Storytelling Isn’t Just for Pixar. It’s For Your Business Too and It Will Set You Apart
On 19th November 1995, animated movies changed forever.
Pixar premiered Toy Story in California on this day. It was the first full length feature film fully created using computer generated graphics. The realisation of a lifelong dream for Ed Catmull, President of Pixar and Disney Animation.
What made Toy Story such a success back in 1995?
Hint: It wasn’t the technology.
It was a strong emotional story that connected with the audience. Pixar puts a lot of effort into ensuring their people and processes are set up to create the best story, enabled by technology.
‘Story is King’
“Story is King” became a key principle for Pixar following the success of Toy Story. Ed Catmull outlined this in the book Creativity Inc.
The first principle was “Story is King” by which we meant we would let nothing, not the technology not the merchandising possibilities, get in the way of a good story’
-Ed Catmull, Creativity Inc
Storytelling shouldn’t only be left to the likes of Pixar.
There isn’t enough storytelling in business.
Businesses are made up of people too. People that frequently get bogged down in what they do, rather than why they do it. They strive to have to have the perfect set of features, or most complete product and want to tell everyone about them.
But who is listening?
Is anybody connecting with the ‘story’?
Maybe. Maybe not. Many similar businesses are equally qualified to make the same set of features.
What sets your business apart?
What makes your business unique?
Your Story Sets You Apart
Your story is unique to your business and that’s what sets you apart.
Start by defining your purpose, cause or belief. Tell your story of why your business exists. Tell the story of how you work and how your product, service or features will make your customers feel.
That’s what people will connect with.
Ed Catmull says it best…
“For all the care you put into artistry, visual polish frequently doesn’t matter if you are getting the story right”
-Ed Catmull, Creativity Inc.
So, what’s your story?
This post was created with Typeshare
