Influencing Perceptions with Strategic Storytelling

Ready to change the public view on nuclear energy? Can strategic storytelling persuade and influence a revolution in perception? We have thoughts to share on how the power of narrative can offer communicators the tools to craft compelling stories that captivate, convince, and inspire action.

Start With Strategy

At the heart of Big Red Oak's philosophy lies the commitment … actually, it’s not just a commitment … it’s our passion and purpose … being thoughtful and smart in how we help people solve their marketing and communication challenges with creative content. We don’t just execute tasks: We challenge preconceived notions and ideas that push toward innovative and strategic thinking (backed by data and intelligence) that integrates with production creative to connect and inspire an audience to take action.

This mindset is fundamental to the success of any marketing or communications effort for our clients, especially in some of the more complex industries we service … like nuclear power generation. Here, there is an opportunity and a need for sustained public advocacy and engagement to help drive a transformation in public perception toward a clean and reliable energy system.

It’s the fusion of good strategy (who, what, where) with emotionally compelling and creative content (how) that marketing and communications efforts can start to sway public perception and effectively influence the decision-makers in setting a favourable clean nuclear energy supply mix.

Who We Really Should Talk To: Influencing the Influencer

In a sense, communicating and marketing nuclear is not too dissimilar to marketing products and services that appeal to children. Children rarely have the decision-making or purchasing power to buy that latest toy or get that super-sweet breakfast cereal. Their parents or guardians do. In nuclear, the public has little decision-making and no buying power to choose the energy supply mix. The policymakers and governments do.  However, in both these cases, the children and the public can influence the decision-makers. This is why ensuring that the “influencer” is armed with the tools they need to motivate the decision-maker is essential.

This analogy highlights the importance of "influencing the influencer," a strategy that involves understanding the audience, crafting compelling messages, and delivering those messages through the right channels. For the nuclear industry, this means stepping out of the echo chamber of industry peers and policymakers to reach the general public (the true influencers) through strategic channel planning, persuasive messaging, and creative content.

Do We Know Our Audience?

We need to reach the public, but who are they? What do they care about? Where do we reach them, and how?

That’s where data pulled through polling identifies varying levels of knowledge and reveals misperceptions and fears that can be related to demographics. This is reconciled to financial, behavioural, and geographic information, which gives insight into the audience’s lifestyles, concerns, media, and channel preferences … and we now have a view of their consumer patterns, use of transportation, and social habits. From this analysis, personas can be developed to build a targeted marketing and communications strategy to drive the messages through the relevant channels.

What Do We Need Them To Know?

Complex industries need simple messages that sustain and expand public interest and knowledge. Messages that build momentum through public discourse are prompted by relatable stories that reflect personal experiences. 

Nuclear has the tools through proof points of value: technological advances, life-saving nuclear medicine, and a clean source of energy with zero carbon emissions, an issue that’s gained media attention with rising global consciousness of the challenges of climate change.

The emphasis on strategic thinking, insightful data, and creative storytelling provides an effective tool for influencing and motivating action. This approach validates the power of narrative to convey messages that build trust and prompt action.

Organizations can forge stronger connections and cultivate a profound understanding of their missions and values by engaging audiences with authenticity and empathy. This engagement is critical in building brand trust and loyalty and establishing relationships beyond superficial interactions and transactions.

Bringing It Together: Strategic Storytelling

The transformative power of strategic storytelling can influence perceptions for businesses looking to navigate the complexities of their industries and foster a positive dialogue with prospective customers, public advocates or influencers, corporate or government decision-makers, or internal stakeholders. 

By blending insightful data with emotionally compelling content and targeting the right audiences, businesses can significantly influence perceptions and inspire meaningful action. Big Red Oak specializes in harnessing this power to craft stories that not only resonate deeply but also inspire and provoke action. If you want to elevate your strategic content marketing and create a lasting impact, consider connecting with Big Red Oak: We’re here to help.

If These Walls Could Talk…

Big Red Oak believes in the power of storytelling, so we decided to give a voice to our wall. Painting a tale of who we are, what we do and how we play.

