the natgeo story
By Pat Law • Dec 14th, 2008 • Category: The Digital StrategistStories. I tell stories. I make a living as a storyteller. I tell the stories to the people my clients want me to tell to. I tell the stories my clients want them to hear. The stories I tell stem from a fundamental truth. We don’t lie. We can’t. There are associations protecting the people from that.
Yet, there is a very thin line that divides fiction from non-fiction. We know that. Think about the $599 designer shirt you bought the other day. The old lady that makes it for you in a factory in China doesn’t get paid anywhere remotely close to that much in a month. Do we tell you that? No. We tell you how great you’d look in that shirt. We might even use an Esquire-approved celebrity in our story to subliminally convince you that you’d look just as attractve as him if you buy our shirt.
Have I been guilty of telling such stories? Yes. I’ve used David Beckham, Kaka, gorgeous supermodels and Hong Kong superstars to tell my stories. Not by choice, but I told the stories myself nonetheless. Do I feel guilty? No. Not at all. I assume you aren’t naive enough to think you’d bend it like Beckham just because you have the same pair of football boots he has. In some of my stories, I’ve even included that disclaimer lawyers have advised: Results May Vary. Yeah, I know you can barely see it at font size 5.5. That was the whole point.
This story about National Geographic‘s first Asian store in Singapore, however, is a unique one I will treasure for the rest of my life to come. For a start, I didn’t have to tell the story myself. And I still don’t. I didn’t have to think of an angle that will get people listening. And I still don’t. By virtue of its 120-year rich history and its authencity, the people are quite happy being their own storytellers.
I’d like to thank the following storytellers, who graciously spent their Friday evening with us at the store preview event, and amazingly posted up their stories within 24 hours. They include:
1. EastCoastLife
2. Design Sojourn
3. Nicole.sg
4. Claudia.sg
5. Greenlaundry
6. Xtralicious *NEW (as of Dec 14 2008)
7. DK *NEW (as of Dec 14 2008)
8. Highway of Life *NEW (as of Dec 14 2008)
9. Krisandro *NEW (as of Dec 15 2008)
I will be updating this post progressively as new stories pop up. Holler over at me if you’ve posted something too. Meanwhile, here’s a collection of photographs taken that day for your viewing pleasure. And no, I still haven’t got a story to tell. Go discover the story yourself today. The store is at Vivocity, on the ground level, right next to Desigual.
For those who’ve spent your Friday evening with us, thank you. I hope the event has been fruitful to you as much as it has been for us.
Hi Pat,
Thanks to you and your wonderful team from Ogilvy, I enjoyed myself at the store preview. Oh, I should not forget the cool boys and girls who drove us to the preview!! Sorry I was late but I would love to meet the guys and gals again. Sitting in Big Bear’s ‘tank’ and listening to the sexy voices over the walk-talkies, ……
It was not difficult to write about Natgeo store’s timely opening in Singapore. I have been an ardent reader of National Geographic magazines. When I told some members of MENSA Singapore, of which I’m the Marketing Director, they were as excited. Another place in Singapore where we can be intellectually stimulated. haha…. We are looking forward to its public lectures by Natgeo’s reknowned authors, photographers…..
My family and I were at its Opening and were warmly welcomed by the top men Pere, Alex and Sven. Thanks to their hospitality.
Once again, thanks for the wonderful experience.
Hello eastcoastlife!
No no, it was our pleasure having you attend our preview event, and we are glad you enjoyed yourself. Sexy voices over walkie-talkies? Ha, some of the guys must be glad to hear this from you.
You’re the Marketing Director of MENSA Singapore? Wow, ok. If you like, I can drop you an email every time there is an upcoming speech or lecture at NatGeo’s store. Let me know.
The top men were lovely, weren’t they? I’m really glad we had the little cosy affair towards the end of the night.
Well we hope to see you in our next event soon.
Hey Pat,
Thanks for the the link love there. Indeed this was one easy story to tell and I have been telling everyone about it because it is such a lovely store. In fact this morning I was there and watched them ‘cut the ribbon’ :p
Hey eastcoastlife, does being marketing director mean that you reach out to rejects like me who have flunked and failed to make it into MENSA after my 681th attempt? If it doesn’t, it should!
Hey Highway Blogger,
The pleasure’s all mine. ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL MINE.
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