Narrative x Communications

Strategic Storytelling + Instrumentalized Storytelling + Narrative Change + Personal Storytelling

About

What is it?

What does it look like?

Why now?

What are some examples?

What’s it similar to?

Who is doing it?

What are the issues?

Strategic storytelling emerged as a significant part of organizational communications when Web 2.0 and digital media made stories popular — and easy to distribute — in the mid-2000s.

Stories solved a problem - attention. But they created a new problem — meaning.

  • Personal Storytelling

  • Narrative Change

The media landscape changed.

Also, AI can’t do this.

  • Invisible Children’s produced the short film Kony 2012, which went viral and launched the organization’s campaign.

  • Kiva told stories about entrepreneurs in the developing world, to raise funds for microloans and shift attitudes about poverty.

Advertising. TV ads — at least the good ones — are small stories about a product or company. Strategic storytelling tells small stories about a person that relates to the product or company or social issue etc. Lots of people moved from advertising to strategic storytelling.

  • Nonprofits / social justice / social change

  • Startups rely on strategic storytelling because they are buildilng something

  • Climate change organizations are realizing they have a problem because it’s a social issue but people are not at the center.

  • Science organizations that need public opinion

  • Ethics of instrumentalized storytelling

Practical Resources

A research report published by Georgetown University’s Center for Social Impact Communication to help social impact organizations use storytelling.

Story Movements is a biennial CMSI convening that curates and presents research and case studies about the role of narrative in contemporary movements for social justice.

A rich list of resources for members of RadComms.

Organizations

Applying tools from cognition and linguistics, we uncover where people are capable of going and how to use our words, images and stories to move them.

Identifying new opportunities to enhance public understanding of climate change, and increase public engagement with climate solutions.

The Center for Media & Social Impact (CMSI) is a creative innovation lab and research center that focuses on media for equity and social justice.

Public Interest Communications helps movements, foundations, agencies and organizations apply behavioral, cognitive and social science to build better communication strategies for the common good.

A research and action center dedicated to increasing social impact through the power of marketers, communicators, fundraisers and journalists working together.

A national (USA) organization offering training and consulting to harness the power of narrative for social change.

StoryCenter is an innovative participatory media organization committed to the power of personal narratives for equity, wellness and social action.

The Radical Communicators Network is a global cohort of more than 5,000 communicators to cross-pollinate conversations across a variety of movements, organizations, levels of experience, geographies, languages, and political associations.

Training

Training in Public Interest Communications
Center for Public Interest Communications

Science Communications Course
Center for Public Interest Communications

Online Certificate in Social Impact Storytelling
Center for Social Impact Communication

Story-based Strategy
Center for Social Impact Communication

Public Interest Communications helps movements, foundations, agencies and organizations apply behavioral, cognitive and social science to build better communication strategies for the common good. More.

“Whether you’re a scientist, researcher, lab member, post-doc, health care professional, science communicator or anyone with a desire to improve your science communication skills, this program will enhance your ability to share your work with precision and power.” More.

“With a curriculum developed from Georgetown University’s renowned Center for Social Impact Communication, the program provides you with opportunities to learn from applied research, engage with expert faculty and industry thought leaders, and develop your personal skills as a storyteller.”

Story-based strategy is an approach to understanding the stories you are trying to change, and being intentional and strategic about what stories your words and actions tell.