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Storytelling and Market Research
Showing how market researchers can get a seat at the decision-making

table, this book is the essential guide to mastering storytelling techniques
that can dramatically enhance the impact of research reports and
presentations, commanding full audience engagement and buy-in.
While demand for storytelling in marketing research reports and
presentations has mushroomed in recent years, there can be confusion
about what decision-makers mean by “stories.” Leading market research
expert C. Frederic John eliminates this confusion by defining four specific
types of story in the business arena, and providing a series of “how-to”
guides for generating effective solutions when communicating learning
and other information. This book is the first to emphasize the needs of
the report reader or presentation audience.
Drawing on examples from ancient and modern literature, drama,
opera, and other arts, this book will help today’s (and tomorrow’s) market
research professionals to thrive in a world demanding insights, real-world
recommendations, and more relevant deliverables.
C. Frederic John enjoys a global reputation as a strategic researcher with a

career spanning over 40 years. He specializes in melding profound insights
into concrete recommendations for clients, and in crafting compelling
research deliverables using story-telling techniques.
Turning data into a compelling narrative is essential if we’re to make
the most of our investment in research. Fred’s book acts as guide and his
thinking helped us as we built Crater Lake, where we aim to ‘make sense
of it all’.
—Brian Jacobs, Co-Founder, Crater Lake and Company, UK
Fred John beautifully explains the art of story-telling in a business con-

text. We all need the skills to tell our stories in a compelling way—this
book can help us to do so.
—Fiona Blades, President and Chief Experience Officer, MESH
Experience, New York and London
The ability to create an elegant and compelling evidence-based story is a

must-have skill for insight professionals. This book, in one volume, will
provide insight professionals with everything they need to know to take
their storytelling skills to the next level. The author, as an experienced
client-side market researcher and also insight consultant, knows what
is required to deliver powerful narratives to capture the imagination of
stakeholders. The book provides the reader with a grounding in the prin-
ciples of storytelling. At the same time it is laced with lots of wonderful
storytelling examples and provides the reader with many practical things
they can do to bring their data stories alive.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to insight professionals and
those in business who need to create evidence based stories.
—DVL Smith PhD, Director DVL Smith, UK
Once upon a time I worked with Fred John. He is a veteran marketing

researcher, a solid thinker and a succinct writer. Reading his book Story-
telling in Marketing Research, you will learn that none of this matters.
Fred’s argument is that marketing researchers cannot deliver the goods
they are being paid for if they cannot tell a compelling story. And then he
tells the reader how to do this. And if you do this, you will live happily
ever after.
—John Gilfeather, President, John Gilfeather & Associates,
Stanford, Connecticut
In my experience, learning by doing is not enough. But a sound theoreti-

cal background boosts you from a do-er to an expert. This is why Mr.
John’s book is an actual guideline, starting with the stories of stories, their
impact, their resourcefulness and moving on to simple, easy, applicable
examples, then step-by-step guiding you to become a skillful, maybe a
master storyteller in MR.
—Diana Sonea, Independent Qualitative
Pharma Expert, Bucharest
An articulate, insightful, and inspirational book for new and seasoned
researchers. Fred John—with his reputation of an outcome-focused, pro-
vocative expert in international marketing research—gives us a practical
guide on how to design and share research. Focus on novel learnings, and
keep your audience engaged as you tell the story. This book is a treat for
the mind, filled with practical wisdom and concrete examples. You will
no longer have dull reports and sleepy audiences after reading this book.
—Dr. Tatiana Barakshina, Co-founding Partner, Bazis Group,
Chicago, & Ekaterinburg, Russia
I was not surprised but nevertheless amazed by the level and volume of
erudition Fred John reveals. This could . . . should . . . truly become The
Textbook for the advanced course in research and insights leadership.
There will not remain a doubt or question left unanswered in the path to
effective presentations. If only we all could have had this course and these
learnings way back then.
—Alan Grabowsky, President, ABACO Marketing
Research Brazil/USA
We market researchers are always passionate about our material; some-

times so much we feel the need to share 100 horizontal bar charts. Fred
John’s book shows us how to make research findings totally engaging. It
is a vital addition to every market researcher’s bookshelf.
—Paul Hague, Founder and Director, B2B International,
Manchester, UK
This is a book written by a consummate insights professional and story-

teller. Fred John has never shied away from reminding all in the insights
profession that their role is not only to inform business decisions but to
do so in a manner that ensures action. In this hugely thoughtful book,
he distills all the key elements of business storytelling that lead to action
and business impact. A must read for all going into the profession—and
a great refresher for those already in it.
—Simon Chadwick, Managing Partner, Cambiar and Editor-in-
Chief of ESOMAR’s Research World
Storytelling and Market
Research
A Practical User Guide
C. Frederic John
First published 2022
by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
and by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2022 C. Frederic John
The right of C. Frederic John to be identified as author of this
work has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77
and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted
or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic,
mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented,
including photocopying and recording, or in any information
storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trade-
marks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identifi-
cation and explanation without intent to infringe.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: John, C. Frederic, author.
Title: Storytelling and market research : a practical user guide /
C. Frederic John.
Description: New York, NY : Routledge, 2022. | Includes
bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2021023617 (print) | LCCN 2021023618
(ebook) | ISBN 9781032064871 (hardback) | ISBN
9781032064857 (paperback) | ISBN 9781003202516 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Marketing research. | Business communication. |
Business presentations. | Storytelling.
Classification: LCC HF5415.2 .J5695 2022 (print) | LCC HF5415.2
(ebook) | DDC 658.8/3—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021023617
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021023618
ISBN: 978-1-032-06487-1 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-032-06485-7 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-20251-6 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/9781003202516
Typeset in Sabon
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
Contents
Preface and Acknowledgments x
Introduction 1
A Human Condition 1
Getting Down to Business 1
The Need to Evolve 5
1 The Fundamental Power of Story 8

The Ubiquity of Story 8
The Transformative Properties of Story 13
The Sacred Role of the Storyteller 19
The Market Researcher as Storyteller 22
Chapter Summary 25
2 The Immediate and the Essential 28

Story as Novelty 28
Story as the Essential Learning 32
Extracting the Essence 37
Chapter Summary 50
3 Tales Clients Tell 53

What Clients Believe, What They Tell Us 53
Sources of Client (Mis)Belief 56
An Added Benefit 59
Chapter Summary 60
viii Contents
4 The Written Report as Narrative 62

Approaching the Report 62
Incorporating Storytelling Into the Preliminary Sections 65
Selecting Content for the Detailed Findings Narrative 70
Managing the Flow 73
Suspending Disbelief: Accepting Our Reality as “Authentic” 77
Juxtaposing Elements 79
Stimulating Identification and Empathy With
Characters/Situations 82
Achieving Closure in Closing 87
Chapter Summary 89
5 A Radically New Approach to the Presentation 92

A Wasted Opportunity 92
Introducing a Radically New Approach 94
Selecting Content: Less Is More 95
What About the Deck? 99
The Manipulation of Expectation 100
Juxtaposing Elements in Presentations 102
Suspending Disbelief From the Get-Go 104
Wrapping Up With a Bang 110
Chapter Summary 113
6 Humanizing the Presentation 115

Humanizing the Material 115
Humanizing Yourself 116
Introducing the Extraneous 120
Humanizing Through Storytelling Techniques 122
Chapter Summary 130
7 Recasting the Narrative as an Imaginary Tale 132

A Daring Leap Through the Looking Glass 132
The Nature of the Beast 133
Sample Tales 133
Taking the Plunge 152
Chapter Summary 154
Contents ix
8 The Story of a Company or Brand 155

What Is/What Isn’t a Corporate/Brand Story 155
Comparisons With Other Communications 157
Crafting the Successful Corporate Story 158
Focus on the Brand 162
Chapter Summary 166
9 Continuous Learning 168

Internalizing the Learning 168
A Day in Your Life 169
A Longer Arc of Your History 171
Continuous Engagement With the Arts 173
Applying the Learning 174
Parting Words 177
Chapter Summary 177
Appendix: “Landscape and Narrative”

by Barry Lopez 178
Index 184
Preface and Acknowledgments
The original impetus to write this book was a much more modest goal,
namely, to address the semantic confusion surrounding the word “story”
in the business arena by clarifying the various ways the term was being
used. I had thought of this as an article or perhaps a presentation.
Somehow the scope expanded as I decided to include ideas about the
inherent power of story and storytelling and how these could be harnessed
by market researchers and other communicators of analytic learning. In
this process, I drew on material I had developed for training workshops,
webinars, and other activities over the past dozen years or so.
My first foray into these topics occurred when I developed a profes-
sional training program for the global MasterCard research team that
included some sessions on making more compelling reports and presenta-
tions, which led, inevitably, to the art of storytelling.
Much of my approach to creating more dynamic research deliverables
is derived by posing a simple question: What can we learn from the arts,
not just storytelling? Many art forms tell or imply stories, and in general
are far more successful in engaging the audience than we usually are as
conveyers of research findings. Are there elements that we can borrow,
not only from literature and non-fiction writing but also from drama,
cinema, painting, music, and dance?
Many of the answers relate to structure and can be applied to both
our written reports and live presentations. The art of storytelling itself
presents numerous other aspects that we can adopt as we seek to engage
our client audiences and, critically for us, impact their decision-making.
The general approach advocated in this book, along with the underly-
ing concepts, the content itself, the case histories and examples provided,
and the selections of readings cited are my own for which I take full
responsibility. I am also responsible, of course, for any mistakes con-
tained in the book, and for these I do apologize.
At the same time, the book has greatly benefitted from many people
who have contributed to my professional development over the years as
well as from those who provided invaluable guidance to improving the
manuscript. To all of them I am truly grateful. I can only cite a few here.
Preface and Acknowledgments xi
I wish to thank Jeffrey Polevoy, my supervisor at MasterCard, who

was particularly supportive of my initial efforts at developing the profes-
sional training workshops. I also wish to acknowledge my debt to John
Gilfeather, my supervisor at Yankelovich Partners, from whom I learned
a great deal about effective report writing as well as whatever I know
about corporate reputation. This last piece of knowledge is reflected in
the section about writing the company story in Chapter 8.
In terms of the book, I must acknowledge the constructive feedback
received from a number of professional colleagues who took the time to
read the draft manuscript. These include Fiona Blades, Tatiana Barakshina,
and David Smith, who provided encouragement as well as suggesting
additions and concrete ways in which the manuscript could be improved.
I also wish to acknowledge my debt to David Smith’s recent book, The
High Performance Customer Insight Professional,1 which prompted me to
add some features and helped shape the overall structure of this volume.
I am particularly grateful to two participants in my ESOMAR story-
telling workshops, Diana Sonea and Paula Goerg, who shared examples
of their real-life “imaginary tales” that are featured in Chapter 7. I grate-
fully acknowledge the permissions provided by Market Analysis of Flori-
anópolis, SC, Brazil, and ISRA Center Marketing Research of Bucharest,
Rumania, allowing me to include these slides in the book.
I also wish to gratefully acknowledge SSL/Sterling Lord Literistic, Inc.,
Copyright by Barry Holstun Lopez for allowing me to include Barry
Lopez’ complete essay, “Landscape and Narrative” as an Appendix. I owe
much of what I know about the deeper meanings of story and the power
of storytelling to that piece, which is also cited in a number of places
throughout the book, particularly in Chapter 2.
A number of Routledge Press staff deserve special mention as well. I genu-
inely appreciate the initial encouragement, support, and insightful feedback
provided by Meredith Norwich, which led to the company’s commitment
to publish the book. I also appreciate the efforts of Julia Pollacco, who was
instrumental in guilding the volume through the complex process from man-
uscript to production. I also wish to acknowledge critical assistance provided
by Balaji Karuppanan, project manager at Apex CoVantage, India, and the
professional copyediting of Kousalya Sampath, for shepherding the book
through production.
Finally, I wish to thank my wife Carolyn and daughter Elizabeth for
their support and encouragement throughout the creative process.
Note
1. David L. Smith, The High Performance Customer Insight Professional: How
to Make Sense of the Evidence, Build the Story and Turn Insights Into Action
(UK: Amazon, 2019).
Introduction
A Human Condition
Stories make us human. We encounter them in infancy and con-
tinue to experience them throughout our lives. Stories enable us to
learn, to teach, and to share memories, personal experiences, hopes,
dreams, fantasies, religious ideas, morality, and much more. They con-
nect us to the past, define our present, and shape our future. They
permeate all the arts, including literature from folktales to novels,
non-fiction, drama, opera, dance, paintings, and sculpture.
Moreover, our own lives comprise stories. While a few ambitious
(or daring) individuals write autobiographies or memoires, most of us
describe specific experiences, verbally or in writing or even through pic-
tures to our friends or associates on a regular basis.
• These might include a humorous incident at work, a detailed

description of a recent vacation, a formative childhood experience,
or a boring recitation of inconsequential steps in a drawn-out process
of no interest to anyone.
• In some cases, your own stories may even depart from factual reality
as you exaggerate (or even invent) certain aspects for effect, or
because your memory has become foggy.
• Telling stories for their effect is, in fact, one of the stellar skills of
truly great storytellers.
Getting Down to Business

