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How can storytelling turn an event into a meaningful journey attendees?



In 2013, Netflix introduced its own original programming. 

 

Already the world’s leader in the streaming market, by the time the pandemic surfaced and forced the world indoors, this fertile ground would nurture several other major names in entertainment to launch competing streaming services each prioritising its own original programming that was compelling, well-produced and all anyone was talking about. 

 

And therein answers the ‘why?’  

 

It’s all anyone was talking about. 

 

Today, streamers are pioneering the art of storytelling, not just through their content but in a far wider sense, by marketing original programming by following a traditional story arc. 

 

A story arc typically includes the following components. 

 

  • Exposition: The introduction of the story  

  • Rising action: The plot builds  

  • Climax: The moment of highest tension and conflict  

  • Falling action: The plot begins to resolve  

  • Resolution: The conflict is resolved  

 

The story arc keeps us fully engaged by creating a sense of anticipation as we want to know how the conflict will be resolved.  

 

And that’s all anyone’s talking about. 

 

And if the programming is outstanding, Netflix’s Ozark and FX’s The Bear two of the finest examples in my opinion, it reaches great acclaim and garners a strong following. 

 

In itself, this becomes part of the story, oftentimes far outlasting the programming season. 

 

And so, why is this important to event planners? 

 

It’s not for the first time one of our posts seeks inspiration from outside our industry. 

 

We do this regularly. 

 

Well, it’s important to understand and harness the power of storytelling; to learn how a well-crafted narrative can reshape an event into a journey making every moment more engaging, memorable and differentiated for attendees. 

 

And unless you’ve been under a rock this past decade, events must now be more immersive, more participatory. 

 

Grassroots sports brand events take place in urban environments to reflect the brand’s origins; mobile networks favour festival experiential to reaffirm a sense of connected, shared experience and CEO keynotes increasingly replaced by less scripted, more authentic on-stage interviews. 

 

We’ve talked before about the value of longer-term engagement, about how events themselves are effective content creators. 

 

If we think longer-term, if we can draft a narrative for business then we can anticipate our events to benefit from: 

 

Greater engagement with audiences. Stories can make audiences more receptive to a message and proven, more likely to take action. 

 

Stickiness. Stories are more memorable than facts and figures and help audiences remember ideas and concepts. 

 

Deeper emotional connections.  Stories help create emotional connections which leads to trust and loyalty. 

 

Differentiation.  Memorable stories help events and brand experiences stand out from competitors. 

 

Content marketing. Event stories can help create a solid, long-term content marketing resource. 

 

Greater engagement with employees.  Sharing an organisation/brand’s story can help employee engagement by creating deeper connections to the company and its purpose. 

 

Stronger relationships.  Most people are more receptive to stories building human connections. 

 

So, events are no different to Netflix, Amazon Video, Disney + and Apple TV. 

 

Your event is your original programming. 

 

The trick now is really think about the event lifecycle in terms of its story arc. 

 

And when you look at it, the arc components follow the lifecycle of an event. 

 

The Exposition and Rising Action, pre-event period. 

 

The Climax and Falling Action, the event experience. 

 

The Resolution, post-event period. 

 

Your well-crafted narrative should create a sense of anticipation for audiences. 

 

Event attendance therefore is the only way to know the resolution. 

 

And that’s all anyone will be talking about. 

 

We’re regularly invited by clients seeking more creative, immersive responses to briefs.  We seldom lead with our meticulous expertise in our response but opt to, as all good stories should, lead with ‘you say it yourselves…’ 


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