New Video Shows How the "Digitoral" Era Is Turning the Tables on Marketers' Effectiveness and Role as Mythmakers

Genuine, Empowering Storytelling Is Now the Only Thing That Can Break Through the Media Clamor and Move People to Action


OAKLAND, CA--(Marketwire - May 22, 2012) - A new video by story analyst Jonah Sachs, co-founder and creative director of Free Range Studios, highlights an important, unspoken battle going on around us: the Story Wars, the fight to be heard in an era when the myths that were the foundation of our society have crumbled and the marketing messages that are their surrogates are starting to backfire.

In his video, "The Myth Gap and How the Best Marketers Fill It," Sachs, the creator of breakthrough digital media campaigns "The Story of Stuff," "The Meatrix," and "Grocery Store Wars," asks viewers to think about how...

  • The marketing strategies of the Broadcast Era will soon fall on deaf ears and may inspire significant backlash
  • Most marketers have abused their power by pushing fear, insecurity and greed
  • Marketers can best break through the constant flow of messages and take on the role as our modern mythmakers
  • Digital tools are returning us to the oral tradition, and truthful, empowering stories are the only weapons that will determine which communicators will prevail
  • Anyone who wants to move audiences to action will need to tell empowering stories that cast the audience in the role of the Hero

Narrated by Sachs, the video invokes the story of Oppenheimer and the atomic bomb, the Bhagavad Gita and empowerment campaigns "Yes We Can" and "Just Do It."

Sachs is the author of the forthcoming book Winning the Story Wars: Why Those Who Tell -- and Live -- the Best Stories Will Rule the Future (Harvard Business Review Press, July 2012). The video is available at http://winningthestorywars.com and on Vimeo.

To speak with Mr. Sachs, or for an early copy of Winning the Story Wars: Why Those Who Tell -- and Live -- the Best Stories Will Rule the Future (Harvard Business Review Press, July 2012), please contact Katarina Wenk-Bodenmiller of Sommerfield Communications, Inc. at (212) 255-8386 or katarina@sommerfield.com.

About Jonah Sachs
Jonah Sachs is an internationally recognized storyteller, author, designer and entrepreneur. As the co-founder and creative director of Free Range Studios, Jonah has helped hundreds of social brands and causes by creating campaigns built on sound storytelling strategies. His work on legendary viral videos like "The Meatrix," "Grocery Store Wars," and "The Story of Stuff" series has brought key social issues to the attention of more than 60 million viewers and his interactive work has been honored with 'Best Of' awards three times at the standard-setting South By Southwest interactive festival. Jonah and his work have been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, FOX News, Sundance Film Festival, NPR, The Colbert Report, and in FastCompany Magazine, which named him one of the 50 most influential social innovators. Follow him on Twitter @jonahsachs.

About Free Range Studios
Free Range Studios works with visionary companies and organizations to create story-based brands, transforming clients' visions for a better future into emotionally compelling media -- from interactive and mobile to print and video. The company has offices in Washington, DC and Oakland, CA. For more information, visit freerange.com. Follow them on Twitter @freerangestudio.

Contact Information:

Contact:
Katarina Wenk-Bodenmiller
Sommerfield Communications, Inc.
(212) 255-8386
katarina@sommerfield.com