Mushrooming Demand
In recent years, the demand for stories and for storytelling has mush-
roomed within the business arena. The call has been loudest within the
marketing research and marketing disciplines, but has permeated other
corporate sectors as well, including brand managers, corporate relations
professionals, and sales staff.
DOI: 10.4324/9781003202516 -1
2 Introduction
The demand is often fed by clients and other end users frustrated with
traditional deliverables and seeking something that feels more relevant,
actionable, or just enjoyable.
• Workshops, podcasts, and other forms of tutorials have sprouted up

teaching storytelling skills, and these abilities are now commonly
found in job descriptions.
Despite the increasing volume of demand and efforts to meet them, there
is little uniformity in terms of meaning. Those demanding more “story”
and “storytelling” often mean quite different things, which can lead to
confusion among those charged to respond, as well as unmet expecta-
tions among those making the demands.
Audiences
This book has been written in response to the current pursuit of story in
business. While the primary audience is the market research profession,
the book is really intended to serve all those who generate or analyze any
kind of information for business purposes.
• For the sake of brevity, the text most often speaks of “market
researchers,” but this term is meant to encompass a far larger group
of investigators, analysts, and information interpreters.
In addition, the book is addressed to all those who commission or use research
or other forms of data, or who make decisions based on these learnings. For
these audiences, especially those calling for “more story” in their received
deliverables, appreciating the multiple meanings of the term can avoid the
semantic misunderstandings that currently lead to unfortunate disconnects.
And an enhanced appreciation for the compelling nature of story—and
storytelling—can lead to a far better utilization of these deliverables.
Semantic Confusion
An initial objective of this volume is to resolve some of semantic confu-
sion swirling around the term “story.” Currently, there are four distinct
meanings attributed to this word. The first two are often used to answer
the question, “So, what’s the story?”
1. Story as novelty. This refers to the latest news or development. It can

be applied to research, other analyses, or anything happening in the
marketplace. It generally refers to something that has been learned
or has occurred recently, that is, up to this point in time. It doesn’t
Introduction 3
necessarily mean the final or most profound outcome of a study, or

refer to a consequential event. It’s just the latest news.
2. Story as the essence of what has been learned. This is most often
applied to research and other analyses and refers to the primary
insight, conclusion, or genuinely new and/or unexpected information
that has emerged. This is the “aha!” that can usually be expressed in
a few sentences.
3. Story as narrative. This refers to the actual communication of the
information, usually applied to a study or other analytic effort. It can
be a written report or live presentation, conveyed through words,
numbers, and/or graphic elements.
4. The story of a company or brand. This refers to a narrative related
not to a specific study but one that tells what a brand or enterprise is
all about, giving it a distinct identity.
Clearly, these aspects are related, especially the frst three. A report or
presentation is often a narrative whose primary purpose is to convey the
essence of what has been uncovered in a research project, analysis of sales
fgures, or other rigorous exercise.
• While the narrative is constructed to provide knowledge and insight,

the expectation (hope?) is generally that it will guide decision-making.
Motivations Fueling Demand

Much of the increasing demand for story and storytelling reflects two
basic facts:
1. Many reports do not identify the essence of what has been learned,
but are more recitations of specific findings, data dumps from which
no overarching or deeper meanings emerge.
2. The recitations themselves are deadly dull, lacking not only a direc-
tional focus or clear organizational structure but any style that
engages the reader or listener.
In the frst case, the audience, often the executive (the client) who com-
missioned the study or who needs the learning to make a decision, is left
to fgure out what it all really means and draw conclusions on his or her
own. In the second case, the client needs to combat boredom and struggle
to absorb the narrative.
• In many situations, he or she will simply rely on a summary of key

findings, which is usually more an exercise in reductionism than a
statement of the essential learning that has emerged.
4 Introduction
• Or the client will engage a management consultant or other

professional to make sense of what they’ve been given and how to
apply the learning.
Identifying Critical Learning

Resolving these problems requires two distinct skills. One is the ability
to identify consequential learning from a research or other analytic pro-
cess. We often speak of insights, a term that has shouldered (suffered?)
an array of definitions which I tend to avoid. The essential learning may
comprise something new or counter-intuitive, a causal relationship or a
pattern of other relationships, or a fruitful conclusion.
• To be relevant to the business owner, this learning usually needs to

possess an implication for the business, which usually leads
to a specific recommendation of how to take advantage of this
implication.
All of these steps—knowing what is truly new and what is truly insight-
ful, how to pull these together to draw meaningful conclusions, what the
resultant real-world implications of this learning are, and what to recom-
mend as decisions based on what has been learned—demand much more
than a command of the research or other analytic tools involved. They
presume the following:
• A solid understanding of the background of the inquiry

• The general situation of the brand and the company and its competi-
tive context
• A firm grasp of the client’s business
• A firm grasp of business in general
These are often areas of knowledge in which research and analytic staff
are often lacking.
Our Challenge
How can you possibly make a recommendation without knowing the
present position of a brand, what its competitors are doing, how that
particular sector operates, and what trends may be reshaping it?
And how can you possibly expect a client or other business owner to
accept your recommendations, no matter how solid your analysis and
insightful your conclusions, if you don’t know these things?
Introduction 5
Our Historical Baggage

Here, our training as information professionals often holds us back. The
heritage of our profession harks back to the scientific method, which
places a premium on logic, discipline, and the dispassionate pursuit of
knowledge. There is nothing wrong with these aspects—in fact, they are
the very pillars that support our credibility. The problem is that when
applying these principles within a business environment rather than an
academic one, they fail to carry us far enough along.
• In an academic investigation, the learning is the final product, to be

peer-reviewed, debated, and perhaps replicated.
• If it’s inconclusive, further research may be required, initial hypoth-
eses may be modified, the methodology revised.
But within the world of business, investigations and analyses are under-
taken in order to support decision-making. And in many cases, even when
the fndings are inconclusive, a decision still must be made, in which case
the learning may primarily serve as a risk assessment.
• The impact of faulty information, flimsy conclusions, or weak risk

assessments can be substantial, financially and on careers.
The accuracy and relevance of the learning may even be more impactful
in the business setting than in the academic, even if factors such as budget
and time constraints prevent the most thorough exploration possible to
yield the best information. And so, the very pillars of our profession carry
even greater weight when we serve business decision-makers.
• This is where making sense of what we have learned requires a broad

range of other knowledge.
The Need to Evolve

The need to go beyond an academic framework becomes most critical in
drawing meaningful implications and recommendations from the learn-
ing. At this point, an evolution of role needs to occur, from a dispassionate
and objective distiller of learning to a passionate advocate of a recom-
mended solution.
• Objectivity should never be sacrificed.

• But the modern researcher/analyst needs to shed his or her neutrality.
• “On the one hand . . ., on the other hand . . .” type of statements no
longer suffices.
6 Introduction
Your business owner needs to make a decision. Whenever possible, you

should call the shots based on your best understanding of the data, the
depth of all the learning produced, and all the surrounding information
and knowledge you’ve mustered.
A Deliverable That Compels

The second set of required skills involves the ability to communicate infor-
mation and learning in a way that is not only accurate but also compelling.
To succeed as counselors to decision-makers, we need to engage with our
audiences in multiple ways, to encourage them to pay attention to what we
are saying, so that it will influence their thinking and persuade them to accept
our interpretations and (at the very least) consider our recommendations.
Here again, our scientific method origins hold us back. Our reports and
presentations follow models drawn from scientific papers, setting forth
assumptions and hypotheses, detailing methods, and dutifully reporting
everything that has been learned in mind-numbing completeness.
• Conclusions, implications, and recommendations, usually found at

the end of a document or presentation, are also offered in a neutral,
mechanical way.
Laundry List of Fatal Flaws

While these deliverables serve as responsible products that probably contain
all the answers to questions that might have been asked, they generally fail
to engage, influence, or persuade because of a number of fatal flaws:
1. They are too complete.

2. They lack focus and therefore purpose.
3. They are written in a dispassionate, therefore boring style.
4. They are not organized well.
5. They are risk-averse, dutifully noting the limitations inherent in the
findings, and shying away from drawing meaningful conclusions.
6. Their scope is limited to the primary objective of the inquiry and the
information uncovered in the process.
7. Visual elements are often confusing rather than illuminating.
8. Recommendations offered tend to be tactical rather than strategic.
A Personal Perspective
My personal perspective is that the research profession’s attempts over the
past few decades to reinvent their role, most often by anointing themselves
as consultants, insights gurus, or strategic counselors, are misdirected and
Introduction 7
have largely failed. Why? Because they have not focused on the one aspect
of their work which their clients really care about—the deliverable.
• Research reports and presentations still tend to evoke the output of

information experts, not strategic counselors.
• And, as noted already, they tend to put their audiences to sleep.
The purpose of this volume is to address these issues head on, to identify
where we fall down on the job and how to dramatically improve our
performance. The focus is ultimately on the deliverable, and the solution
proposed is the incorporation of storytelling elements into our reports
and presentations.
The book combines this new approach to communicating research
learning along with concrete, practical ways for its realization. This guid-
ance ranges widely from suggested language that can be inserted into a
report to ways in which to organize the entire document.
• Wherever possible, I have provided examples from various research

initiatives to illustrate specific means of incorporating these elements
into your own work.
Since the basic principles are derived from storytelling as found in mul-
tiple cultural expressions, I have also cited a fair number of examples
drawn from literature and the other arts which I encourage the reader to
pursue when time allows.
Throughout the text, I have also inserted self-exercises under the rubric,
“Your Turn.” These are intended to encourage you to think about and
internalize some of the learning from the preceding sections. They also
provide an opportunity for an interactive exchange with the material.
I have also provided brief descriptions as headers for each chapter to
help you navigate the volume, and summaries at the end of each chapter
as reminders of what you have just learned.
*******
Before entering the world of business, it is necessary to step back and
clarify just what makes stories such a powerful form of communication. The
first chapter therefore focuses on story as narrative, stories that are told, read,
acted out, sung, or communicated in some other art form to an audience.
Only in understanding the specific characteristics that infuse story
with such emotional force that engages our attention can we learn how
to emulate these models in the reports and presentations that ultimately
are our final deliverables.
Chapter 1
The Fundamental Power of

Story
In order to harness the power of storytelling in your own work, you

need to fully understand the unique nature of this form of human
expression and what gives it such force in our lives. This chap-
ter provides this background and should prepare you to take full
advantage of the more practical guidance found in later chapters.
Specifically, it addresses four critical aspects of story:
1. Its pervasiveness in our lives and in all forms of art

2. The transformative properties that give stories such power
3. The special roles and responsibilities of the storyteller
4. How these roles and responsibilities apply to the market researcher
The Ubiquity of Story

