Freestak believe that every successful campaign starts with a story, with outstanding content. The stories we, and the social influencers we work with, create are underwritten by four rules:

Don’t Broadcast // Listen // Involve People // Entertain

In an age of digital advertising, we believe that engaging content and storytelling are crucial to the survival of your message. Content, in this sense, is king. But reminded by an article published by PR firm and friend of Freestak, alpaca communications, we thought we’d share the idea of context and how, importantly, context should always frame the picture you are painting.

Our social channels are saturated with messages. They freeze your phone and flood your feed. Where do you start, which do you read? What is important, always, as a storyteller is to identify your audience and ask why. We can tell funny stories, short stories, anecdotes, but what really matters is why that will be important to the audience we have identified as wanting to reach.

This is why having a conversation with people and not at people is so important. As Peter states in his article, we are bombarded by ‘read me I am relevant to your sector’ messages, rather than ‘why this might turn out to be the most important thing you read today <insert name>’ messages. Understanding your audience and what impacts their behaviour before asking for their advocacy is the key to the kingdom.

We recently read on Wired about the Nike product release of the new ‘Hyperadapt’ – a line of trainers that lace themselves. In this broadcast Nike CEO, Mark Parker, talks of ‘a new era of sports,’ using technology featuring ‘electro-adaptive reactive laces’ or ‘EARL’. There is no doubt that Nike’s promotional video and product concept is an awe-inspiring story but will this ‘EARL’ be throned the new king of footwear? Will a runner want to charge his or her shoes before they go out on a run? Who knows? We are sure Nike do, as in today’s consumer landscape, context is as important as content. Otherwise all you are left with advertorial instead of advocates.

You are likely reading this today along with several pieces of content you’ve received. Hands up, we are a digital marketing agency creating social content on a regular basis. But first and fore mostly, we are storytellers and if we promise anything, it’s that the stories we are spreading – at our workshops, on our blog, in our newsletters and in our client campaigns – are written with authenticity, with context and (hopefully) you are going to want to read them.

If you are interested in talking to the Freestak team about this or any other aspect of marketing and communications for running, cycling, triathlon and outdoors brands, please contact Simon Freeman.