Well, hello there,

Hope you’ve all had a great week. Tell us what you’re all working on at the moment. If there’s anything you think our readers would be interested in, we’d love to share.

Myself, Matt and Anjali are all going to be in London next Tuesday and Wednesday doing some agency/partner visits. If you’re based in London and would like to about how we might work together, give us a shout and we’ll pop over for a coffee.

If you’re a creative, feel free to drop into Proper Fancy on Thursday 25th July. It’s an online show-and-tell that’s open to everyone. Bring a link or join on mute/no camera. You are all welcome!

Finally, if your content isn’t getting the attention you think it deserves, hit that big pink button below to find out about our Content Audit. It will help you save money and time by identifying why your customers are not responding to your content.

OK. The weekend has landed. I’m off to get a mid-summer curry because that’s how I roll. Enjoy footy but most importantly, enjoy this week’s links,

Hugh

How to Make Content That Your Customers Really Want (7-min read)

A Stop-Motion Animation Co-Created With the Down Syndrome Community (6-min watch)

How Communicating a Want Finally Got Americans Brushing Their Teeth (3-minute read)

The Psychological Safety of Penalty Shoot-Outs (3-min read)

Ros Atkins Series on Communication (series)

Formats Unpacked: Long-Form Improv Comedy (5-min read)

The Science Behind the Emotions in Inside Out 2 (3-min read)

The Cannes Lions Winner I Can’t Stop Thinking About (2-min watch)

Why It’s Never Just ‘the Work’ (image)

Criterion Collection: Ayo Edebiri’s Closet Picks (5-min watch)

How we can help you

Storythings is the content marketing agency of choice for some of the world’s most forward-thinking B2B brands and organisations. Here are 2 reasons to get in touch. 

1. “I don’t know what to do” – You’ve been creating content but it’s not having the impact you need. Talk to us about our Content Audit Workshop.

2. “I need something making” – You know what you want to make but need an agency to make it. We can help make your podcast, video, publication, animation and newsletter. We do other things too. Get in touch for a FREE 30 minute consultation. 

How to Make Content That Your Customers Really Want (7-min read)
Is your content strategy designed for your customer’s needs, your needs, or the algorithm’s needs? Matt Locke looks at one of the biggest mistakes brands and organisations make when shaping their content strategy and how you can use the three Cs - Create, Curate or Convene - in applying your content value proposition.

A Stop-Motion Animation Co-Created With the Down Syndrome Community (6-min watch)
This beautifully crafted piece of work is inspired by the real story of a Café Joyeux employee with Down syndrome who didn’t get his first job until he was 47: “Rejected by others as a child, our character embarks on a personal journey symbolized by a sailboat. Along the way, he faces challenges that represent different life stages. In these scenarios, he recognizes that the world simply isn’t ready to recognize his greatness and continues his odyssey.”

How Communicating a Want Finally Got Americans Brushing Their Teeth (3-minute read)
Building on the first link, this is an excellent short story that explains the difference between an audience need and an audience want. In the early 1900s only 7% of Americans brushed their teeth daily. This was a big problem. Toothpaste was relatively new and could solve a need (healthy teeth) but it was not selling. The customers needed healthy teeth, but they wanted something else more. Hunt for what consumers need, then communicate a want.

The Psychological Safety of Penalty Shoot-Outs (3-min read)
With a big game looming and the potential of another terrifying penalty shoot-out on the cards, this short read on what we can learn about workplace culture is worth a moment of your time. I’ll be watching for these indicators on Sunday.

Ros Atkins Series on Communication (series)
Regular readers will know we are HUGE fans of Ros Atkins's work. The BBC newsreader shot to fame thanks to his video explainers of complex world events. His book The Art of Explanation is one of my favourite books this year. Now he has new podcast series, in which he talks to some of the best communicators about how they do it.

Formats Unpacked: Long-Form Improv Comedy (5-min read)
To the casual viewer, improv can feel like magic. When improv is great, it’s hard not to wonder whether it had been rehearsed previously. How do they do it? Well, the answer is that they use a format. Find out how that works and what you can apply to your work in this unpacking from Grace Dobush.

The Science Behind the Emotions in Inside Out 2 (3-min read)
This piece includes a video of Tony Hale (who played Fear in Inside Out 2) talking to psychologist and author Dr. Lisa Damour about the different emotions and what is happening in our bodies when we encounter them. This piece also features links to other similar articles which make useful reading for parents.

The Cannes Lions Winner I Can’t Stop Thinking About (2-min watch)
I sat through hundreds of ads at Cannes. Some were very good, while many left me a little cold. But this one has really stayed with me - for a bunch of reasons. The first is that it builds on an old idea that has been around for years. The second is that it’s such a simple idea you can’t help but wonder why it has only been developed now (or maybe it has but just hasn’t got the attention it deserves). And third, it’s a copyright-free idea that any city or organisation can use.

Why It’s Never Just ‘the Work’ (image)
I can hear all our subscribers crying “Hell yeah!” (via Alex Morris)

Criterion Collection: Ayo Edebiri’s Closet Picks (5-min watch)
This is a simple but brilliant format for Criterion. It also helps that it has The Bear’s Ayo Edebiri in it. The actor hangs out in the Criterion Collection closet and chooses her favourite films from the shelves.

We hope you've enjoyed this week’s newsletter. I’m sure some of your friends would love to read it. Sharing it would be really appreciated. If you’ve received this from a friend, you can subscribe below and get it direct to your inbox every Friday.

Thanks for reading. We’ll see you all next week.

Hugh, Matt, Anjali and the whole team at Storythings.