Stories surround us, from cradle to grave. We embody stories—our own,
our experiences, our memories, all the stories we’ve heard throughout
our lives, all the stories we’ve ever told, all the stories we want to tell but
haven’t yet been able to share.
Story is a quintessential, and probably unique, characteristic of human-
ity that defines us as a species. And ironically, while stories almost always
emerge within a given society, they also form one of the few links that
bind all of humanity together.
Story, in fact, is one of the most powerful forms of human commu-
nication. At its most basic level, it entertains, often by evoking various
emotions—amusement, surprise, sorrow, anger, indignation, piety, etc. It
also serves as an essential teaching tool, guiding students by seemingly
“real-life” examples.
Story certainly serves as a means of informing—the fundamental
task of the journalist and the historian. And story plays a vital role
DOI: 10.4324/9781003202516 -2
The Fundamental Power of Story 9
in persuasion—again, often citing “real-life” (or modified or totally

invented) incidents to convince an audience.
The Compulsion to Explain

Many stories emerged as attempts to “explain.” Most basically, creation
myths arose as humans struggled to understand how the world came into
being. Attempts to explain natural forces, the sources of the human condi-
tion, why things happen or don’t happen, and what powers really control
the world and our destiny produced other myths.
Stories also provided behavioral guidance—with tales of deities and
their interactions with mankind providing direction as to what was
expected of us, as well as fables contrived to teach us the proper way
to behave.
Stories Everywhere
The range of narratives that fall under the story rubric is huge, from
simple children’s books and fairy tales to folk tales, short stories, novels,
and sagas, as well as diaries, news and magazine articles, and histories.
We tend to divide narratives between two distinct groups:
• Those that accurately relate events that really happened, such as his-
tory, biography, and journalism, that we call non-fiction.
• Those that make no such claim, what we call fiction.
But there are numerous gray areas in between, such as historical fction,
that blend real events with those that are purely the invention of the
author. And many other depictions of real events often need to “fesh
out” the historical record with dialogue, possible encounters between
characters, and frequently the imagined thoughts of historical fgures.
Fables and the like provide another type of hybrid form that combines
clearly fictional elements but are intended to communicate an underlying
truth. Aesop’s fables conjure up talking animals, but the moral at the end
is intended to teach something truthful about morality, human nature, or
life in general.
The parables of Jesus serve the same purpose. Did the prodigal son
really exist? It hardly matters; the story is simply a means to reveal a
moral principle.
Even communications that are not strictly narratives, such as text-
books or volumes devoted to the sciences, often weave in stories to get a
point across. For example, a brief history of how a certain principle was
discovered (such as Newton and the apple) may be cited in the context of
presenting the principle of gravity.1
10 The Fundamental Power of Story
In addition, case studies are standard fare in law, business, economics,

and the sciences. And exercises and problems, even in the pure realm of
mathematics, often take the form of stories:
• “Betty has seven eggs, and she plans to sell them for 12 cents apiece . . .”
• “Two trains 100 miles apart start heading toward each other on
parallel tracks. One is going 40 miles per hour, the second 60 miles
per hour . . .”
This same approach applies to many other forms of communication,

including sermons and political speeches aimed at infuencing opinion
and shaping behavior. The late George P. Schultz, a former U.S. Secre-
tary of State, recently wrote that President Reagan advised him that
when writing a speech, adding a relevant story allows you to appeal
to the audience’s emotions as well as their minds. “Telling a story, he
made me understand, helps make your case in a way that no abstrac-
tion can: A story builds an emotional bond, and emotional bonds build
trust.”2
Story = Sharing
At its foundation, story is a form of sharing, of one person or a group
imparting information, ideas, experiences, values, or real or imaginary
happenings to an audience. By its very nature, story is a bonding experience
that can transcend not only cultures but also centuries because they touch
the primal nature of our humanity.
It is often said that a story can “transport” us to a distant time and
place, and enable us to respond emotionally:
• We can still respond in horror at the deceit of Agamemnon tricking

his wife into sending their daughter to her death.3
• We can laugh at the foibles portrayed in Roman comedies, and in
Shakespeare’s, as much as in Neil Simon’s.
• We are entertained as we move through the Arabian nights, and
share the joys and agonies that fill novels from Cervantes to the
present day . . .
• . . . Even though the societies shaping the stories, such as Edith Wharton’s
New York, and even the situations themselves, no longer exist.
Many Arts Tell Stories

Stories Set in Music
Stories are not just told or written down to be read—they can be
communicated through many other art forms as well. Musical stories can
be found in many vocal genres, from folk and art songs to oratorios and
opera.
• Even purely instrumental music can suggest a story in the form of

program music, such as Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, Berlioz’ Symphonie
Fantastique, and Smetana’s Moldeau.
• In these orchestral works, the composer provides a rough outline of
a sequence of events and leaves the listener to imagine the scenes the
music evokes.
Paintings: Stories Frozen in Time

Paintings often portray a moment in what is meant to be an ongoing
story. Even the earliest cave paintings appear to suggest dramatic scenes
that are not intended to be static images, but depict galloping herds or
hunts where humans and animals interact.
• Many later paintings can be experienced as frozen images of a

moment in time for which there is clearly a before and an after.
• Much the same can be said of many sculptures.
Even fairly static images, such as portraits, still lifes, or outdoor scenes,
can evoke a sense that there is a story lurking behind or beyond the can-
vas. A Renaissance portrait might lead you to ask:
• This self-possessed young man, what is he really like? How does he

live and act? What does his expression, his clothes, and his few pos-
sessions shown tell us?
• Our minds are tempted to imagine the answers and fill in the
unstated gaps.
• (If you don’t have a traditional portrait in mind or on hand, you
might check this one out: Circle of Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio)
(1483–1520), Portrait of a Young Man in Red, c 1505.) Here is the
link: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Circle_of_Raphael_
(Raffaello_Sanzio)_-_Portrait_of_a_Young_Man_in_Red_-_78.
PB.364_-_J._Paul_Getty_Museum.jpg
Similarly, consider a traditional eighteenth- or nineteenth-century pastoral

scene:
• That beautiful landscape—perhaps we can see ourselves walking

across the fields, or it reminds us of past experiences when we basked
in the bright sunshine in just such a meadow.
• (Again, if you need inspiration, here’s one that might work for
you: John Constable, Wivenhoe Park, Essex, 1816.) You can view
it here: https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/wivenhoe-park-ssex/
vAG0ovJU1U65Rw?hl=en
Other Art Forms

Much of what applies to painting can be applied to photography as well,
which historically was a medium for capturing real people, either in for-
mal postures or in their daily lives, as well as the inherent beauty of
natural phenomena.
Stories can also be shared through dance performances, sometimes
explicitly, such as in a formal ballet like Swan Lake, or in the motions of
various popular dances. Many of these present stylized situations whose
explanation requires no spoken narrative, such as those in which a couple
acts out a flirtation.
Drama brings story to life, as real people pretend to be characters in a
story. Film, of course, can be seen as the ultimate medium for storytelling.
From its inception, it was able to provide the “before” and “after” to the
photographic scene, at the same time enabling drama to be captured and
shared around the world.
Your Turn
Take a few moments to consider your own immersion in stories. In
many cases, these may be so imbedded in your experience that you
are hardly conscious of them. Here are a few ways you can become
more aware of how stories have impacted your life:
1. Try to remember some of the earliest stories that were read or

told to you as a child.
• What aspects can you still recall?
• What about these particular tales give them their “stick-
ing” power so many years later?
• Can you remember anything about what you felt as you
heard these stories?
2. Remember explaining something to someone, and using an
example to get a point across; for example, how a process
works, what a law means, or a scientific principle.
• Why do you think you went from the general (what you
were explaining) to the specific (an example)?
• How did you come up with the example you used?
• Did citing an example make it easier for the person to
understand what you were explaining?
The Transformative Properties of Story

The ubiquity of story in our lives, in our arts, and in all kinds of commu-
nications, raises the questions, “Why is narrative so powerful? Why do we
find it so engaging? And what is it in the essence of story that enables us
to transcend the normal boundaries of time and culture?”
We can find answers in the nature of “engagement.” Story embodies
three transformative properties that enable—encourage—our engage-
ment: one allows us to temporarily disassociate ourselves from the real
world; another succeeds by juxtaposing contrasting elements; and the
last establishes our ability to identify or empathize with the characters or
situations described.
And if, as communicators of market research or other business
information, we wish to enhance the engagement of our audiences
with our own deliverables, we need to fully understand these critical
components and learn how to incorporate them into our reports and
presentations.
Suspension of Disbelief
This is one of the most powerful aspects of story—it’s ability to sepa-
rate us from the real world and transport us to another realm that may
resemble reality to various degrees, but is inherently different.
• The act of engaging in a story is to some extent a surrender, a loos-

ening of our grip on objective reality and a willingness to accept the
terms of the narration itself.
• This “alternate reality” may offer all kinds of deviations from the
norm, from talking animals and superhuman deities to fictional peo-
ple, imaginary lands, and imagined futures.
All of these deviations require a “suspension of disbelief,” a phrase usu-

ally applied to theater but can also be assumed as the necessary require-
ment of experiencing story.
• Stories mentally transport us to another world, in which real world

rules don’t necessarily apply.
• Simultaneously, we tend to shut out our normal world during the
story experience.
How do stories accomplish this?
Surrounded by Boundaries
Stories, and in fact almost all art forms, are surrounded by virtual
“boundaries.” Penetrating these boundaries signals our passage from one
world to the next. These can be extremely simple, multi-faceted, or even

highly complex, infused by custom and circumstance.
• It’s important to note that these boundaries aren’t barriers.

• On the contrary, they tend to invite your entrance, and in some cases
provide specific portals to accomplish this.
SIMPLE BOUNDARIES
Let’s consider the most basic boundary that both surrounds and leads us
into every fairy tale, the words, “Once upon a time . . .” This phrase is
the antithesis of every real-world norm in its deliberate vagueness, and is
often compounded with non-information such as “. . . in a land faraway.”
These introductory words tell us to forget factual information, that
the story that follows lives in a timeless world; in fact, it is timeless as it
relates to human experience.
• How different a fairy tale would be if it began, “In a small town in

Bavaria in the fall of 1632, where beer production had been halted
by the ravages of the Thirty Years War, causing economic chaos and
widespread unemployment . . .”
How did Alice get to Wonderland? She fell down a hole, or passed through
a looking glass, both virtual portals into a “fairy-tale-like” upside-down
world. The reader is expected to do the same, leaving the real world behind.
Another simple boundary is the picture frame that separates the illustra-
tion itself from the wall on which it hangs. We experience the drawing, paint-
ing, or photograph as a distinct world from the room it inhabits. We might
well imagine the world beyond the picture’s boundaries, stretching across the
entire wall, but we don’t project these images on to the wall itself; the picture
serves as a window into that world. The frame defines that window.
SERIES OF BOUNDARIES: THE BOOK AND THE OPERA
Going beyond fairy tales, we find almost any novel, short story, or history
book presents a series of boundaries before we get to the “meat” of the text.
1. First we encounter the cover, which provides a title and perhaps a

subtitle or brief description, and even an illustration.
2. The back or inside covers may contain a longer description, an author
bio, quotes from reviews, and other promotional material.
3. We then confront a title page, copyright page, a table of contents,
maybe a list of illustrations, maps, and even of personae . . .
4. . . . And perhaps a preface or introduction.
5. All of these pages are intended to entice the reader to continue from
page to page.
Passing through all of these, we fnally come to the beginning of the

story itself, but even that may be preceded by a quotation or a poem. So,
immersing oneself in a book generally requires a series of steps designed
to prepare you for the reading experience, distancing yourself from the
chair in which you sit, and the room holding the chair.
At an even more complex end of the spectrum, consider attending an
opera performance. Here, a series of boundaries mark our progress from
street to the musical drama.
1. We enter the opera house, where we sit in rows that force our attention
to the stage, making conversation difficult.
2. The orchestra starts to tune up, another signal leading us along.
3. The lights dim, ending our conversations (hopefully) and intensifying
our focus on the stage, and our anticipation.
4. But often the curtain remains closed.
5. The opera begins with an overture, another boundary that prepares
us and builds our expectations for what is to follow.
6. Finally, the curtain is raised, and we are thrust into an imaginary
world held within the proscenia walls of the stage. The scenery sets
the sense of place.
7. The characters appear and the story finally begins.
But our journey through these barriers has brought us to a very strange
world.
• The characters communicate not by speech, but by singing.

