"Where Am I Going To Plug This In?"
Stories With Heart – a fortnightly round-up of the best storytelling, for people and organisations wanting to win hearts and minds by telling better, richer stories.
Hello story lovers, Sam Lightfinch here. Welcome to Stories With Heart.
As a strategic storyteller and speaker, I use strategy, ideas and creative executions to craft and share narratives that resonate with people and drive organisational success. Basically, I tell stories with heart.
Are you ready to dip your toes into the icy lake of story? Then your shins, and knees, and waist? We all know submerging the lungs is the hard part. Will you pinch your nose and close your eyes, and gasp as you pull your head skywards, as the cold water of words dances on your flesh, reminding you that you’re alive? Excellent, let’s dive.
🏆 Story of the week 🏆
Sunshine | Wieden+Kennedy | Nike
Running is shit. If you’re anything like me, you spend the first five minutes fighting off a stitch and praying the ol’ knee holds up. And before that you try really hard not to find your shoes while you’re looking for them. And if you can’t find the exact pair of socks, it’s really easy to whisper to yourself I’ll go another day.
This Nike ad from Wieden+ Kennedy has a razor sharp insight at the heart of it – slobs like me will never win because it takes a certain mindset to push past all that self deprecation and thinly-veiled laziness.
It’s a story told with a knowing smile. You’re either in or out of the club. No half measures.
Takeaway: Basing your story on customer/client/audience insight will build far more resonance and loyalty with the right people. Choose that over telling a story that appeals to the masses.
Slow zoom of the week
“It’s Intense But It’s Beautiful…Like Coffee” | A View From A Bridge | Joe Bloom
My partner is OBSESSED with slow zooms. We can’t take a video without one anymore. So it’s no wonder she gets lost in this Instagram account. Joe Bloom has created one of those that’s-so-simple-and-brilliant-why-hasn’t-anyone-done-it-already? ideas – get strangers to talk about something meaningful to them while holding a bright red telephone.
Some are funny and some are insightful. Some leave me with a smile painted on my face while others make me want to go sit in a dark room with a blanket and my dog.
It makes the newsletter this week because it’s a perfect reminder that people are story animals. We’ve all got stories spilling out of us, waiting to be told. Sometimes, we just need the platform, and someone to listen.
Takeaway: You have a multitude of stories in you. Especially the ones you don’t think people want to hear.
About page of the week
I Was Born To Bake | Dave Greasley | 3800
It’s rare in the world of advertising and consultancy that you see an agency website that makes you do that I-wish-I’d-thought-of-that nod of approval. Lots of design/ad/marketing agencies are lazy with their sites, falling into old tropes rather than delivering fresh and surprising content to visitors.
Which is why this example from Dave Greasley – founder of 3800 – is a rare treat and excellent lesson in storytelling. Rather than a timeline of events, or the I had a dream and a laptop on finance speech, he uses a story about scientists finding reaaaaally old bread to draw parallels with the purpose of the improvement studio.
It’s a fine example of using a story to show, as well as tell, because as well as offering a fresh take on the about page, it shows how the studio focuses on improvement, and looks for ways to do things differently.
Takeaway: Look for unexpected places to tell stories, because a well-told story in an unusual place will stay with people.
Documentary of the week
Extreme Ironing | 60 Second Docs
Matt Battley is an extreme ironer. I shouldn’t have to say anything else for you to watch this documentary, but let’s unpick what you can learn about storytelling from 60 Second Docs.
What I really love about this Instagram page is its commitment to brevity. Much like I say short stories are windows that allow us to look in on a snapshot of bigger tales, these documentaries don’t try to do all the heavy lifting. Instead, they offer a brief glimpse into the weird and the wonderful.
Sometimes, storytellers and writers can be our own worst enemy, as we try to fold meaning and reflection and depth into the batter of an idea. Sometimes, less is more.
Takeaway: Sharing a little slice of the story can be more appealing than giving the audience the whole cake.
Website of the week
The Boat | Matt Huynh | SBS
This is an old treasure that I always bang on about whenever anyone mentions digital storytelling. The Boat feels like a comic book, a film, and an exhibition at the same time, as readers scroll through beautiful imagery and story while the coding and audio bring the page to life.
In an age of instant gratification, where we’re being told to make stories and interactions shorter and more shiny, this website embraces the slow build. And it’s effective because the thought that’s gone into sharing the story is so rich. It feels like a premium experience, therefore people are likely to invest more time in it.
Takeaway: Sometimes, it’s worth investing in bringing the bigger, longer, more elaborate story to life. Because when everyone is telling stories that make a ripple, you could be wondering how to make a wave.
My story of the week
This Old House Is All I Have | My Nose Tastes Like Swimming Pools
I published a book of short stories in December 2022. They are weird little things based loosely on love, death and life’s seasons. Here’s the shortest story from it. There are still a handful of copies left on my website, if you want to read the others.
I opened my doors to you and you stepped right in. We cleaned out the cupboards and scrubbed dirt from trodden floors. We put old things in bin bags, tied careful knots in the top of them, and threw them out.
I covered my hallways with new ideas while you washed down all the windows so I could see out again. How I’d missed the view.
You found a set of old keys in a drawer, tucked away behind odd screws and broken rubber bands. They opened thresholds to long-forgotten rooms. You rushed right in and filled them with light.
You rewired me. Made electricity race through me again.
People followed you in. They brought kisses and big conversations. They stuck around and cooked meals in me. All of a sudden my evenings smelled like purpose.
Now, the breeze blows through my halls. Colour twirls and dances up the stairs. Hope has made herself a bed.
Today, I am an old house, an old house that finally knows joy.
THE END(ISH)
Hopefully, you’re here because you like stories, and not because your driving test is coming up, and you’re looking for a yarn to spin to distract your instructor from your lack of clutch control.
If it’s the former, I’d appreciate it if you A) shared this newsletter with someone who might like it, or B) checked out my website.
If it’s the latter, then I’d suggest you spend your final moments watching Ronnie Pickering – toxic masculinity embodied. You might not pass your test, but you can learn to howl your name in frustration as the road rage takes over. Or you can unsubscribe. No hard feelings.