, companies should ask themselves the following questions:

• Does your brand become inserted in consumers’ ever day lives?
• Does your brand become part of key life moments?
• Have consumers personalized it?

• Does it cause a rave reaction?

• Does it extend beyond the offering?

No brand demonstrates this kind of unconditional customer love more than our darling Wawa.  Hailed as a “Convenience Cult” by the New York Times, Wawa is a place that feels like home to its customers, that is not simply a nice to have, but a place they truly can’t live without.  It’s a place where millions of customers have forged lasting relationships with their favorite Wawa Associate… a place so special to its customers, some have chosen to get married in their stores, or display their infinite loyalty through a Wawa tattoo:

PhillyMag put it perfectly this year in the article “It’s a Wawa world.”  

Happy Valentine’s Day Wawa.  We love you!

With an estimated 111 million viewers, Super Bowl XLV is prime-time for brands to gain attention, but not all advertisements are created equally. Story-lines and viewer engagement are the ultimate touchdowns for this year’s game.

Just because an individual laughs at a talking baby or finds Kim Kardashian attractive does not mean that he/she will remember the actual product being advertised or that the message of the ad will resonate with them. With a 30-second advertising spot costing around $3.5 million during this upcoming Super Bowl, companies seeking brand loyalty  and increased sales are paying massive amounts in hopes that it will pay off.  However, as marketing expert, Charles Gaudet, explains, “what these advertising agencies tend to forget is that advertising isn’t about being witty, entertaining or winning an award for being the most creative – it’s all about selling and this is where they miss the mark.” But, in a world, where products are constantly being thrown in our face, how can a company “sell” their product without having to actually do any selling?

Accessible Relatable Stories

The answer lies in an accessible, relatable story line. Good story telling builds a strong connection between the brand and the consumer, ultimately leading to brand loyalty. Perhaps even more importantly, good story telling can lead to positive word-of-mouth.  Nowhere is this more prevalent than the Super Bowl. Big name brands like Pepsi and Coke are certainly catching on to this, creating viral marketing campaigns that extend far beyond their thirty-second advertising slot. Consider two of this year’s most talked about campaigns: Honda’s homage to Ferris Bueller’s Day off and Volkswagen’s sequel to last year’s smash hit Star Wars commercial. In both ads it’s about taking something that is familiar and relatable to the general public, and using it to further a story, and consequently their brand.

Think about your own organization.  You may not have a Super Bowl ad, but you do have a web site, a brochure and a sales deck.  What stories are they telling?

As soon as the news hit land, all spotlights were on the ship’s parent company – Carnival Cruise Lines – waiting for a response that would quell the anxiety of many. What the public got in response was not expected – nothing like the authoritative tone of Captain De Falco, but rather resembling the irresponsible (or apathetic?) attitude of Captain Schettino.

Approximately 24 hours later, Carnival released its first statement that did not quote a specific person. Meanwhile, the company’s CEO – Micky Arison – expressed his condolences to the victims via Twitter from Miami, located 5,000 miles away from the site of the crash. The CEO’s distant engagement and low-profile management of the crisis has been ironically deafening.

Arison’s executive crew facing the media on his behalf is vehemently defending their leader’s ghostly presence, saying that he is in ‘constant contact’ to deal with the situation. However, absence of public visibility, seven tweets in the span of eleven days and attached links to crafted corporate PR statements simply are not enough.

So, what are the right steps in managing the crisis?

Validate Concern

Speed and tone are the keys to this initial step. Yes, the company may inevitably suffer in the short-term – but a clear, immediate response with total honesty and humility is necessary. If handled well, it will uphold the company’s reputation and secure the loyalty of its customers and stakeholders. It is crucial to reassure people that the situation will never be repeated in the future.

Saying “no comment” may resonate “we-don’t-care” to the audience. When such fatalities and accidents occur, public appearances by CEOs are important to regain consumer confidence in the brand and its services. As for Micky Arison, his physical presence at the Tuscan island of Giglio (site of  the crash) would have shown much more concern and compassion than his series of statements in 140 characters or less.