Our company’s vision is founded on a people-first philosophy. Building relationships with our clients and partners; sharing ideas and ambitions within our staff; caring about the people we work for and the people we work with. And imbuing it all with a life-loving spirit of fun. 

This is what inspired us to visualize our story: a project that called upon our ingenuity, engaged all our employees; and gave each of us a sense of belonging. And one that literally illustrates our values of honesty, authenticity and passion.  

It was a simple recipe: blank wall, creative talent, some extra time in the off-hours. We just needed to pool some ideas … and so the team was polled: “Tell us what’s important to you.”

And our people responded, giving us a glimpse into the things they care about and what they represent. 

Cameras and clapboards = artistic freedom of cinematic expression.  

Kayaks and campfires = appreciation of the tranquility and beauty of nature.

Bicycles and weights = health and fitness that promote the good life.

A guitar for the musicians among us. Coffee and cigars for the leisure hours.

And Anton, our office mascot with the trademark fedora, adding his distinctive vibe.  

Our designer, Raz, was given a lot to think about. He made a list of our favourite things and drafted a sketch, placing our iconic tree ring in the centre as the heart of the image, which draws all the diverse items into its orbit. 

The tree ring is a fitting symbol for the collaborative core of our company. Tree rings disclose the story of a tree’s past — its age, its history, its environment. Our tree ring tells our story, too: a story of longevity and resilience, of life affirmation and camaraderie. A place where individuals confide their dreams and joys, challenges and triumphs, and come together to be part of a connected whole. 

So what does the future hold? Big Red Oak is excited about our business growth. We’re expanding and evolving, stretching our creative muscles and exploring innovative possibilities, stimulated by our deep commitment to our work, our people and our clients.

And so … there are always ideas that are percolating, more blank walls to fill, and more stories to tell. Stay tuned!

10 Questions Every Organization Should Ask Themselves

Time-honoured wisdom tells us that the route to fulfillment is to ‘know ourselves’. The fly in the ointment is that it’s not a once-and-done scenario. We change. Companies change. Society changes. 

Like all forward-thinking businesses, Big Red Oak evolves with the times; and we recently took time for an introspective appraisal to support our growth and better serve our clients. We recognized that our sweet spot lies in our capacity to develop and invigorate our clients’ marketing and communications platforms with strategic, creative content grounded in agile processes and excellent quality. 

Our business thrives when our clients thrive … and so we came up with a set of 10 questions to help organizations evaluate and elevate their capabilities, and ultimately find solutions to their own specific challenges.

1. Who are you?

Seems simple enough … but look closer. Does your Vision, Mission and Values statement translate into actionable initiatives that reinforce your brand to your staff, partners and clients? Are your people aligned with your objectives and culture? A compelling and cohesive message is key to your marketing success by letting your clients know exactly who you are. 

2. Where do you want to go?

Where do you want to be in the next 12 months? In five years? In ten years? What are your goals? Are you following industry trends and watching the competition? Do your marketing strategy and tactics keep pace with our dynamic digital landscape?

3. How are you going to get there?

What’s the state of health of your platforms and resources? Are you sending the right marketing messages through the right channels to the right audiences? And getting the results you want? What about your internal communications? Is your staff enthusiastic and energized, or could your internal comms use a shot of adrenalin?   

4. Who will lead the way?

When people don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel, it’s easy to get bogged down. This is why it’s important to clarify roles and responsibilities, identifying the decision makers who can look at the big picture, delegate the tasks and coordinate the action. Are your teams equipped to put your company on top of their game? Do you consider complementing your in-house resources with outside strategists, creatives and content producers?

5. Who are you speaking to?

Marketing is never a case of one-size-fits-all. It’s worthwhile to frequently re-assess your various audiences – stakeholders and employees, clients and leads, partners and investors, government and the public. Keep your communications on target by understanding their current needs and speaking their language. 

6. What are you telling them? And how are you sharing your story?

If your audiences are well defined, you can hone in on the right story to tell and the best way to tell it. Remember that people consume content differently: through websites, social media, presentations, newsletters, podcasts, events. And every format has its role: Video is a magnet for engagement; infographics simplify complex facts and stats; white papers take a deep dive; case studies prove value. To get the most bang for your buck, know what you’re saying, who you’re saying it to, and how you’re saying it.