• In many operas, the “action” stops repeatedly as characters express
their emotions for several minutes, often only to the audience.
• And needless to say, many of the plots themselves have little or no
connection to real life.
And yet, we can experience the joy, the pain, and the whole range of human
emotions expressed, even empathize with these fctitious characters in this
artifcial and often archaic art form. The artifce of singing amplifes the
emotional experience rather than distracts.
The Juxtaposition of Elements

Multiple Elements
Stories juxtapose numerous elements, often for effect. Many stories tend
to move around rather than follow a totally linear sequence. At their most
basic level, they progress from scene to scene, place to place, and from one
group of characters to another.
• Often this requires juxtaposing events that are happening simultane-

ously in different places.
• In old Western movies, this was often introduced by the phrase,
“Meanwhile, back at the ranch . . .”
Shakespeare provides a complex example of constant contrasts in his

“Midsummer’s Night Dream,” which bounces back and forth among
four different character groups (nobility, citizens of Athens, “mechani-
cals,” and a host of immortals) in various places, before bringing them
together in a series of hilarious scenes.
Other elements are frequently juxtaposed as well. Narratives often
alternate between depictions of scene, character description, action, dia-
logue, and even narrator commentary. The mood or quality of the mate-
rial may also shift from one section to the next.
• In many Shakespeare plays, both comedies and tragedies, very seri-

ous scenes are often followed by comic interludes featuring fairly
uncouth characters.
The Elasticity of Time

A special type of juxtaposition relates to shifting time frames. Narra-
tives take place in time—they take time to tell or to read, but they often
describe events that take place over a much longer period.
• “Hansel and Gretel slowly climbed the hill, often stopping to catch
their breaths and looking back at the valley below, taking them a full
hour before reaching the top.”
• We read that statement in a matter of seconds, not hours.
Or the narration may happen in real time:
• “Cliff grabbed the double agent, pushed him against the wall, and hit
him hard with his fist.”
Of course, in drama and flm, all the action and dialogue happen in real
time within a scene; we can see much of what a narrator might tell us,
although sometimes a voiceover is provided to let us know what characters
are thinking.
• But time elapses between scenes, sometimes moments but often days,
months, years, even decades.
Enter the Flashback

Here we should mention the flashback as a particularly free treatment of
time that juxtaposes the past, present, and future. The Odyssey introduces
this tool in a long flashback as Odysseus describes his many ordeals since
leaving Troy to the audience of Phaeacians.
• Flashbacks, of course, have become a standard tool in all kinds of

stories in all kinds of media, allowing us to move backward as well as
forward, or even jumping around continuously among multiple time
periods.
We need to adjust our usual sense of the world in order to accept this
fuid sense of time. While telling (or reading or viewing) a story requires a
certain amount of time, the need to follow the ebb and fow of time forces
us to focus on the story itself. In other words, the elastic treatment of time
reinforces our suspension of disbelief.
• We need to accept that while we engage in the story, we have in some

fundamental way removed ourselves from the “real” world where
time flows at an even rate, where it takes a full hour to climb a hill,
and a real year must pass between events that happen a year apart.
Finally, we need to consider the third component that enhances our expe-
rience of story by enabling us to identify with the character and situations
related in a story.
Identifying or Empathizing With Characters/Situations

Perhaps the strongest grip that story exerts on our imagination is that it
enables us to relate to the characters and situations by stimulating identi-
fication or empathy. While reading, hearing, or watching a story, we can
share the emotions of individual characters. This empathy may be stron-
gest with characters most like ourselves or to whom we are sympathetic.
But we may also understand, if not share, the emotions of characters with
whom we can’t really identify or even dislike.
At the same time, the experience may stimulate our own emotions in
response to a situation, even if the characters don’t feel these things. For
example, we may pity a victim or react forcefully to an injustice. Ulti-
mately, all the emotions generated lead us to care about these characters
and what happens to them.
• In effect, storytellers humanize their material to bring it to life,

and stories humanize the audience by evoking a genuine emotional
response.
This broad-based empathy and emotional response are particularly

remarkable when you consider that we may be very different from the
characters themselves, or have never faced the situations or conficts with
which they struggle.
• We can still feel the exultation of a victor in a race, or feel the pain of
a heroine forced into an unwelcome marriage, even if these situations
are completely foreign to us.
• Moreover, stories enable us to cross all boundaries of time and cul-
ture, as we experience people whose lives are as distinct from our
own as possible.
In fact, stories enable us to experience our common humanity, breaking

down the social, cultural, political, and time boundaries that separate us,
even defne us, from much of the rest of humanity past and present. This
is a feature held in common with all of the arts, each of which enables us
to merge into a broader stream of human culture in its own distinct way.
The incredible power of story and its ability to engage us, therefore,
depends on these transformative properties:
1. Its ability to enable the suspension of disbelief, allowing us to enter a

world distinct from our own.
2. Its ability to carry us seamlessly from one scene or type of experience
to another, including altering our experience of time.
3. Its ability to enable us to empathize with a wide range of characters
and situations.
Your Turn
1. Think of the last time you started a new book, from the time
you sat down to the time you got to the “meat” of the content.
• How much attention did you pay to the “front matter?” Did
you just skip over it, or focus on certain pieces? Which pieces?
• Did any of this process affect your expectations?
• Did you find that as you entered into the reading experi-
ence your connection to the rest of the world diminished?
2. The next time you watch a TV drama or comedy, try to keep
track of the number of changes in scene.
• Are you surprised at the number of shifts that occurred?
• Did you have any trouble following these shifts? If so, did
they become clearer later on?
• Was the time flow totally linear, or were there flashbacks

or sudden leaps to the future?
• If either, how were these used to further the story?
3. Remember the last time you saw a film, play, or TV drama that
had a tragic ending.
• How much did you care about the character(s) who did
not enjoy a happy ending?
• How much of your response to the ending is due to a
general reaction (such as to unfairness, injustice, or just
bad luck) and how much to a personal identification or
empathy with the character(s) themselves?
• Overall, how much did this particular viewing experience
affect or impact you?
The Sacred Role of the Storyteller

Before approaching how to apply these characteristics of story to our pro-
fessional work, we need to consider one more critical aspect: the sacred
role of the storyteller.
There are stories and there are stories. And there are stories told well
and those that aren’t. The storyteller (author, playwright, painter, libret-
tist, etc.) may not be responsible for the original content of the story, but
must be accountable for how it is told.
We have all experienced individuals who can turn the most trivial of
life’s experience, such as missing the bus or finding a lost earring, into
an engaging tale that captures our attention as it’s being related. And we
also have suffered through the descriptions of what should be a fascinat-
ing story, such as an extended visit to the pyramids or a slog through the
Himalayas, that puts us to sleep.
The role of the storyteller is critical in bringing a story to life—to
command our attention, win our engagement, and ultimately get us
to care about the characters and the outcome. Each narrative genre
demands a different set of skills to achieve these goals. But before con-
sidering skills, it is worthwhile to consider the special role of the story-
teller in society, returning to the essential position the storyteller held
from earliest times.
Noble Beginnings
Storytelling began as an oral art long before the development of writing.
Homer was most likely a renowned storyteller in a long tradition, shaping
and passing down stories inherited from countless prior generations. He
presents the role of the bard in the Eighth book of the Odyssey, when
Odysseus, finally resting in the palace of the king of the Phaeacians after
his many adventures, is entertained by a blind storyteller. This figure is
treated with dignity by the court:
“In came the herald now, leading along the faithful bard the muse
adored above all others, true, but her gifts were mixed with good and
evil both: she stripped him of sight but gave the man the power of
stirring, rapturous song. Pontonous brought the bard a silver-studded
chair . . . And the herald placed a table by his side with a basket full
of bread and cup of wine . . .”4
Later, the bard is invited to perform after a series of outdoor contests,

and again is accorded due respect as he is led to the center of a make-
shift stage, fanked by youthful dancers. And later still, Odysseus himself
praises the bard:
“I respect you, Demodocus, more than any man alive—surely the

Muse has taught you, Zeus’ daughter, or god Apollo himself. How
true to life, all too true . . . you sing the Achaeans’ fate . . . as if you
were there yourself or heard from one who was.”5
In these passages are expressed the essence of the sacred role of storyteller:
• One whose gifts are bestowed by the gods themselves.

• Whose words command the attention of all regardless of rank.
• Who is accorded a distinct, almost sacred position in society.
The other critical aspect of this role is spoken by the hero himself—that
the bard speaks the truth. He refers to the literal accuracy of Demodocus’
description of the Trojan War, but there is a more profound responsibility
that all storytellers have—to relate a deeper, more fundamental truth, and
in many cases, the accuracy of the literal rendering of events is far less
important than these underlying verities.
The Slippery Nature of Truth

We are all familiar with this ambiguity presented by different lay-
ers of “truth.” We watch moves “based on real events,” which deftly
combine fact and fantasy, as do historical novels and the histories
of Shakespeare. But these all provide other aspects that are true: a
real portrayal of a situation, such as life under Nazi occupation; real
human emotions; a true description of human nature, or of the human
condition.
Stories may also communicate ethical principles. Fables have morals.

Many who reject a literal reading of the Bible still accept the moral codes
expressed.
We can say that regardless of the context, the storyteller must, at some
level, be a conveyer of truth to maintain his or her credibility.
• This rule is of utmost importance to the reporter of market research

information, as we shall see later on.
Our Diminished Stature

We may pause for a moment and compare the reverence shown Demo-
docus with that given to us market research presenters. While our words
may be accorded some level of accuracy, our status lies far lower than that
of the bards of yore. (When was the last time a client placed a basket of
bread and cup of wine next to your chair?)
• There are many reasons for this, not the least being our offerings are
viewed as the result of accepted, if somewhat mysterious processes,
such as statistics and semiotics, not gifts of the gods.
But also critical is the fact that our presentations generally do not trans-
port our listeners into a rapturous state because, quite frankly, they do
not resemble stories, and do not share any of the characteristics noted
earlier as those that empower storytelling.
• “Data dump” may be an unfair descriptor of the typical presentation,

but perhaps is not as far from the mark as we would like to think.
• We shall return to this topic in later chapters with practical guidance
to remedy this situation.
A Timeless Description of the Role

The best description of the tried-and-true role of the storyteller I
know is found in the late Barry Lopez’ 1984 essay, “Landscape and
Narrative,” captured in the collection, Crossing Open Ground.6 The
full essay is reproduced as the Appendix in this book thanks to the
gracious permission provided by the copyright holder. (The page num-
bers found in the Notes for the citations that appear in the following
paragraphs and elsewhere refer to those in this book, not those of the
original collection.)
Lopez builds his case by recounting a storytelling session with members
of a Native American tribe that features a tale of an encounter between a
snowmobile-mounted hunter and a wolverine that takes an unexpected turn.
From this experience, he draws some powerful observations about stories

and storytelling, deeply influenced by his immersion in aboriginal cultures.
Lopez presupposes two “landscapes,” external and internal. The former
comprises the physical environment known through our senses that “is
organized according to principles or laws or tendencies beyond human con-
trol.”7 In other words, what we normally describe as objective reality. The
key to understanding that world “is not by knowing the name or identity
of everything in it, but by perceiving the relationships in it.”8 (italics added)
The second landscape is an interior one, which is “a kind of projection
within a person of a part of the exterior landscape.”9
Stories are a way of bringing the internal world into greater harmony
with the external through a process of renewal. “Inherent in story is the
power to reorder a state of psychological confusion through contact with
the pervasive truth of those [external] relationships.”10
Here, the role and the skill of the storyteller become paramount. Sto-
rytellers are truth-tellers in that their words stem from both their knowl-
edge of their subject and regard for their audience, which engender the
listeners’ trust. This trust rests on the belief that the relationships under-
pinning the story are “authentic.”
“For a storyteller to insist on relationships that do not exist is to lie.

