Storytelling Blog Posts - Page 8 of 29 - Bobby Rettew

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Say yes to storytelling and no to brand journalism!

I have been thinking about this idea of “brand journalism”. I think it is funny terminology that is almost a paradox, conflicting, and has no merit to the pairing of the two words.

A few weeks ago, I was sitting in a group discussion and one of the ladies from our church looked me and asked, “Bobby…I am trying to figure out exactly what you do.” I had always told people I am a storyteller and I work with organizations to find and tell stories.

This past week, she asked me again, “Bobby…I still am trying to figure out what you do.” I replied jokingly, and with a bit of a smirk in my tone, “sometimes I wonder the same thing.” One of my friends, noticing I need some help in this conversation, pepped up and and helped me with a response, “I think he is a brand journalist, he helps brands tell stories.”

At first, I thought her response sounded smart…but something did not seem right. What are the ethics in brand journalism?

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In the world of healthcare, is earned media really earned?

I just watched a Facebook post come across my news feed from a hospital employee. They were sharing a story from the local news paper’s website praising a hospital’s initiative. We see this everyday, employees and brand ambassadors sharing stories online, specifically recognizing their workplace.

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Just turn around and listen…then be patient! #storytelling

Meet the two Sarah’s that attended SC Mission 2014.

It is one of the hardest things to do…to just turn around, listen, and trust our instincts. Major events allow communicators to tell rich stories. Many times we focus more time on the event and less time on the people attending the events.

Planning is key!
For the last few years, I have been capturing and telling stories of the un-insured in South Carolina. Each year I help document SC Mission…but this year was different…it was time to really find a good story.

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Remembering and Re-living Hurricane Katrina

Here I lay in bed thinking, nine years ago Saturday…I was boarding a plane for Houston. Katrina was slamming into New Orleans and I was on a plane with a bunch of my colleagues…headed right into the aftermath.

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Why faces tell us stories…rich stories…

Meet my friend Sarah…I met her this past Friday at the SC Mission 2014 event in Columbia, SC. She is 62 to years old, walks with the assistance of a cain, and needed glasses. Yes…her vision is not good, but she knew that if she could find her way across Columbia…she could have the opportunity to get a new pair of glasses.

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The Urgency of Inspiration – Finding Content Advocates

As an undergraduate student at Clemson University, I majored in Mathematics and worked on a minor in Art and Architectural History. It appealed to my desire to blend my creative pursuits with my interests in mathematical proportions. One of the artists we studied was Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. He was a religious painter, one that many times spoke to my soul, especially inside a public institution like Clemson.

In the mail today was a package that made me think back to my undergraduate days…and even challenged me to connect with my work today as a communicator.

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Focusing the Lens on the Audience and the Story

Look at the image above. I love this image! Meet Miles Thomas Haren…son to Tom and Jennifer Haren. This is their third child and the first boy our family has seen in a few generations.

Miles is my little nephew and I spent the afternoon helping Tom and Jennifer take his newborn pictures. Tom used to be a baseball player, catcher for Erskine College. You can see in the picture above his bat and glove from his college days.

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Positive Culture of Sharing in #Healthcare

There is something awesome about these pictures…something so normal. This is my brother-in-law, sister-in-law and their children. They just had their third child. These pictures showcase their most recent appointment with the physician that delivered their third child, baby Miles.

Here we have one doctor’s visit with lots of smiles.

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We are the storytellers from inside our organization!

I was sitting and meeting with a dear friend…and a great client. We were chatting about an upcoming group of projects, talking about the creative approach, budgets, logistics, etc. The more we talked, the more we began critically thinking about the visual message, the scripting, and the overall impact.

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One easy step to create clickable video content for Facebook!

I have you noticed video auto-playing in Facebook when using your laptop, desktop computer, or even your mobile device like a tablet or smartphone. I have noticed the these auto-play videos on my iPad, iPhone, and my desktop using my MacBookPro.

The videos that are auto-playing are those uploaded directly to Facebook. This auto-play initiative is also a part of Facebook’s Premium Video Ads offering set to release to brands this fall, possibly October.