storytelling for social media

for social media

Gavin Heaton www.servantofchaos.com

In a village in Staffordshire, UK in 2001 ...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/45086087@N00/3357404284/

A girl wrote a message on a red, helium balloon

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“Please return to Laura Buxton”

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28509342@N03/3824705562/

Where would this balloon land? In a lake?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/32558319@N03/3910059222/

Perhaps it would be caught in a tree

http://www.flickr.com/photos/91442554@N00/300308378/

A man found it in his hedge. 140 miles away in Wiltshire

http://www.flickr.com/photos/91442554@N00/4085608359/

He was worried that his cows might eat the balloon and choke on it ...

He read the message and took the balloonto the 10 year oldgirl next door

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66164549@N00/2574931629/

Her name ...

Laura Buxton

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77316550@N00/3996458681/

The balloon had travelled over 140 miles from one Laura Buxton to another Laura Buxton

http://www.flickr.com/photos/99059891@N00/2493593844/

Laura sent Laura a letter, suggesting they should meet

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zappowbang/2048577203/in/photostream/

When they got together, they were surprised at how similar they looked

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14421410@N03/4223958425/

They styled their brown hair the same way, wore pink jumpers and jeans

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alicerosen/3913136038/in/photostream/

And they had each brought along a pet guinea pig

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Waiting at home, they each had three year old black labradors

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And a bunny

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Years later they remain firm friends

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I’m sure you’ll agree that this is an

STORY

... and it is!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/70534377@N00/3722764423/

Told with microscopic focus

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Facts that don’t support the coincidences are ignored in an effort to create patterns

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25716821@N04/3729772126/

Our brain is seeking a pattern that we can recognise and respond to

http://www.flickr.com/photos/darwinbell/3999719025/

Each time a pattern is recognised, dopamine is released - the chemical trigger that produces a sense of reward and pleasure

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31142611@N00/15002021/

As readers, as listeners, as people engaged with the story, we are being pulled further into the story with each new revelation

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Connections and revelations – this is the world of social media.

A world that is brim full of coincidence, happenstance and other wonderful words

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hortensia/190375624/

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We need to remember we are talking about SOCIAL media

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User generated content

User generated filtering

User generated

distribution

User generated context

http://www.servantofchaos.com/2010/02/simple-social-media.html

And that’s about building affinity before relationship (as a child does). It’s about P-L-A-Y.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eschipul/4239849264/

P -- for PowerDemanding of attentionTesting limits (boundaries around behaviour, responsibility etc)Controlling the controllableBelongingL -- for learning and curiositySkills developmentNegotiationA -- for adventureExploring an ever changing worldActively making the world a better placeY -- the yelp of surprise and delightRecognition and rewardSelf expression

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28509342@N03/3824705562/

It’s about creating the coincidences that lead to an emotional connection

http://www.flickr.com/photos/65032901@N00/322973662/

Something that you can share with the players in your personal playground

http://www.flickr.com/photos/duchamp/90520897/

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