Lying is the opposite of story.”11
Lopez also notes that for the storyteller to invoke the transformative
power of narrative, he or she must establish a sense of intimacy with
the audience, and perhaps assume a semblance of humility despite the
authority with which they speak. Hence his emphasis is placed on the
storyteller’s regard for the audience.
The Market Researcher as Storyteller

All the principles that Lopez sets forth apply to our role as research
communicators. We will return to them as we consider how to infuse our
reports and presentations with the power of story. But before moving on,
let’s pause to consider how Lopez’ concept of the link between external
and internal realities directly relates to our world.
We might consider “the market” as the “external landscape,” to which
individual marketers need to adjust their own “internal landscape,” or
understanding of its composition and dynamics in order to be successful.
Research becomes the indispensable tool for determining consumer
needs, perceptions, and behaviors that shape the external landscape.
• The key point is that research identifies not only a static market situ-
ation but also the underlying patterns—the dynamics that generate
market behavior and evolution.
• Often, these relate to motivation, the “Why” factor, the explanation

for human behavior.
A second way of aligning Lopez’ conception of the storyteller to market

researchers lies in the matter and manner of relating our learning to
clients. We need to be, and to be seen to be, truth-tellers. Our training,
rigor, skills, and tools certainly help underscore this fact. But what and
how we report are also critical elements. This relates to both the compo-
sition of our deliverables and our relationship to our audience.
Content of the Deliverable

The importance of our role to marketing and to business success cannot
be overstated. Being conveyers of truth ultimately depends on the con-
tent of our communications. Here, it is not so much the data themselves
we provide but the deeper insights and conclusions that constitute the
essence of our learning that are most critical.
• Certainly, we are not supposed to “spin” the findings or ignore cru-

cial caveats.
• But the most important learning we produce is often of a somewhat
subjective nature, general principles drawn from specific pieces of
information, conclusions that lead to recommendations.
• These are the most relevant patterns of the outside world—“the
authentic relationships”—which we wish to convey to our clients.
As mentioned earlier, in some cases, a literal representation of “truth”

may be less important than the deeper “truth” ultimately revealed. Mov-
ies “based on a true story” or historical fction may include a great deal
that is invented, but the situations, experiences, motivations, and basic
outlines of the plot still feel “real.” We will return to this aspect when we
speak about live presentations.
Delivery of the Deliverable

Beyond content, our success depends on our conveying this learning—
especially the essential learning we’ve uncovered—in a compelling
manner. The rules that Lopez indicates, as well as the core elements of
story discussed earlier that have guided storytellers over thousands of
years, provide a model for us to emulate. We will explore multiple ways
of adopting these principles to make your deliverables more compelling
in later chapters.
Finally, to be successful, we need to gain the trust of our client audi-
ence by convincing them that our understanding of the marketplace is
“authentic.” Our toolbox and insights are not enough. As Lopez notes,
trust stems both from knowledge and regard for the audience. At the very
least, this means preparing deliverables that are “audience-friendly” and
focusing on what your client really wants to know.
• In a live presentation, this also means establishing intimacy with your

audience and assuming a level of humility, which can help reinforce
your authority.
• But even in a written document, we must always remember who the
readers are and what they are really looking for.
Your Turn
1. Consider an important event or experience you had recently.
For example, meeting a new boyfriend/girlfriend, getting a new
job, having a great vacation, or visiting someone you haven’t
seen for a while. Now do the following:
• Imagine describing this experience as factually and succinctly
as possible to someone with no prior knowledge of it.
• Now imagine describing this same experience but feel free
to add, even invent details, provide background if helpful,
describe your feelings, and even ask your imaginary audi-
ence questions.
• Which of these two narrations make you feel more like a
storyteller? What do you think contributes to this feeling?
• Which version do you think holds the attention of your
imaginary audience better?
2. Remember a non-research presentation or address you watched
made by a senior executive, such as the announcement of a new
policy, product, or management team member. (If you’re a stu-
dent, you might think of an address by an administrator, dean,
or a professor.)
• How attentive/receptive was the audience to the presenter?
• How much of this was due to the person’s position?
• Did the presenter use stories, anecdotes, or other incidental
comments? If so, how did these affect your engagement?
• Did the presenter reveal any sense of humility, or use self-
deprecation, despite his or her authority?
• Did the presenter show any other way of respecting the
audience, or simply take their attention for granted?
• In the end, how did the audience respond to the
announcement?
3. Remember the user manual or assembly instructions that came

with a new appliance or device you purchased, or you had to
find online.
• Overall, how well was this document geared to your indi-
vidual needs?
• Did it match your needs in terms of specificity (too much
or too little?)
• Was it complete or did it leave out certain steps or other
vital information?
• Were the illustrations, if any, helpful?
• Were any resources provided if you required additional
help, such as a customer service number or on-line video?
Chapter Summary
Stories permeate our existence, including our own and all the stories
we’ve ever heard.
Story is a unique characteristic of human beings, a form of sharing that
can bind all of humanity together. In fact, it is one of the most powerful
forms of human communication, able to evoke a wide range of emotional
responses and “transport us” to a distant time and place.
Story also serves as a means of informing, persuading, and explaining.
Even textbooks use stories to get a point across, law and business courses
rely on case studies, and fables and parables are intended to convey ethi-
cal principles.
The range of types of narratives is huge, from simple children’s books
to novels, as well as diaries, news articles, and histories. We tend to divide
these between fiction and non-fiction, but there are many gray areas in
between, such as historical fiction and movies “based on a true story.”
Stories can be communicated through many art forms, including music,
painting, photography, dance, drama, and film.
There are three transformative properties of story that make it such
a powerful form of communication based on the nature of engagement:
1. The Suspension of Disbelief. Stories enable us to separate from the

real world and enter an alternate reality in a form of surrender. This
requires passing through virtual “boundaries” that range from the
simple to the complex.
“Once upon a time” is a simple boundary that separates a fairy tale from
reality, as is Alice’s falling down the rabbit hole. Picture frames separate
the artwork from the wall on which it hangs.
Books contain a series of boundaries separating the cover from the

primary text. Attendees to an opera pass through multiple boundaries
preparing them for the musical drama, a fantasy world in which charac-
ters sing rather than speak within totally far-fetched plots.
2. The Juxtaposition of Elements. Stories engage us by continuously

altering multiple elements, including scene, place, character group-
ings, and the nature of the material.
Time enjoys its own elasticity within a story, as events described take
place in “real time” or over a much longer period. Time periods are also
mixed, with successive scenes taking place simultaneously, after a long
interval, or in the past through fashbacks.
3. Identifying or Empathizing with Characters/Situations. Story’s most

powerful characteristic inducing our engagement is its ability to
stimulate identification or empathy with characters and situations,
humanizing the material while humanizing the audience’s emotional
responses. We may share the emotions characters are experiencing,
and the story may stimulate our own emotions.
Ultimately, these emotional responses lead us to care about these charac-

ters and what happens to them, and enable us to experience our shared
humanity.
The critical role of the storyteller is to bring a story to life and to tell
the truth. In ancient times, this was considered a sacred role, far above
the status normally accorded researchers.
A contemporary interpretation of the role is to convey an accurate
understanding of the patterns of reality to the audience, based on knowl-
edge of the subject and a respect for the audience.
For the researcher, this means communicating the realities of the mar-
ketplace to the client, especially the deeper insights and conclusions we
draw from our data. But it also means conveying this information in a
compelling way that gains the trust of our audience.
Notes
1. A great example of this is Bill Bryson’s 2003 book, A Short History of Nearly
Everything (New York: Random House, Inc., 2003), that explains basic
scientific principles through the histories of their discovery.
2. George P. Schultz, “The 10 Most Important Things I’ve Learned about Trust
Over My 100 Years,” Washington Post, December 11, 2020.
3. Taking this one step further, such a realization can even be expressed by
fictitious characters themselves. In Donna Leon’s mystery Unto Us a Son
Is Given (New York: Grove Press, 2019), a police inspector reading Eurip-
ides’ tragedy, The Trojan Women, admits that “these fictive people and what
happened to them were much more upsettingly real to him than what he read
in even the most graphic police reports.” (p. 98).
4. Homer, The Odyssey, trans. By Robert Fagles (New York: Viking Penguin,
1996), Book 8, lines 71–82, p. 193.
5. Ibid., lines 546–551, p. 207.
6. Barry Lopez, “Landscape and Narrative,” in Crossing Open Ground (New
York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1988; reprint, New York: Vintage Books,
1989), pp. 61–71. This essay is reprinted in the Appendix, pp. 178–183. Fur-
ther citations refer to the page numbers in this volume. Lopez’ perspective
rests heavily on his immersion in natural phenomena and aboriginal cultures,
and his primary focus is on the psychological transformative power of story
at the individual level. Despite these distant orientations, his conclusions ring
true for all kinds of stories and can be applied to those infusing our deliver-
ables, further testifying to the universal nature of story.
7. Ibid., p. 180.
8. Ibid., pp. 179–180.
9. Ibid., p. 180.
10. Ibid., p. 181.
11. Ibid., p. 182.
Chapter 2
The Immediate and the

Essential
Now we need to focus on how we communicate to our clients, start-

ing with two of the four types of story which we introduced in the
opening section:
1. Story as novelty
2. Story as the essence of what has been learned
Our desire for “instant informational gratification” has intensified

recently, not least within the business community. For researchers,
this has meant not only demands for speedier results but also for
output based on partial or insufficiently analyzed data, producing
real problems both for researchers and clients.
The task of identifying the most critical learning—the essence—
requires hard work and a willingness to emerge yourself in the data,
ask questions, consider implications, and always seek a higher level
of integration. This chapter delineates the steps required.
Chapter 1 provided a long introduction exploring and explaining the

power of narrative. But before returning to that pivotal meaning of the term
“story,” let us consider the first two meanings, both of which can serve
as the answer to that typical American expression, “So what’s the story?”
Story as Novelty
Many people live in a forward-looking mindset, always striving toward
the future, frequently obsessed with the latest development, gadget, turn
in the stock market, or even the latest wrinkle in an ongoing saga.
• The 24-hour news cycle, always promising “Breaking News,” has

certainly exacerbated this tendency.
DOI: 10.4324/9781003202516 -3
The Immediate and the Essential 29
• But perhaps it is more accurate to say that the success of these omni-
present media is a reflection of an intensified impatience that has
become nearly universal.
Keeping Up With the Latest News

In an earlier age, say the newsroom of a major daily newspaper, the editor
might ask a reporter returning from assignment, “So, what’s the story?,”
meaning,“What have you just learned? What’s the latest?”That would have
worked in the 1930s, and was still the question asked of Woodward and
Bernstein as they uncovered the Watergate scandal bit by bit in the 1970s.
• The editor didn’t expect a complete recap of everything already

learned, and certainly not the missing piece that finally explained the
complete puzzle.
• Just the latest news. Hopefully, a scoop.
An example in black and white: Cary Grant plays a persistent editor

who asks the question repeatedly in a scene from the 1940 com-
edy film, “His Girl Friday.” You can watch the full scene at: www.
youtube.com/watch?v=9tHwS5Ymvag.1
Business executives today are even more focused on the latest

developments than yesterday’s editors, as the speed of all aspects from
communications to R&D to delivery has increased exponentially. “The
latest” might be the current stock price (“Is it up? Is it down?”), the
expected launch of a competitive offering, the most recent analyst reports
or sales figures, or even the preliminary results of a study in progress.
The critical piece to understand here is not that the business executive,
any more than the paper editor, expects a detailed summary or an epiphany.
He or she feels compelled to stay constantly informed for fear of missing
something that could be vital, falling behind and ultimately losing out.
• The focus on quarterly reports, which still imprison executives in

short-term planning, now functions on the micro-level.
• Every moment potentially contains the seeds for success, or failure.
Short-Circuiting the Research Process

For the researcher or other information provider, novelty requests often
take the form of demands for “top-line” reports frequently based on
preliminary, insufficiently analyzed, or even incomplete data.
30 The Immediate and the Essential
The pressure for speedy delivery of research learning has, of course,

driven the effort to shorten data collection, in some cases weakening
the underlying validity of the data themselves. And while enhanced
computerized systems can certainly deliver numbers faster than ever
before, understanding their true meaning still demands human mental
activity.
• Short-circuiting this process, even before the numbers have settled let
alone been digested, only erodes the value the learning can bring to
the decision-making process.
A Qualitative Example of What Can Go Wrong