7. What are the other guys doing?

Forge your own way, but don’t pass up the chance to learn from your competitors. How are they distributing their message? What do they do that you’d like to incorporate into your own marketing and communications campaigns? What do you think they’ve done that misfired? The experiences of others – both good and bad – can be productive.

8. What could you do better?

Put yourself in your competitors’ place. If you’re looking at them, they’re likely looking at you, too. What do you think they see? Try sending a survey to your employees and trusted partners to ask for their honest impressions of what they like, what they don’t like, and how you could improve. Then use their insights to tweak your marketing and communications approach.

9. What’s holding you back?

Perhaps you’re having trouble attracting the best talent and could use a refresh of your recruitment tactics. Maybe your marketing strategy is inconsistent or lacking fresh, creative content to back it up. Or your resources may not be keeping up with your growth, and staff members may be heading to burnout.  

10. What’s pushing you forward?

Don’t just dwell on your weaknesses; consider your strengths, too. A balanced view can unlock opportunity. You may have a great plan, a dedicated team and exciting new products or services to launch. When your capabilities and strategies support your objectives, you can soar to new heights.

We hope this is food for thought. Our own journey of introspection gave us some constructive insights. Insights that we can pass on to our clients as we listen to their stories, help them find their solutions and celebrate their success.  

Communicating the Message – CCRM

“There is originality in [Big Red Oak’s] techniques, which I think mirrors the cutting-edge work we do.

– Stacey Johnson, Director of Communications and Marketing, CCRM

CCRM is a public-private partnership with a complex and critical mandate: to build a strong regenerative medicine ecosystem in Canada through global collaboration. Regenerative medicines, including cell and gene therapies, have the potential to cure, not simply treat, devastating diseases and conditions. The foundation for successfully transforming cell and gene therapies into life-changing patient outcomes depends upon strategic funding, dedicated infrastructure and specialized expertise. CCRM approached Big Red Oak to create a stakeholders’ relations content program to strengthen that foundation.

The Challenge

Part of CCRM’s success rests on appealing to funding and investment partners, building equity in expertise by attracting academic and business talent, and communicating its services to industry and academics. Their broad and complex message demanded extensive exposure. Stacey Johnson, CCRM’s Director of Communications and Marketing, also explained that stakeholders, customers and partners regularly ask for tours, but this entails the risk of bringing contamination into the facility, particularly in the GMP-compliant Centre for Cell and Vector Production (CCVP), where manufactured products will be used for clinical trials and sterility is paramount. How could they show their state-of-the-art facilities to prospects in a meaningful, precise manner within the restrictions of biosecurity?

The Solution

Big Red Oak strategized on a way to equip CCRM with the tools they needed to communicate their value proposition quickly and efficiently to industry, academic and government stakeholders. Engaging, succinct and easily shared video is a particularly useful medium. And it carries another benefit. “Not only does a video make the space accessible to anyone who is interested,” Stacey says, “but it also gives them access to areas that they wouldn’t be allowed to enter in real life.”

Discovery sessions with CCRM complemented Big Red Oak’s research to learn about the organization and its key stakeholders and to formulate a winning strategy. The first phase presented an overview of its people, mission and impact through a corporate video, followed by further videos clarifying its work and elevating the brand. 

The Creative

Phase 1 illuminates the path “from the bench to the bedside” by sharing CCRM’s achievements and objectives with stakeholders through on-camera narration by executives, scientists, technicians and partners. The video introduces the central Toronto MaRS location through a timelapse treatment and incorporates a moving testimony from a patient whose life was saved through progressive therapy. The Big Red Oak content strategy expanded the return on investment through an adapted content approach to create a collection of short, shareable social media content. 

CCRM Corporate Video 

Big Red Oak’s strategic planning leveraged existing footage for Phase 2, together with additional macro videography and motion-graphic overlays. The award-winning video highlighted the new CCVP, a Good Manufacturing Practices-compliant facility producing cells and viral vectors for clinical trials, taking the viewers on an informative but humanized tour.  