Show Action

While the CEO is on the site emphasizing with the survivors and victims‘ families, strong actions are needed to be taken. Such examples can entail full compensation for those affected, implementation of mandatory safety drills before every cruise (Costa did not bother to conduct a lifeboat drill before sailing on this trip)…immediate action to solve the problem.

Surely, the company’s misleading press releases and the disastrous miscommunication of the ‘30% discount deal‘ did not do much for the lack of credibility and transparency prevalent throughout the industry.

Control the Narrative

If you don’t talk, others will. The faster the company communicates with the utmost accuracy and honesty, it is more likely that the organization will become the media’s main source for information during the crisis. PR experts nationwide are speaking in consensus that “Micky Arison should come out, take ownership, and get in front of the story.” During a period of crisis with such gravity, a constant flow of information -  via Twitter, Facebook, TV/press interviews, etc. – should be generated to demonstrate clear ownership of the situation.

Carnival has managed prior cruise disasters with absolute poise in the past. In 2010, when the Splendor cruise ship was stranded at sea without power for three days, Carnival handled the situation as if it was planned. The constant company updates on social media, highly publicized press conference on site, immediate actions for victims, and humble attitude all contributed to a successful crisis management.

Usually, a company would learn from its mistakes. This time, Carnival will have to remember how  its past excellent crisis control skills got lost in the sea.

To the PR Pros: How would you manage Carnival’s crisis? Do you think there is way to salvage this PR debacle?

This bold operational move by Wikipedia – in conjunction with other behemoths of the web, such as Google blackening its logo and WordPress censoring its most popular blogs – undeniably had a significant impact. Besides the fact that 18 senators withdrew their support for the bills, Wikipedia (in particular) witnessed an outburst of attention across the platforms. By 6 a.m. next day, the media generated over 4,600 articles on the movement and Wikipedia saw a nearly 30% increase in its site traffic. The pre-announced shutdown actually led to more people flocking to the site than normal, just so they could experience the ‘blackout.’

In addition to the remarkable PR buzz created, this phenomenon was an unusual tactic to test the power of the brand. The complete blockage of access to all Wiki-content reminded its consumers of the significance of Wikipedia within their lives – and the impact the bill would have if passed.

Most importantly, Wikipedia was able to communicate its message with maximum impact by clearly re-telling the story of the brand. By utilizing the contrasting image of darkness and light, Wikipedians effectively narrated their analogy of ‘intellectual darkness’ without access to free knowledge online.

As soon as the world of Wikipedia saw daylight, the web site posted a ‘thank you’ banner addressing the 162 million people who had witnessed the ‘blackout’ – as claimed by its organizers. The sign of gratification was also followed by a message:

“…Our mission is to empower and engage people to document the sum of all human knowledge, and to make it available to all humanity, in perpetuity. We care passionately about the right of authors, because we are authors…The Internet has enable creativity, knowledge, and innovation to shine, and as Wikipedia went dark, you’ve directed your energy to protecting it. We’re turning the lights back on. Help us keep them shining brightly.”

The (PR) Choice: Do you think Wikipedia’s story will convince most to keep the ‘light’ shining?

Changes are taking place in light of a shift in employees’ increased involvement in determining their health insurance coverage.  Now, individual workers are being tasked with finding their own insurance providers instead of receiving predetermined coverage from their employers.

“Because personalization is so important to today’s consumers, we offer tailored solutions to meet their evolving health and well-being needs. We seek to provide peace of mind every step of the way,” said Cigna CEO David Cordani. “Health and wellness is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Connecting people to better health is the value we deliver as a global health services company.”

As a result, Cigna has decided to change its logo to a more personable GO YOU logo to distinguish from the company’s stoic corporate past. The change is the first since 1993 when the “Tree of Life” logo, with its traditional typeface and a basic leafy tree, was put into place.  Cigna’s newest logo, GO YOU, replaces all upper-case letters with lower-case, uses a more informal font called “Myriad Pro semi-bold” to spell out the company’s name in all lowercase letters, and has a person figure bearing resemblance to the former “Tree of Life.”   These changes are part of an adaptation to new market trends where personalized attention will be paramount.

