I’m a big fan of Netflix. I’m always looking for TV series to get stuck into and, a couple of weeks ago, on a whim I decided to start watching RuPaul’s Drag Race. I was soon hooked on the format – The Apprentice for drag queens – and found myself in awe of the transformation these guys went through and what a high art drag is when it’s done to this level of perfection. But more than that, I was … [Read more...] about What a drag queen taught me about the power of sharing your story
Storytelling
How a photograph can hold the key to compelling content
'You go down, down past the Talk of the Town....' My heart is pumping. I'm excited but nervous. I'm going to watch the hottest band in London film their new video... in front of an invited audience – including me! You know that feeling you get when you know you're in THE place to be? That's how I'm feeling right now... 'You go down Greek Street then it's underground...' I know there are … [Read more...] about How a photograph can hold the key to compelling content
How to be as irresistible as Boy George
For the past couple of months, my Trailblazing Creatives partner Nicky Moran and I have been writing about clarity in all aspects of self-promotion (see links at the end of this blog). But now we’re moving on to the second of our ‘Six Cs’, which builds on that clarity – compelling content. Over the next couple of months Nicky and I will be exploring different aspects of this topic. I’ve been … [Read more...] about How to be as irresistible as Boy George
Why do you need clarity of purpose? Because people buy why…
Simon Sinek’s TED talk has been viewed more than 36 million times. It doesn’t have a particularly memorable title but what I'll always remember about it is a key phrase he uses all the way through – ‘People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.’ This has always made sense to me. When you are introduced to someone at a social or business event, they inevitably ask ‘What do you do?’ And … [Read more...] about Why do you need clarity of purpose? Because people buy why…
Three elements of a compelling story
“For the majority of my life, I felt deeply uncomfortable and confused in my own body. I starved and abused my body in many destructive ways – all because I felt that I wasn’t good enough or beautiful enough…” These are the words of photographer Alice Joiner (above), who for five years suffered from a mental illness that manifested as a serious eating disorder. In service of her art and her … [Read more...] about Three elements of a compelling story
Dear creatives: marketing is part of your job description
When I was a trainee music journalist in the early 80s, I was tasked with interviewing new bands and artists. Some of them – like Spandau Ballet and Duran Duran – were media-savvy before anyone talked about being media-savvy. They understood the importance of crafting an image. But many of them were either stuck in the belief that their music should speak for itself, or they hated having to do … [Read more...] about Dear creatives: marketing is part of your job description