Centre for Cell and Vector Production 

Phase 3 used video to replace live lab tours within the Centre for Advanced Therapeutic Cell Technologies (CATCT), freeing up time and resources and mitigating contamination risk. The virtual tour is both efficient and engaging, introducing key staff members who describe their roles in achieving the objectives of CCRM. A hosted voice-over is complemented by experts’ narratives which juxtapose the explanation with the activities and demonstrate the link between process and patient outcomes.

Inside the Lab 

Big Red Oak wrapped up the program with a culmination of the solution to provide CCRM’s stakeholders with effective content by honouring its ten years of achievements and recognizing the promise of the future. A punchy introduction reveals the passion of its partners and advocates through a single-word testimonial. The mixed-media treatment includes self-recorded videos, motion-graphics text and previously shot footage. 

CCRM – 10 Years 

The Result

Stacey recognizes the success of the platform developed by Big Red Oak. “We’ve been very pleased with what they’ve produced. We have a good working relationship, and I think it comes through in the videos.” 

Big Red Oak uses its strategic insights based on experience and ingenuity to develop concepts that overcome constraints: in budget, in timelines, in forces of nature. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 introduced new challenges, and Stacey was impressed by Big Red Oak’s solution for capturing the spirit of celebration for their 10th anniversary. User-generated content was transformed into a compelling video to recognize our corporate milestone, she said, adding, “I may have shed a tear or two.”

The Opportunity

The Big Red Oak solution has proved its efficacy in CCRM’s communication initiatives, and it continues to perform to drive their return on investment. “We have shown the videos at grand opening events; they get embedded into conference presentations; we use them to introduce CCRM to meeting guests and new employees,” Stacey says. By producing content that is flexible and adaptable, Big Red Oak has furnished CCRM with an excellent library of assets to share the story of its revolutionary medical breakthroughs and maintain its ongoing outreach to stakeholders. 

Exploring the Art of Leadership

– This article is the first in a series by Lee de Lang, Founder of Big Red Oak, about his learning experiences in leadership.

I’ve been thinking a lot about leadership lately. Now, I may be completely wrong, but I’m starting to sense that a lot of people are just figuring things out as they go along.

I’ve met people who really seem to have it all together; they’re confidently guided by a bulletproof plan that they’ve set out for themselves and their teams. I’ve also spoken to people who candidly confess that they are in a perpetual state of exploration and discovery and learning as they go.

Running a small business is very exciting, partly because every day is different. But the challenges and questions are brought forward in so many areas. Do we hire this person … and what role will they play? Do we pursue this new business opportunity; and, if we do, what’s the strategy to win that business? Do we buy this piece of gear? Can we try out this new motion graphics plug-in? Why is the WiFi dropping out? And who’s going to fix the wobbly toilet seat in the bathroom? It runs the gamut.

Even when you’re backed by a fantastically talented, committed and supportive in-house team, as I am, it can sometimes feel very lonely. People expect you to be in the driver’s seat for direction, ideas, motivation, leadership … when, really, you’re just trying to figure it all out, too.

Not totally sure? Gut check. Still not sure? Okay, let’s try it: maybe it will work!

So, what to do? I decided to try to find the direction, ideas, motivation and guidance to help me meet the challenges. I’ve started to follow other leaders, read their posts of wisdom, listen to podcasts, study leadership books. And this is when it occurs to me: I’ve been learning and discovering, and it’s been right under my nose all along.

Working with our clients has always been fulfilling. We build great relationships, and we enjoy supporting them in the amazing work they do. But I now realize that I’ve also had the benefit of seeing them lead. I’ve watched our clients work with their teams and observed how they communicate to their stakeholders, both internally and externally. 

I’ve seen the plans that they develop and execute, while we play our role in creating the strategy and content to support those plans. When I stepped back and took a look, I recognized that I’ve been educated and influenced for years by all of our clients through their business decision-making and the experiences we’ve shared through our work together.

To process all of this, and then put it into practice, I’m planning to make regular updates on “What I have learned from the people that we’ve met.” Through this exercise of exploration and discovery, I hope to gain the confidence to develop my own bulletproof plan. And, as for the wobbly toilet seat, I can fix that.