I have experienced numerous instances where the rush to deliver a “story”
has backfired, even in qualitative settings. For example, I managed a
series of focus groups evaluating a new positioning strategy for a B2B
service, attended by members of the client team. The day after the groups,
members of the team reported to their department head that the group
response had been very positive.
I wasn’t so sure. While participants had said positive things, their
responses lacked much enthusiasm for the new positioning. I checked
the tapes and compared notes with the moderator, who shared the same
impression. At best, we would say the positioning was moderately attrac-
tive, but needed work.
When this conclusion was passed on to the team, panic ensued. They
had already shaped the expectations of their boss; our report would not
be welcomed, and their credibility would be undermined. Needless to say,
none of this would have happened if the boss had not asked his team, “So
what’s the story?” or if they had hedged their response to allow for the
delivery of our report, or at least a debrief of the team.
Short-Circuiting Quantitative Results

In the quantitative world, demands for preliminary assessments can be
even more misleading. For example, partial results of a study in progress,
even if a majority of interviews have been conducted, can be misleading:
• The composition of the partial sample may be quite different from

the final one, for example, if a certain population or quota group is
underrepresented because it is particularly difficult to reach.
• And of course, partial data are never weighted.
Even when a complete data set is available, it may still need to be

cleaned and weighted. Sharing such data, even with caveats, can be
dangerous.
The Immediate and the Essential 31
• Remember—once a client has a specific result in mind, anything

that weakens or contradicts this earlier assessment will be met with
annoyance, even suspicion, especially if the final results are less posi-
tive than the initial ones.
This applies, of course, not only to business surveys but also to political
polls. Politicians who have celebrated good poll results based on prelimi-
nary data will not be happy to learn that, in fact, their numbers are lower
than earlier thought.
• This can also apply to counting ballots that arrive or are counted later.
Self-Protection
Delivering top-line results demands you take precautionary measures. Why?
First, to protect yourself in case final results turn out distinctly different from
an earlier report, in which case the client may well demand an explanation
of “what happened?” Nothing, of course, happened, but you could be put on
the defensive unless you have a clear paper trail showing you advised your
client ahead of time that the numbers initially provided might not hold up.
You are also trying to protect your client. Once a report is sent to a client,
you have no control over how it is distributed or even presented internally.
• Your client might choose to circulate a preliminary report that indi-

cates “good news” to top management without citing any of the ver-
bal caveats you’ve provided.
• When the news turns out not to be so good, your client could find
him or herself in an embarrassing situation, and may even blame you
for this situation(!).
But even if the numbers or qualitative fndings are in their fnal form, what
they truly mean may still require further analysis and thought. If these deeper
interpretations are left unspoken, clients will draw their own conclusions.
How best to handle such unwelcome requests? Frankly, it isn’t always
possible (or politically advisable) just to say, “No. You have to wait until
we’re done.” In such situations, it is advisable to provide caveats to your
client, both verbally and in writing, that explain the limitations and
potential instability of partial or unweighted data.
• You might also consider sending all preliminary reports in an unedit-

able form (such as a locked PDF) with the words “Preliminary Find-
ings” prominently displayed on every page.
Your client is even more likely to ask you “So what’s the story?” when
the data are in fnal form and the analysis has begun. While this is a
32 The Immediate and the Essential
more legitimate request, he or she is probably not expecting the deepest

“aha” response, but key fndings—basic answers to the research ques-
tions asked. So, an initial response might be:
“Concept K is the clear winner, with P a distant second.”
“Your overall favorability rating has increased modestly since last year.”
“Consumers are most likely to rely on social media reviews when

seeking information about a new shampoo.”
“Competitor C is ranked higher than you on many key attributes.”
“Group participants tend to shop in discount stores for products like

yours.”
As the analysis proceeds, your client may continue to ask you for the lat-
est learning, which may by then refect a somewhat deeper appreciation
for what the data reveals:
“Women are far more likely to prefer K than men, especially those
with young children.”
“The increase in favorability is strongly linked to your most recent

ad campaign.”
“The strongest drivers for brand preference in your category are

price, ease-of-use, and being environmentally responsible.”
If client requests persist, the nature of your responses will evolve from the
“latest” learning uncovered to more profound insights and impactful impli-
cations, eventually arriving at the most critical, essential learning that your
work has produced. It is this epiphanal learning to which we now turn.
Story as the Essential Learning
Wide-Ranging Meaning of the Term

