In my book Sisomo: The Future on Screen I quoted Rolf Jensen. “The highest-paid person in the first half of the next century will be the ‘storyteller’. The value of products will depend on the story they tell.” If you find the idea of storytellers worth billions hard to grapple with, look at these great examples. They show how stories can get right inside our heads while facts just slide off and hit the floor.
1. 77% of Americans can name at least two of Snow White’s dwarves while only 24% can name two U.S. Supreme Court justices (at least one of them must be Grumpy.)
2. 60% of Americans know Bart is Homer’s son on The Simpsons. Only 21% know anything about the Greek poet Homer.
3. 60% of Americans can name Krypton as the home planet of Superman. Only 37% know Mercury is the closest planet to the sun.
Get the picture? In sisomo I was fascinated by the power of stories on screens. Stories are our way through information overload and the screen is their natural home. When stories are set against information, the story wins. Look at this.
The next time someone presents you with a long report, be firm. “Don’t bombard me with facts. Tell me the story.”
Tags: future, story telling
