Unique insights and actionable ideas from The Darnell Works Agency’s daily quest for greatness.
When you think about what music means in your life, isn’t it amazing to consider how essential it is in your emotional scrapbook? I grew up in the 70s and 80s; you can guarantee that whenever I witness a John Hughes movie on a screen, I’m going to pause and savor at least a minute or two immersed in his captivating audiovisual storytelling.
Read morePaul Dugdale, Thanks for the Spectacular Jeff Lynne, ELO Documentary
Back in 2014, a story from Chris Trimble appeared in the Guardian proclaiming video as the future of content marketing, with this dire warning: “small businesses who ignore it do so at their peril.” Since then, video usage has continued to climb, and more and more people and businesses are trying to engage, entertain and educate us with their on-screen storytelling. Bearing this in mind, I’m very happy to share some of the videos I’ve collected working alongside some phenomenal storytellers.
For your reference and enlightenment, I have chosen 10 examples apiece for three well-established niches of corporate communications. While most of these videos were designed for business audiences, each is artistic enough to appeal to just about everyone.
When I last wrote about Friends of Friends – the international interview magazine that illuminates people of diverse creative and cultural backgrounds in their homes and within their daily working environments – the subject was their latest mixtape. At that time it was number 101, and it featured the artist known as Kyson.
Each FvF mixtape offers an amazing contemporary soundtrack for your life, and that is definitely true for the latest. It is number #163, and it features the renowned German electro-pop duo, 2RAUMWOHNUNG.
Award-winning Writer-Director Ben Strang’s “Beast: Chapter 1” debuts on Omeleto on 20 April.
Winner of the coveted SXSW Episodic Jury Prize, “Beast: Chapter 1” introduces teenage boy Daniel, who recruits a mysterious fisherman to learn more about his missing father. Eighteen minutes in length, this suspenseful short has already drawn widespread critical acclaim: Indiewire’s review compared Ben to Steven Spielberg, and his story to “Stranger Things.”
Read moreStream Ben Strang’s “Beast: Chapter 1” on Omeleto, starting 20 April
Cutters Studios, Another Country on Facebook: “Check out all of this year’s Super Bowl spots, via the USA Today Admeter. At Cutters Studios, we’re beyond grateful and extremely thrilled to have been a part of numbers 1, 5, 13, 22, 27 and 38.” Read on: https://admeter.usatoday.com/results/2020
Read moreJeep, Bill Murray win USA TODAY’s Ad Meter with hilarious ‘Groundhog Day’ commercial
Brief Banner Film from the creative force, Juniper Jones.
Based in DUMBO on Brooklyn’s waterfront, Juniper Jones is the creative force dedicated to creating custom-tailored solutions.
LOS ANGELES – In January, documentary director Bing Liu won the Sundance Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Filmmaking on the strength of his feature documentary, “Minding the Gap.” Very soon thereafter, Nonfiction Unlimited signed Bing to its directorial roster for commercials and branded content. Since then, Bing and his film have continued racking up awards at major film festivals; notably, Bing was also selected for SHOOT Magazine’s prestigious New Directors Showcase for 2018.
With “Minding the Gap” set to premiere in select theaters across America and on Hulu on August 17, Nonfiction Unlimited partner/executive producer Loretta “LJ” Jeneski quizzed the rising director on some questions of special interest to the world of branded storytelling.
It was just another summer day in 2017 when I picked up my 13-year-old son Riley and a few of his friends after a movie. On the drive home, they made the decision to call their buddy Quinn Sforza, known as a bad-ass on the bass guitar, to invite him to join their new band. The offer was quickly accepted. Fast forward a few weeks, and a new band dubbed Uncle Kurtis was officially on the bill for a showcase performance organized by Asheville’s Experience Music (EM) at one of the city’s premier music venues, Salvage Station.
For the parents of young, aspiring musicians, EM is a dream come true. Dedicated to supporting the development of young musicians, EM’s principals and mentors – drawn from the vibrant local music industry – engaged Riley as a drummer for his first band, Breaking Point. Over the previous year, they had rocked stages at Salvage Station, The Grey Eagle and Pisgah Brewing Company as the headliner for several bands comprised of kids ages eight through 16.
Read moreTales of Originality: Asheville’s Uncle Kurtis Drops New Album, “Let’s Kill Uncle Kurtis”
This case study appears in Roger Darnell’s book, The Communications Consultant’s Foundation.
Based in Irvine, California, the principals of the hybrid creative agency ENVOY have built their company very thoughtfully, aiming to partner with bold leaders to make experiences and products that define the future. By focusing on the convergence of design and technology, and even being willing to invest capital, expertise and services, the agency has chosen to engage with a growing list of innovative startups, in addition to its roster of well established companies.
When we think about startups, we might imagine one or two impassioned individuals burning the midnight oil together in a garage or an attic, dreaming about taking their side gig full-time. This is a story about the other kind – where very savvy professionals who have achieved major success in the past join forces on a relatively sure thing. Meet Blossom, a company that set out to create a smart water controller that would cut utility bills and save water.
Read moreBest-Case Scenario: 2014 Blossom Launch, Powered by ENVOY
I have a longstanding working relationship with a CEO who recently changed jobs. Coming into his new company, he told me that his mantra was this: He intended to center every marketing initiative around PR strategy. In virtually every industry, I’m seeing many wise marketing industry leaders endorsing this idea. Another prominent example from the past several years comes from Jason Harris of San Francisco- and NYC-based Mekanism, where in an interview with HubSpot.com, he described his agency’s framework for creating shareable content.
“Our approach is to always think about the PR headline. Why will the idea, content, innovation, etc., travel? Why will people care, and why will they want to talk about it and share it? If there is no PR headline, the idea won’t be shareable. That is our goal on every project.”
The video I’m embedding with this article perfectly demonstrates the increasing focus on PR, presenting the 47-minute “Content & Storytelling: Is the PR Landscape Shifting?” session from the 2014 CDO Summit in NYC.
Read moreMarketing Imperatives: Center Everything Around Your PR Strategy