Perhaps the more common meaning of the question so often asked by
executives of information specialists, “So, what’s the story?” is what is the
essence of what you’ve learned.
• This is the answer you might give a CEO you meet in the hall who
asks, “So, what have you learned in that study of yours?”
• He or she is not looking for a quick summary of findings, but a suc-
cinct statement of the key take-away(s) of the research initiative: the
critical insight, the “aha” moment, the epiphany.
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
However, from whatever cause arising, we had the full benefit of the
peal.
“We got to our rural retreat about half-past nine, both the men-
servants attending us on horseback. At ten o’clock your old Mumpsa
[the child’s pet name for her mother] laid the first brick, and placed
under it a medal struck in commemoration of the centenary of the
Revolution of 1688. Your darling father then placed another for
himself, and a third for his beloved treasure, which he made Toney
put her foot upon; and after the little rogue had done so, you would
have laughed to have seen how she wagged her tail, and nodded
her head upon it, as much as to say she was very proud of being
admitted to have, not a finger, but a foot, in the business. The men
worked merrily on until two o’clock, and then repaired to the public-
house, where two legs of mutton, and bread, beer, and potatoes
were provided for them. There they enjoyed themselves for the rest
of the day, and this morning cheerily resumed their labours.”
Having thus impressed the natives, including the landlord of “The
Bell,” with a sense of the importance of the new owner about to
come among them, Dr. Mitford completed the business by
substituting the name “Bertram House” for that of “Grazeley Court,”
the reason for which, did the curiosity of the neighbouring aristocracy
cause them to inquire, was to be discovered in the fact that he was a
scion of the Mitfords of Bertram Castle, Bertram being the original
and ancient name of the family.
Judging by the very scant records of this period at our command, it
would appear that the erection of Bertram House, and its completion
to Dr. Mitford’s satisfaction, must have occupied nearly four years.
This would give Miss Mitford a clear three years of life among the
mild excitements which Reading then offered before taking up
residence at Grazeley in a district which she was to immortalize—the
term surely needs no justification for its use—and in which she was
destined, save for a few notable occasions when duty or
considerations of health called her away for short periods, to live out
her life to the end.
Her introduction to the gaieties of this respectable Borough took
place in the August of 1803, when she would be nearly sixteen. The
occasion was the annual Race Ball, at which function it was the time-
honoured custom of the race-steward to dance with the young ladies
then making their début, an ordeal almost as trying to the débutante
in those prim and decorous days as a presentation at Court,
especially if the steward happened to be a total stranger to her.
Writing to her mother, towards the end of her school career and
commenting on this, Miss Mitford added—possibly to gain courage
from the inditing—“I think myself very fortunate that Mr. Shaw
Lefevre[8] will be steward next year, for by that time I shall hope to
know him well enough to render the undertaking of dancing with him
much less disagreeable.” In this connexion we venture to suggest
that on this occasion Mr. Shaw Lefevre would have full hands, when
we remember that even at this comparatively early date Miss
Mitford’s figure had already assumed generous proportions and that
she was short of stature into the bargain.
Naturally enough, the conclusion of school life and the re-
commencement of life at home afforded the young girl the fullest
opportunities for observing, noting and commenting on persons and
events, a pastime in which she delighted. Her pictures of the
Reading of her day are notable alike for their quaint fancies as for
their fidelity. Her picture of the town—which she disguises under the
name of Belford Regis—as viewed from the southern heights of
Whitley, is one to which all true lovers of the old town turn with
pleasure even to-day.
“About this point,” she says, “is perhaps to be seen the very best
view of Belford, with its long ranges of modern buildings in the
outskirts, mingled with picturesque old streets; the venerable towers
of St. Stephen’s [St. Mary’s] and St. Nicholas [St. Laurence’s]; the
light and tapering spire of St. John’s [St. Giles’]; the huge monastic
ruins of the abbey; the massive walls of the county gaol; the great
river winding along like a thread of silver; trees and gardens mingling
amongst all; and the whole landscape enriched and lightened by the
dropping elms of the foreground, adding an elusive beauty to the
picture, by breaking the too formal outline and veiling just exactly
those parts which most require concealment. Nobody can look at
Belford from this point, without feeling that it is a very English and
very charming scene; and the impression does not diminish on
further acquaintance.”
Continuing, she compares the old romantic structures in which our
ancestors delighted—now, unhappily, nearly all demolished—with,
what she calls, the handsome and uniform buildings which are now
the fashion; and she remarks on the rapid growth which the town
was then making, “having recently been extended to nearly double
its former size.” What would she have said, we wonder, could she
have foreseen the Reading of to-day with its palatial polished-
granite-fronted business emporiums controlled from the Metropolis
by great limited liability companies whose insatiable appetites are
devouring, as their policy of grab is choking, the life from the old-time
burgesses; burgesses who gloried in their town and whom their town
took pleasure in honouring; men whose places are now filled by
battalions of shopmen whose fixity of tenure is so doubtful as to
preclude them from taking any part or interest, however slight, in the
town which shelters them? And, in regard to the extension which she
names with so much pride, how she would gasp with astonishment
had she been told that Whitley, from which she viewed the pleasant
scene, would be turned into dreary streets of uniformly built villas,
never deviating by so much as half a brick from the monotony of the
usual “desirable residence”; that the old limits of the town, beyond
which she could easily descry the panoramic revel of field and
meadow, would be extended for nearly two miles each way, almost
indeed to her beloved “Our Village,” and that the population of
16,000—each unit placidly pursuing its fairly prosperous calling—
would be transformed, seventy years later, into a struggling,
perspiring, more or less harassed army of 88,000, the majority not
daring, though they would not admit the stern impeachment, to call
their bodies their own.
“The good town of Belford,” she later remarks, “swarmed of course
with single ladies ... and was the paradise of ill-jointured widows and
portionless old maids. They met on the tableland of gentility, passing
their mornings in calls at each other’s houses, and their evenings in
small tea-parties, seasoned with a rubber or a pool, and garnished
with the little quiet gossiping (call it not scandal, gentle reader!)
which their habits required.... The part of the town in which they
chiefly congregated, the lady’s quartier, was one hilly corner of the
parish of St. Nicholas, a sort of highland district, all made up of short
rows, and pigmy places, and half-finished crescents, entirely
uncontaminated by the vulgarity of shops,” chosen, it is suggested,
“perhaps because it was cheap, perhaps because it was genteel—
perhaps from a mixture of both causes.” A kindly satire this, and
interesting because it points so conclusively to a certain backwater
near the Forbury, and under the shadow of the church of St.
Laurence, which will be easily recognized by many who remember
how it retained its character as a settlement for prim old ladies, of the
kind described by Miss Mitford, until within quite recent times.
“Of the public amusements of the town, as I remember it at bonny
fifteen,” she continues, “these were sober enough. Ten years before,
clubs had flourished; and the heads of houses had met once a week
at the King’s Arms for the purpose of whist-playing; whilst the ladies,
thus deserted by their liege lords, had established a meeting at each
other’s mansions on club-nights, from which, by way of retaliation,
the whole male sex was banished,” save one. “At the time, however,
of which I speak, these clubs had passed away; and the public
diversions were limited to an annual visit from a respectable
company of actors, the theatre being, as is usual in country places,
very well conducted and exceedingly ill attended; to biennial
concerts, equally good in their kind, and rather better patronised; and
to almost weekly incursions from itinerant lecturers on all the arts
and sciences, and from prodigies of every kind, whether three-year-
old fiddlers or learned dogs. There were also balls in their spacious
and commodious townhall, which seemed as much built for the
purposes of dancing as that of trying criminals. Public balls there
were in abundance; but at the time of which I speak they were of
less advantage to the good town of Belford than any one, looking at
the number of good houses and of pretty young women, could well
have thought possible.”
These few extracts—space forbids a larger selection—are
sufficient, we think, to prove how keen was the observing eye and
how critical was the mind of Miss Mitford at this time when,—to use
her own phrase—“I was a very young girl and, what is more to the
purpose, a very shy one, so that I mixed in none of the gaieties,” a
statement which seems to lend support to the current saying that
“the onlooker sees most of the game.”
So far we have dealt with the Reading life as dating from 1797, but
it is important to note that Miss Mitford speaks of a short residence in
the town when she was but four years of age, and this would give us
the year 1791. Unfortunately no proof for or against this is available,
so far as we know, and we should scarcely have thought it worthy of
mention but for another statement which she makes in her
Recollections the authenticity of which it would be well to at least,
attempt to clear up.
The statement has reference to the interest which Samuel Taylor
Coleridge evinced in one of her earliest literary efforts, Christina; or,
The Maid of the South Seas, when it was being prepared for press at
about the year 1811. This interest she ascribes to “Mr. Coleridge’s
kind recognition of my father’s exertions” in his behalf and relates to
that romantic period of the poet’s life when, in the December of
1793, he suddenly enlisted as a common soldier in the 15th Light
Dragoons under the nom de guerre of “Silas Tomkyn Cumberbatch.”
We have it on good authority that on December 4, 1793, he was
sent, with other raw recruits, to be drilled with his regiment, then
garrisoned at Reading, from which date until his discharge on April
10, 1794, he clearly proved his unfitness for the calling of a man-at-
arms.
The story of his discharge has been variously related, but all are
agreed that his identity was revealed by his being overheard by
certain of his officers reciting Greek lines, to say nothing of the polish
which, scholar as he was, he could not disguise. The circumstance
was sufficiently unique in those days—the gentleman ranker was a
growth of later date—to occasion inquiries, and these resulted in
communications with his friends, who came, identified, and bought
him out. One of these officers was Captain Ogle, eldest son of that
Dean of Winchester to whom, as we have noted in the earliest
chapter of this book, Dr. Mitford was on the visit which resulted in his
introduction to Miss Russell.
Miss Mitford’s account of the event is somewhat circumstantial, for
she relates that as Dr. Ogle was on a short visit to the Mitfords, the
opportunity of calling upon his father was gladly embraced by the
son, who, in the course of conversation, recorded the unusual
incident of the learned recruit, with the result that “one of the
servants waiting at table” was “induced to enlist in his place,” and the
“arrangement for his [Coleridge’s] discharge took place at my
father’s house at Reading.”
The dates relative to Coleridge’s enlistment and discharge are
incontrovertible, therefore in view of the lack of evidence to support
the idea of the Mitfords being in Reading in 1794, we are inclined to
doubt—as others have doubted—the authenticity of Miss Mitford’s
narrative, suggesting rather, that having heard this romantic story,
many years after—possibly from the lips of Captain Ogle himself—
she readily assumed, with the licence of literary folk in general, that
the incident took place as she recorded it.
FOOTNOTES:
[8] He represented Reading in Parliament, 1802-1820.
CHAPTER VI
BERTRAM HOUSE
Bertram House was at last finished and the beginning of 1806 saw
the Mitfords in residence. In the matter of furnishing the Doctor had
spared no expense, everything being new and of the latest pattern,
in fact the best that a fashionable London upholsterer could supply.
Of the pictures we know that the walls were well covered and that
the collection included a Gainsborough, a pair of female heads by
Greuze, and a portrait of the Doctor by Opie. We have already seen,
in Mrs. Mitford’s description of the stone-laying ceremony, that they
were attended by “the two men-servants on horseback”; this hints at
a fairly complete retinue having been installed at the Reading house,
but it was considerably augmented when the arrangements were
completed at Grazeley. Appearances counted for much in the district
and the Doctor was not the man to let slip such a grand opportunity
for ostentatious display.
His hospitality was profuse and indiscriminate, resulting in a
house-warming which extended over quite a lengthy period. As an
incentive—had he need of one—Dr. Mitford had recently been
appointed as one of the County magistrates, a tribute of appreciation
from the Whigs, of whose cause he was an earnest partizan, which
gave him an immediate rise in social status.
In time, of course, the family settled down to a more or less
ordered form of life, so ordered indeed that the Doctor created as
many excuses as possible to cover his frequent journeys to Town
and his clubs. There was sport in plenty to be had in the
neighbourhood, and of this the Doctor took full advantage, being a
familiar figure around the countryside with his gun and spaniels.
Then, too, there were the coursing meetings—the famous meetings
at Ilsley and private matches arranged between friends—none of
which were considered complete unless the Doctor were present or
his famous kennel represented. Throughout Miss Mitford’s letters,
occasionally to her father and often to friends, there are frequent
references to the greyhounds whose names, in accordance with a
custom prevalent then and still fashionable, all began with the letter
M in token of their ownership. Thus, to name only a few, we have
Mia, Manx, Marmion (a notable dog this, with an equally notable son
of the same name), Mogul, Miller, Moss-Trooper, and Mopy. For all of
these Miss Mitford ever exhibited the greatest affection, and in those
cases where a spaniel grew too old to follow the gun or a greyhound
too stiff to be matched, an asylum under Miss Mitford’s immediate
eye and care was immediately provided, and the creature was
henceforth looked upon as her own.
Taking advantage of this motherliness to dumb animals her father
frequently handed over to her some specially valuable dog from
whose later exploits as a courser he expected much. Apparently,
however, the real reason for the supposed gift was not disclosed,
with the result that when the dog was eventually removed the little
mistress gave vent to her annoyance in no measured tones.
“It is a most extraordinary thing,” she says in one communication
to her father, “that I never can have a dog that I like but you
immediately take it from me and burthen me with the care of some
detestable brute whom you in your eternal caprice fancy a good one.
Observe, however, that in giving up my own darling Mordor, I bargain
that that sulky, ungrateful, mangy beast Marmion shall be sent off as
soon as you come home, and that I shall again have my sweet
Marian to pet and comfort me.”
This was not, of course, a serious outburst, but merely the
explosion of what she doubtless considered a truly righteous
indignation, for, although she was no sportswoman, her love for her
father gave her an interest in his pursuits, and she shared with him
to the full the joy of triumph and the sorrow of defeat, while to
disparage the Mitford kennel was to offer her a personal affront. On
the other hand, she was quick to convey to the Doctor any item of
praise which she overheard or might have addressed to her. “We
called yesterday at the Fawcetts’, and the old General said he had
kept greyhounds and seen many thousands, but had never had an
idea of perfect and consummate beauty until he saw her” [a
reference, in a letter to her father, to Mia, one of the hounds].
She had a strong dislike to equestrian exercise—the rides of
babyhood across the Alresford downs with her father could not count
in this connexion—and although every inducement was offered her
to ride, an inglorious fall from a donkey quickly settled her
convictions as to her horsemanship, and her one and only riding-
habit was forthwith converted into a winter-gown. Strictly speaking,
the greater portion of her time was spent at home with her mother,
receiving visitors or lying for hours at a time on the sofa, where she
would devour a great quantity of books at a pace which, having
regard to the extraordinary knowledge she imbibed from her reading,
was truly astonishing.[9] At other times the little green chariot, their
favourite equipage, would be ordered out, calls would be returned
and the drive be possibly extended to Reading, where there would
always be plenty of shopping to do and calls to be made on the old
neighbours and friends who would have the latest news from Town
or the latest gossip of their immediate circle to retail.
With a desire to augment his income, which must have been
seriously depleted by the building operations and by the subsequent
reckless expenditure on the household, the Doctor now began to
indulge in a series of hazardous enterprises, which, with all a
gambler’s insistence, he pursued intently the while they dragged him
deeper and deeper into the mire. One of these was an extensive
speculation in coal in which he engaged with a brother of M. St.
Quintin. For this he supplied the whole of the capital in expectation of
a return of £1,500 a year, but the whole thing was a failure and, with
the exception of about £300, the capital was lost. Another
Frenchman, a man of ingenious ideas but no money wherewith to
put them to practical use, found a ready supporter in the Doctor, who
was induced to advance £5,000 on the strength of a paper scheme.
This man was the Marquis J. M. F. B. de Chabannes, and his
scheme, a supposed improved method for the lighting and heating of
houses, was embodied in a booklet which he published in 1803 with
the comprehensive title of Prospectus d’un Projet pour la
Construction de Nouvelles Maisons, Dont tous les calculs de détails
procureront une très-grande Economie, et beaucoup de
Jouissances. Unfortunately for its promoters, the scheme did not
catch on with the public, the Marquis returned to France and the
deluded Doctor continued for years to spend good money in the
hope of recovering that which was irrevocably lost by suing the
Marquis in the French courts, efforts which were all vain.
Meanwhile his fever for gambling grew apace and his absences
from home were more and more frequent and prolonged, and the
two women, being left much to themselves, conceived the notion of
arranging and copying out for the press a collection of verses
composed by the reverend father of Mrs. Mitford, Dr. Russell. They
took considerable pains with this, to which was added a special
preface by Mrs. Mitford, and when the packet was ready it was
forwarded to Dr. Mitford, in Town, with a request that he should find a
publisher and get as much as he could for it. Unfortunately, the
sanguine editors were disappointed, for no publisher sufficiently
enterprising could be found to accept the manuscript, although
sundry extracts did subsequently find a certain publicity within the
pages of the Poetical Register.
Following closely upon this effort, and in the May of 1806, Miss
Mitford went for a few days on a visit to London as the guest of
Monsieur and Madame St. Quintin, her old schoolmaster and his
wife. A short round of festivities had been arranged for her benefit,
including a visit to the Exhibition of Water Colours, evenings at the
theatres and, what appears to have been a great treat for the
impressionable Miss, some hours of two days which were spent at
Westminster Hall looking on at the trial of Lord Melville[10] and
listening to the speeches, and for which the Doctor, then in Town and
staying at Richardson’s Hotel in Covent Garden, had procured
tickets. She had now been absent from London for over three years
and, no doubt, extracted a great deal of pleasure from her visit and
its reunion with Fanny Rowden and Victoire St. Quintin, M. St.
Quintin’s sister, with both of whom, together with the Doctor, the
round of sight-seeing was enjoyed.
Mrs. Mitford stayed at home, but was kept well-posted in all the
news by the inevitable letters, full of critical details, from her dutiful
daughter. From one of these, dated from Hans Place, May 12, 1806,
we quote:—
“I have much to tell you, but it can scarcely be compressed within
the bounds of a letter. On Thursday, after I wrote, Miss Ayrton, Miss
Carp, papa, and I went to the Exhibition. There are some
uncommonly fine pictures, and it is even better worth seeing than
last year. In the evening, Victoire, Miss A. and myself went with papa
to the play to see The Provoked Husband and The Forty Thieves.
Miss Duncan in Lady Townley is most admirable. I do not much
admire Elliston as her husband. The Forty Thieves is a very
magnificent spectacle, but nothing more; for the language and music
are equally vulgar and commonplace. On Friday morning we went to
Oxford Street. I was extravagant enough to give half a guinea for a
dress skirt for myself, which I wore the next day to the trial. We were
rather disappointed in Mr. Romilly.[11] The speech in itself was
beautiful beyond description; but he wants animation, and drops his
voice at the end of every sentence.... Miss Rowden, papa, and I are
going to see Henry the Eighth to-night, and we are going to
Westminster Hall to-morrow.... I shall hope to return Thursday or
Friday; for, though I am greatly amused here, I am never quite happy
without my dear, dear mother.”
Two days later this was followed by a still more characteristic
effusion. The second day at Westminster Hall decided her that: “Mr.
Romilly is charming and interesting; but my first and greatest
favourite is Mr. Whitbread. Mr. Plumer is rather an inelegant speaker,
though very animated. I have promised papa to write some verses to
Mr. Whitbread. He has even superseded Mr. Fox in my good graces.
I did not tell you, I believe, that I had the happiness of seeing Mr. Fox
mount his horse on Saturday. I shall never again contend for his
beauty. He was obliged to lean on two people, and looked so sallow
and pale in the face, and so unwieldy in person, that I am obliged to
yield our long-disputed point.” Rather hard on poor Mr. Fox, whom,
hitherto, this exuberant young person had worshipped as a hero,
even to the extent of removing her watch-stand from the head of her
bed that it might give place to a bust of this gentleman which the
Doctor had sent from Town. On this occasion it was a case of “Off
with the old love and on with the new” in double-quick time, for,
continuing, she says: “To make me amends my new favourite is what
even you would call exquisitely handsome; a most elegant figure,
and a voice which I could listen to with transport, even if he spoke in
an unknown language. Mr. Plumer attacked him with the most
virulent irony and ridicule; and Mr. W. stood with his face turned
towards him and leant upon the desk, smiling the whole time, with
the most fascinating good humour. You know I am always an
enthusiast; but at present it is impossible to describe the admiration I
feel for this exalted character.”
We quote these extracts with no thought of ridiculing the ardent
partisan, but as a fore-shadowing of that enthusiasm and that quick
impressibility which ever seemed to dominate Miss Mitford’s life;
characteristics which often led her into excesses of transport at the
discovery, or supposed discovery, of some noble trait in the
characters of those who came within her ken, only to be as quickly
repented of; often giving unintentional pain to others and resulting in
an infinitude of trouble and annoyance to herself. Despite this
temperamental defect, however, and while her friends looked on
amazed at her infidelity, there was one to whom she remained
unwaveringly faithful to the end, though this object of her great
affection was the least worthy of all who came into her life.
Mr. Whitbread, favoured man, was the immediate recipient of

