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A weekly edit of the stories shaping PR, marketing and modern storytelling Some of the best communication this week didn’t feel like communication at all ... no big campaign lines or over-explaining or scramble for attention, just brands and organisations understanding exactly who they are, and acting accordingly. 1. When restraint becomes the message Example: The Masters and its quietly iconic communication The Masters once again reminded the industry that you don’t need to

A weekly edit of the stories shaping PR, marketing and modern storytelling Some weeks feel like a reminder that good communication isn’t necessarily about doing something new, it’s about doing something true . This week’s examples come from sport, retail and media and each one shows a brand leaning into emotion, usefulness and timing in a way that feels considered rather than constructed. 1. Emotion as shared experience, not performance Example: Nike’s athlete storytelling a

A weekly edit of the stories shaping PR, marketing and modern storytelling There’s a particular kind of communication that feels well judged and right for the moment it’s in. This week’s edit looks at three examples where brands have done exactly that by leaning into constraint, consistency and contrast. 1. When less really does more Example: Apple’s continued use of minimal product storytelling With the recent rollout of its latest product updates, Apple has once again leane

Some, ok most, brands try to get your attention while others assume they already have it and Aesop belongs firmly in the second camp. No loud campaigns, or constant product drops, there's never any urgency ... just amber bottles, quiet stores and very carefully chosen words. A brand that feels … considered. The Origin Aesop was founded in Melbourne in 1987 and from the beginning, it took a different approach. Where most skincare brands leaned into beauty, aspiration and perfe

In this special live episode, recorded in Glasgow as part of Celtic Connections, John is joined by legendary fiddler Aly Bain, a long-time friend, collaborator, and one of the most influential voices in traditional music. Together, they reflect on a life shaped by the fiddle, exploring: The evolution of a long and enduring career What it means to carry, and care for, a musical tradition The balance between instinct, experience, and craft Lessons learned from decades on stage

There’s a temptation, when we have something to say, to say all of it, to over-explain, clarify and make sure nothing is missed. In brand storytelling, this often shows up as the over-sharing of too many details, too much context and too many words doing the work of what a feeling could have carried on its own, but the truth is, the most powerful stories don’t tell you everything ... they invite you in. The Space Between A good story doesn’t just live in what’s said explicit

Spend enough time around music and you realise that the most powerful songs aren’t always the most complex, they’re the ones that make you feel something. A melody you recognise within seconds, alyric that lands a little too close to home or a moment in a live performance that stays with you long after the room has emptied. Music, at its best, is storytelling, not always in words, but always in feeling and for anyone trying to build a brand, a business, or a body of work, the

A weekly edit of the stories shaping PR, marketing and modern storytelling Some weeks the most interesting communication isn’t a campaign at all, it’s a small, thoughtful decision, a line of copy, a cultural nod, or a moment of honesty. This week’s signals come from retail hoardings, fast-food advertising, and fashion marketing, three very different spaces showing how brands are leaning into local culture, transparency and identity. 1. Local culture as brand storytelling Exam

Water is meant to feel … well, clean. Minimal, pure, healthy, and then along came Liquid Death. Black cans, skull logo, heavy metal energy with the tagline: “Murder Your Thirst.” It looks more like a beer or an energy drink than water which, of course, is exactly the point. The Insight Liquid Death didn’t invent better water but they saw a behavioural truth: people don’t always want to be seen drinking water. At a gig, or a festival or at a party, a plastic bottle of still

A weekly edit of the stories shaping PR, marketing and modern storytelling Some weeks the most interesting signals come from unexpected places. This week’s edit spans three very different arenas, the London Underground, a global fashion house, and the outdoor industry, but they all highlight the same shift ... brands are experimenting with experience, heritage and cultural relevance in increasingly deliberate ways. 1. When advertising becomes an experience Example: Magnum’s m

Spend enough time around musicians and you start to notice something ... the best ones don’t just perform well, they work well together. Rehearsals, recording sessions, tours, late-night pub sessions, music is full of moments where people must listen, adapt and respond to one another in real time. There’s very little room for ego, and even less room for rigid plans, which is why the music world quietly models something many founders and creative businesses are trying to figur

Walk into most furniture shops and the language is predictable ... dimensions, materials, discounts, delivery times. Useful information, yes, but not exactly inspiring. Then along came Loaf. A British furniture brand that decided the real product wasn’t sofas or beds at all ... it was comfort, and once they understood that, everything else followed. The Origin Loaf launched in 2008 with a surprisingly simple idea. Make relaxed, comfortable furniture that you actually want to

A weekly edit of the stories shaping PR, marketing and modern storytelling Some weeks the signals are loud. This week they’re more subtle but arguably more interesting. Three recent examples show how brands are refining the craft of communication by leaning into transparency, long-term storytelling, and the power of community. 1. Transparency as product storytelling Example: Tony’s Chocolonely and its open-chain model Ethical chocolate brand Tony's Chocolonely continues to bu

There was a moment in the early 2000s when LEGO nearly disappeared ... properly, financially, existentially close to collapse and that’s what makes their story so powerful. Because LEGO didn’t survive by doing more, they survived by doing less. The Fall By the late 1990s, LEGO had expanded far beyond its core product ... theme parks, clothing lines, video games and endless new sets. Growth was the ultimate goal and innovation was constant and expensive. Somewhere in the expan

A weekly edit of the stories shaping PR, marketing and modern storytelling This week feels like a reminder that context, relevance and thoughtful evolution still define good communication ... whether a brand is leaning into culture, reinventing partnerships, or adapting its organisational model for a changing landscape. 1. Cultural Currency as Strategic Engagement Example: American Express expanding into Formula 1 cultural experiences American Express is doubling down on its

Some brands spend years agonising over and perfecting their logo ... Oatly perfected their tone of voice. Before oat milk was mainstream fashioanble, before supermarket shelves had entire plant-based aisles, before every coffee shop asked what kind of milk you’d like, there was a slightly strange Swedish brand writing self-aware, mildly chaotic copy on the side of a carton, and it totally worked. The Origin Story (and why it matters) Oatly started in the 1990s as a food scien

We talk a lot about stories ... how to tell them, how to shape them, how to share them ... but what exactly is a story? At its simplest, a story is a structure. It’s the journey of a hero trying to get somewhere, facing challenges along the way, and often finding a guide who helps them get there. It’s ancient, familiar, and human and it’s the same pattern that underpins every good brand message. The Hero Here’s the first truth: you’re not the hero of your brand story. Your

From ancient myths to modern brands ... storytelling is how humans make meaning. Before there were contracts, currencies, or corporations, there were stories. Thousands of years ago, long before written language or nation-states, humans were already telling tales around fires, under stars and in shared moments of imagination and as Yuval Harari reminds us in Sapiens , those stories were what allowed us to cooperate on a massive scale. We learned to believe in shared ideas ...

A weekly edit of the stories shaping PR, marketing and modern storytelling This week’s signals aren’t about bells, whistles or spectacle, they’re about structure. Three very different examples, from tech, creator strategy and brand loyalty, all pointing to the same shift ... communication is being judged on credibility and intent, not just execution. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There are fashion brands that shout ... and then there is Toast. No flashing sales banners or influencer frenzy or breathless trend cycles, just linen, light, texture and plenty of space to, pause, breathe! In a fast-fashion world, Toast have built a brand around slowness and that is not accidental, that is strategic and intentional. The Origin Story (and why it matters) Founded in 1997, Toast began with nightwear and loungewear inspired by natural fabrics and traditional c