Say yes to storytelling and no to brand journalism!

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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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