“If you think about the Cigna logo today, you know it has a tree, which represents the sturdiness of this organization in many ways,” said Bertram “Bert” Scott, president of U.S. Commercial Markets at Cigna and the community campaign chair this year for the United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut. “So, we wanted to continue to capture that heritage in the new logo . . . The person represents the individual.”

But, is the rebranding authentic? Aetna Inc., another industry giant, made changes to its corporate logo in 2001 from an all capitalized, red AETNA, to a livelier and more inviting logo that includes an individual with arms stretched out to the sky. Get where this is going? Cigna’s recent rebranding shows a striking resemblance.  With Aetna racking up accolades such as best business turnaround in 2004, and most admired company in 2008, it’s no wonder that Cigna would take note.

Branding Pros: Although it is said that imitation is the highest form of flattery, do similar branding strategies between competing companies help or hurt the end results?

 “He makes a list, and checks it twice” –It only took one nice little boy with coal in his stocking for Santa to recognize the value of double-checking.  Being thorough and consistent are just a few of the reasons he’s a branding guru.  Just like Santa your story and brand need to be consistent time and again.  When telling a story, it can be easy to leave things out or to overlook certain elements entirely if we don’t take the time to check it twice.  Putting all of the pieces together and paying attention to detail are essential to making a story worth spreading. 

 He’s one of a kind – There may only be one Santa, but to each of his believers he represents something distinctly different.  He is able to adapt his brand to each individual market, without losing his unique point of view: dreams can come true with a little magic, faith and Christmas cheer.  Every person and company has a different perspective, so we have to learn how to communicate the same core message to different audiences while keeping the different countries, mediums, etc. in mind.

 He has perfect delivery – Practice makes perfect, and with hundreds of years of squeezing down narrow chimneys, Santa delivers presents “like magic”.  Fortunately for the rest of us, effective message delivery can be accomplished magic and soot-free.  Part of conveying the perfect message is creating a strong foundation, or Master Narrative, and building upon it.  The perfect story requires more than characters and setting, rising and falling action; it requires time, practice and fine-tuning for the perfect delivery.

 He’s engaging – Who else do we know that can convince the children of the world to go to bed early? With Santa’s jolly demeanor and lovable consistency, he not only entertains the world, he grabs its attention with his compelling story.  In turn, Santa-lovers everywhere spread his messages of inspiration and joy.  In PR and Marketing, the trick to making your story worth telling is to convince others not only to believe and buy, but to advocate to others.  Santa accomplishes this each and every time.

 He knows when you’ve been bad or good – Santa’s uncanny ability to sniff out lies, deceit and misconduct should be a lesson for all.  He’s not alone.  The public and media might take a little longer, but they too will catch wind of any crisis or scandal.   Santa is proof that trying to hide from your mistakes is useless, so don’t spend 2012 ignoring a problem, take the reins and regain control of the narrative.

 Branding Gurus: How has Santa’s legendary brand inspired your strategy? How have you made your story worth spreading?

Face it, the PR industry has always been the worst at promoting itself.  To help that, the industry’s largest organization, the Public Relations Society of America, is embarking on an endeavor to develop a better definition of “public relations,” one more appropriate for the 21st century.  Their effort starts today, inviting PR practitioners and the general public to offer suggestions about how best to say what we do.

This is a noble effort, but one focused in the wrong direction. The fact is: one of the best definitions was posed by Seth Godin.  In it, he zeroes in on the true core of PR effectiveness—the power or story.

The difference between PR and publicity
By Seth Godin

Most PR firms do publicity, not PR.

Publicity is the act of getting ink. Publicity is getting unpaid media to pay attention, write you up, point to you, run a picture, make a commotion. Sometimes publicity is helpful, and good publicity is always good for your ego.

But it’s not PR.

PR is the strategic crafting of your story. It’s the focused examination of your interactions and tactics and products and pricing that, when combined, determine what and how people talk about you.

Regis McKenna was great at PR. Yes, he got Steve Jobs and the Mac on the cover of more than 30 magazines in the year it launched. That was just publicity. The real insight was crafting the story of the Mac (and yes, the story of Steve Jobs).

