What's your story?

The allure of technology was simply personified by the Cosby Show on TV4 and a video machine that didn't have a remote. Dallas ruled supreme on Tuesday nights and if I saved the monies from my chores, for more than a year, I might have been in the fortunate position to procure a Nintendo handheld game that used two watch batteries to power it up! I would often watch the test pattern on our rather bulky tube TV in the school holiday, if I wasn't doing that, I was recording songs off the radio and dubbing them on my ghetto blaster.

In my quest for being cool, on the edge and fashionable in tie-dye t-shirts, the world was unfolding around me in the most amazing ways. Dallas was replaced by Beverly Hills 90210, the Nintendo made way for Sega Games, and we got a CD player! The chores however remained a constant, but my ability to negate them became more real. For every chore I didn't do, I spun a story.

Some stories were brief and to the point, others a little longer. Depending on the mood of "the parents", I might have needed to add a few more characters to give credibility, or details to add credence. In my own mind, believability was never an issue, now being a parent myself, I realised my folks were just humouring me most of the time and in many instances, I realised that I too was on the receiving end of a good story... Imagine my surprise when at the age of eight, the tooth fairy turned out to be my mother!

I thoroughly embrace downtime and December has always been a time I relish. From reflection and review, to snoozing and snacking, it's also a time when I read more, listen more, and watch more. Books, Kindle, TV, On-Demand, Podcast and Radio, I love taking more in. Irrespective of the technology platform, we are surrounded by masterful raconteurs, troubadours and word smiths who vacillate between fact and fiction, leaving you with a sense of fulfilment or mental nourishment.

Africa is the great storytelling continent and stories are ingrained into the way we associate and connect with each other. Stories remind us that we are not alone in the world, and I love the idea that storytelling is fundamental to being human!

Stories are created and developed over time. Stories change and adapt. Stories make the world easier to understand at times and a less lonely place. Stories speak to where we have come from and where we are going. Stories enlighten and enrage. Stories create context and remove barriers. Stories inform and entertain. Stories connect.

But do we tell good stories?

As a specialist integration agency, MediaHeads 360 spends a lot of time before, during and after client campaigns considering data, audiences, reach and frequency, budget, and impact. We relish the opportunity to amplify and activate brand messages. Our team use the power of TV, radio dramas, solid production, and integrated campaigns to support brands. I firmly believe that the success of any brand campaign begins with our ability to encapsulate a brand story and relay the essence of the story through each campaign.

Every brand has a story. How it was conceptualised, the way it developed, the purpose it fulfils, the consumers who use it, the way it communicates and how it reacts to the world around it. Even if a brand narrative has not been adequately developed, there is still a story. For brands to thrive they need a story custodian, someone who can adequately express the brand values, history, story, and proposition. In turn, they can translate the way that the brand is received and react accordingly. Marketing departments are well-versed in being able to react to feedback and market changes and it can be a real treat to watch brands develop their personalities (especially online and through advertising).

Personality, however, is only part of a brand story and is often informed by the brand story.

In considering some of the successes and failures of the last year, I firmly believe we need to reacquaint our "once upon a time" and "happily ever after". We know that brands that make an emotional connection have a distinct advantage over their competitors. Emotions allow us to better understand people's experiences and how these experiences shape their lives. It is in this process of understanding, that brands thrive and create a connection above their competitors.

It's our goal as an expert in the brand integration space to tell better stories in 2023. By default, this means working with our clients and partners to better tell their stories too! Stories are at the heart of all the work we do. Great stories, great television. Great stories, great radio. Great stories, and powerful activations. Great stories are captured by effective production.

MediaHeads 360 is looking forward to helping you unlock your story in 2023 and assisting you in writing the next chapter. By creating memorable moments using trusted media platforms, our team is ready to help you tell your story. Here's to a page-turning 2023, let's un-mute ourselves!