Disney Story Telling Secrets

Recently I heard the Creative Executive of the Disney Company,  Joe Rohde, talk about Disney's approach to turning raw ideas into  commercial success.

The Disney Company has built its success on storytelling to become one of the world's great brands. It uses compelling narratives in film, theme parks, resorts and other ways  to engage global audiences.  And, it has been doing this for generations.

Joe spoke about how Disney translates ideas into reality through themes.

A theme is a simple statement that distills the essence of an idea and infuses it with spirit and feeling. 
 
Similar to a brand statement but more than a mission statement or key message, a theme is the fundamental building block for the communications and business decisions surrounding a new project.

Once Disney selects a theme it cascades downwards to guide the design and shape of a  project. At a working level it gives Disney's people a framework to add, modify or reject suggestions.

Themes lead to stories.  And here Disney taps into the ancient art of story telling.
 
Stories help us make sense of the world around about us. They allow us to find the familiar patterns of life.  Joe is quick to add that stories- any story - needs fresh information or insights to keep our interest. 

The stories it selects (within a given theme) and the telling of them make Disney so successful, so different.  They inspire Disney staff to venture into new ways of thinking in pursuit of creative difference.

Disney is continually researching, seeking new information and challenging its people to enter new corridors of thinking rather than ambling down the predictable hallways of the mind. 

So is Disney approach to themes be relevant to you and me?

Perhaps it might encourage us to look for the themes that best sum up what we and companies do.  And to seek out the compelling stories that we can use to engage one another and the wider world.

Pizza Partnership Hits 10 Years

My friend Scott Anthony owns a Pizza Shop in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania and holds an annual fund raiser for the local  fire department.

Scott donates the proceeds of all pizza sales one day each year to the Punxsutawney Fire Department.  Last year his efforts raised $30,000.

He has now been doing this for 10 years and everyone benefits.  The fire company receives much needed donations for new equipment, pizza buyers make a contribution to essential services in their community and Scott gets tons of positive media attention which puts him top of mind with customers when they think about takeaway food.

That's a triple win situation, so congratulations Scott on the 10 year anniversary of this innovative business idea.  

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Direct Mail Versus Social Media and Email

Digging For Victory Interview

Digging For Victory - ABC Canberra - Australian Broadcasting Corporation

(Listen to my interview with ABC Radio.)

I'm currently involved in a wartime Australian garden with a novel twist.

In 1942 Australian families were encouraged to grow their own fruit and vegetables as part of the national war effort. The Dig for Victory campaign proved highly successful. 

As part of Floriade 2011 the Australian War Memorial is recreating a wartime backyard garden which hopefully inspires today's gardening family with an eye on the environment and looking to be more self sustaining.

More details.

Is Ten A Magic Marketing Number?

I recently read an academic paper that theorized that committed activists in  10% of the population, over time, could change the attitudes of the remaining community.

At least that is what I think it meant.  Crammed wall to wall with graphs, equations and symbols the paper was barely readable.

In the Rogers and Hammerstein song "Stout Hearted Men", the late Nelson Eddy calls for ten brave men to join him and change the course of history.  And for centuries military structures  have used ten as the basic building block for sections and squads,  the fundamental units involved in action.

So is ten some knind of magic number or tipping point when it comes to communicating ideas and generating action?

What do you think?