If you send out a boring press release, your publicity effort will probably fail, but your PR already has.

A publicity firm will tell you stories of how they got a client ink. A PR firm will talk about storytelling and being remarkable and spreading the word. They might even suggest you don’t bother getting ink or issuing press releases.

In their book entitled The Fall of Advertising and the Rise of PR, renowned marketing strategist Al Ries and his daughter Laura effectively argue that public relations (infused with story) should be the tools of choice when establishing a brand.  They get it.

It’s time to cut through the phrasing and stats and get right to the story.  It’s always been the art and heart of PR.

PR Pros: How do you talk about PR?  Tell us your definition.

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The current lack of leadership and lapse in moral responsibility puts their brand in the balance of being eternally damaged. At this point, the students are the only ones who have shown significant emotion – albeit upon Paterno’s firing. The corporate side of Penn State’s story, on the other hand, is lacking a human spokesperson that matches the emotional human elements of the incident.

Scandals like this inevitably spread like wildfire and no reputation – no matter how legendary – is fireproof.  It is now the University’s responsibility to get in front of it and face it – not with an institutional approach but an actual face.  Unfortunately, the only human face that is speaking up on behalf of the institute is that of Sandusky – and that is not the person who should be representing Penn State’s image and values.

The school has appointed a Special Committee led by the board to undertake a complete investigation of the circumstances given in the Grand Jury Report, but they still need someone to get out there and reassure the public.

This face needs to exhibit the qualities of an ethical, responsible and trustworthy human being that can captain this sinking ship. Not only should s/he be an advocate for justice, but s/he should ultimately ensure that this never happens at the University again and that those responsible are held fully accountable. The chairman of the committee, Kenneth C. Frazier, has a background in corporate law and administration with a history of pro bono work on behalf of low-income communities. According to the University, Frazier’s “professional achievements, personal qualities and community involvement” make him an ideal representative of Penn State’s goals. Whoever steps up to revamp PSU’s image, be it Frazier or someone else, needs to act quickly. The mushroom cloud of events that has engulfed the University needs a spokesperson – not a spokes-institution.

Face it with a Face: Who do you think should be the face of Penn State’s rebuilding process? Can their image survive this scandal?

After POLITICO published its report on October 30th, the Cain campaign said in a statement that the “political trade press are now casting aspersions on his character and spreading rumors that never stood up to the facts.” But the campaign did not initially deny the details of the report.

DRIP

When the story dropped, the campaign’s immediate response was to claim that their candidate had been viciously targeted by the media. While this reaction wasn’t a bad strategic move, the detailed nature of the Politico article has made it tough for Cain to simply stand by his original statement.

DRIP

The following Monday, Cain and his staff’s conflicting accounts began to pour in by the gallon. At first, Cain said that he was unaware of any settlements and denied any knowledge of the case, but later provided details regarding one settlement during several interviews.

DRIP

For example, Cain responded to the Washington Examiner’s questions about the amount of money in the settlement, stating one woman was given “three months’ salary…I don’t remember.” And when asked about the specifics of the allegations, Cain’s staff responded with vague language, referring questions to the National Restaurant Association or downright dodging the questions completely.

Cain may think he’s doing the right thing – dripping pieces of information to the media as he sees fit – but a good campaign can weather a story like this if the accused can get right in front of it and address it directly and honestly, from the beginning.

That is not what Cain is doing. Controlling the Narrative is a key element in handling a crisis of this magnitude. At this point, the media has taken the story and run with it, threatening Cain’s campaign momentum and his chances of preserving his frontrunner spot.

Cain is also failing to Validate the Concern: his interviews are riddled with denial and deflection. Cain is playing the role of victim in this scenario, stating that the accusations from these two anonymous sources are baseless and false. The fact that Cain can’t quite recall exactly what his actions were leading up to this story is unsettling and possibly damaging.

The final step for Cain is to Take Action . At this point, he’s already spoken to various news outlets, declaring that these allegations were spurious and absent of any proof, but rhetoric alone will not save him from the ongoing barrage of questions. The fewer answers he has, the more questions he will be asked.

Be Heard: Can Herman Cain survive this scandal? What should be his next plan of action?