some verses from his ardent admirer. They reached him, ten days
after his Westminster display of elegance and fortitude, through Dr.
Mitford, to whom they were posted from Bertram House under cover
of the following ingenuous letter: “May 24, 1806.—I claim great merit,
my dear darling, in sending you the enclosed lines, for I am not
satisfied with them; but I would sooner mortify my own vanity by
sending you bad verses, than break my promise by withholding
them. I have called them impromptu to excuse their incorrectness;
and though some may suspect them to be an impromptu fait à loisir,
you must not betray the secret. From a perfect consciousness of my
own enthusiasm, I have been so much afraid of saying too much,
that I have fallen into the opposite fault and said too little. However, I
had rather be thought anything but a flatterer, though it be in my
opinion impossible to flatter Mr. Whitbread; for what language can
equal his merits? Do not impute the faults and deficiencies in these
lines to my laziness; for I assure you they cost me an infinite deal of
trouble; but they are not good enough to show, and I had rather you
would return them to me immediately. At all events, let me know how
you like them, and what you have done with them.”
Not to be misled by the feigned artlessness of his daughter’s
concluding sentences, the Doctor, as we have said, passed on the
verses to Mr. Whitbread, who was pleased to acknowledge and
eulogise them; and since they deserve it we give them below:—
Impromptu on Hearing Mr. Whitbread Declare in
Westminster Hall, on Friday, May 16, 1806, that He
“Fondly Trusted His Name would Descend with Honour
to Posterity.”
The hope of Fame thy noble bosom fires,

Nor vain the hope thy ardent mind inspires;
In British breasts, whilst Purity remains,
Whilst Liberty her blest abode retains,
Still shall the muse of History proclaim
To future ages thy immortal name.
And while fair Scotia weeps her favoured son,
By place corrupted and by power undone,
England with pride her upright patriot sees,
And Glory’s brightest wreath to him decrees.
FOOTNOTES:
[9] A list kept as a check on the Circulating Library account for the
years 1806 to 1811 inclusive, is a sufficient indication of this, the
number for one month alone totalling fifty-five volumes and
ranging through Fiction, Belles-Lettres, Travel and Biography.
[10] Impeached for malversation in his office as Treasurer of the
Navy. The trial lasted sixteen days. Whitbread led for the
Impeachers; Plumer—afterwards Master of the Rolls—ably
defended and secured his acquittal.
[11] Sir Samuel Romilly, Solicitor-General.
CHAPTER VII
THE TRIP TO NORTHUMBERLAND
With a proper and increasing pride in his clever daughter, the Doctor
now conceived the idea of taking her with him on an extended trip
into Northumberland, thereby affording her some acquaintance with
the scenes amidst which his family had lived for generations, a trip
which would serve the double purpose of impressing the girl with a
sense of the importance of her ancestors and present relations and
of introducing her to the latter who, although they must have heard of
her, had never yet seen her.
The journey was begun on Saturday, September 20, 1806, the first
stage, that from Reading to London being by coach. From London
they travelled in the carriage of Nathaniel Ogle, who personally
conducted them to his own place in Northumberland, from which
they were to make their various excursions in the district. Mrs.
Mitford did not accompany them, but was kept well informed, as
usual, by her daughter.
The first letter is dated from Royston, September 21: “We had a
very long interval between the parting from my most beloved darling
and the leaving Reading. The coach was completely full; and it was
fortunate papa had secured a place on the box, where he continued
during the whole journey. The company in the inside had the merit of
being tolerably quiet; and I do not remember any conversation which
lasted longer than a minute. I, certainly, ought not to complain of
their silence, as I was more than equally taciturn, and scarcely spoke
during the whole way. I was quite low-spirited, but never less
fatigued by travelling. Both Mr. Joy and Dr. Valpy[12] met us before we
left Reading, and M. St. Quintin and Victoire met us at the Bath
Hotel. As soon as Victoire left me, I retired to bed, under the idea of
pursuing our journey early in the morning. It was, however, half-past
ten before Mr. Ogle got up, and we did not leave town till twelve. We
employed the interval in going to the bookseller’s for a Cobbett, and
bought a Cary’s Itinerary, an edition of Peter Pindar, and a few plays.
The Edition of P. P. which we bought cheap, remains in town; but the
others are our travelling companions. We went by Enfield to see
Mary Ogle, and finding them at dinner we dined at Mrs. Cameron’s;
we then changed horses at Waltham Cross; again at Wade’s Mill;
and are just arrived here, where we sleep to-night. Mr. Ogle is
extremely pleasant, and the carriage very convenient. We went the
two first stages on the box of the barouche. I need not tell you, my
dearest darling, that we felt nothing so much as the loss of your
society; and I have wished myself at home fifty times in the last
twenty-four hours, to be again with my dear mamma.”
Apart from the interest which, in these days, is always attached to
an old-time account of stage-travel the letter is interesting by reason
of the variety of literature purchased for perusal on the journey. The
Cobbett referred to would probably be Cobbett’s Political Register
(then being issued in parts), and intended for the Doctor’s personal
reading; he being not only an admirer but an intimate friend of the
outspoken reformer. Cary’s Itinerary was, of course, the well-known
road-book and constant companion of all who travelled in stage-
coach days; though why Miss Mitford was not content with her
dainty, green-leather-covered copy of Bowles’ Post-Chaise
Companion in two vols.—now a valued possession of the author’s—
is difficult to understand, unless it was overlooked in the hurry and
excitement of departure. Peter Pindar’s Works, then just completed
in five vols., would be a valuable addition to the library at home, but
the purchase of the plays is significant, proving the influence which
Fanny Rowden had exercised on the mind of her pupil, inculcating a
taste for the Drama which was to be of lasting importance.
The next letter is written from Little Harle Tower—a small place
about fourteen miles from Morpeth—and is dated Sunday Evening,
September 28.—
“I arrived here with Lady Charles,[13] about two hours since, my
dearest mamma; and I find from papa that in his letter to you to-night
he never mentioned that the irregularity of the post, which never
goes oftener than three times a week from hence, will prevent our
writing again till Wednesday, when we go to Sir William Lorraine’s,
and hope to get a frank from Colonel Beaumont, whom we are to
meet there. It is only by Lord Charles going unexpectedly to Morpeth
that I am able to write this, merely to beg you not to be alarmed at
not hearing oftener. I imagine papa has told you all our plans, which
are extremely pleasant. Lord and Lady Charles stay longer in the
country on purpose to receive us, and have put off their visit to
Alnwick Castle that they may take me there, as well as to Lord
Grey’s, Colonel Beaumont’s, and half a dozen other places.”
The reference in this letter to a “frank” is one which frequently
occurs in Miss Mitford’s correspondence. It was, as Sir Rowland Hill
once said, an “expedient for saving postage”—“discreditable shifts”
another writer called them. In the days before the institution of Penny
Postage—an event which put an end to “franking”—Members
of Parliament enjoyed the privilege of having their letters delivered
and despatched free of charge. To secure this, members had merely
to write their names on the covers to ensure free passage through
the post, and frequently furnished their friends with packets of franks
which were placed aside for use as occasion required. This latter
expedient was, of course, a flagrant abuse of the privilege, and in
one year it was computed that, had postage been paid on the
franked correspondence, the revenue would have been increased by
£170,000! In an endeavour to check this abuse it was enacted that
the whole superscription must be in the handwriting of the Member,
and that the frank was only available on the date (which it was
necessary to name) which was on the cover. While the regulation
certainly diminished the quantity of franking it did not put an end to
the use of the privilege by other than Members, to whom it became
the custom to despatch an accumulated batch of letters, intended for
a number of people, with explicit instructions as to their destinations.
The annoyance caused to Members, and the general confusion
which sometimes resulted from this practice, may be better imagined
than described. Miss Mitford herself gives us an amusing account of
the troubles and trials of those who both used and abused the
franking privilege, in her sketch on “The Absent Member,” in Belford
Regis.
In the next letter which Miss Mitford wrote we have a record of
some amusing table-talk, essentially feminine in character and
which, undoubtedly, greatly impressed the observant young person
who overheard it. It is addressed still from Little Harle Tower, dated
October 3, and after a short description of the scenery, and the mud
—which caused her to beg to be excused from such excursions in
the future—she relates an account of a dinner at Sir William
Lorraine’s at which Colonel and Mrs. Beaumont were of the party.—
“Mrs. B. was so polite as to express great regret that, as she was
going from home, she could not see us at her house, but hoped,
when next we came to Northumberland, we should come to see
them at Hexham Abbey. She is a very sweet woman.... Mrs. B. told
Lady Charles that they received last year a hundred thousand
pounds from their lead mines in Yorkshire; and they never make less
than eighty thousand, independent of immense incomes from their
other estates. Mrs. B. was dressed in a lavender-coloured satin, with
Mechlin lace, long sleeves, and a most beautiful Mechlin veil. The
necklace she wore was purchased by her eldest son, a boy of
eleven, who sent it from the jeweller’s without asking the price. It is
of most beautiful amethysts; the three middle stones are an inch and
a half long and an inch wide; the price was nine hundred guineas.
Mrs. B. wished to return it; but the Colonel not only confirmed the
purchase, but gave his son some thousands to complete the set of
amethysts by a bandeau and tiara, a cestus for the waist, armlets,
bracelets, brooches, sleeve-clasps, and shoe-knots. All these she
wore, and I must confess, for a small dinner-party appeared rather
too gaily decorated, particularly as Lady Lorraine’s dress was quite
in the contrary extreme. I never saw so strong a contrast ... Colonel
Beaumont is generally supposed to be extremely weak, but I sat next
him at dinner, and he conducted himself with infinite propriety and
great attention and politeness; yet when away from Mrs. Beaumont,
he is (they say) quite foolish, and owes everything to her influence.”
Added to this cryptic description—cryptic because, read it how we
will, we cannot be sure that there is not a subtle touch of sarcasm in
the words—is a shrewd observation on another visitor whom she
calls Mr. M.
“I told you I was not enamoured of Mr. M., and I will now describe
him to you.... He is an oddity from affectation; and, I often think, no
young man affects singularity when he can distinguish himself by
anything better. He affects to despise women, yet treats them with
great respect; and he makes the most extraordinary exertions to
provoke an argument, from which he generally escapes by some
whimsical phrase.”
The letter concludes with a long list of festivities which are to take
place in honour of her visit. Following on these, they journeyed to
Kirkley, Mr. Ogle’s seat, whither it was originally intended they should
travel direct but were deterred from so doing by the hospitality
offered en route. As a matter of fact their stay at Kirkley was a short
one, due to the same cause which had prevented their earlier arrival.
The only letter addressed from Kirkley is dated Wednesday
morning, October 8:—
“We arrived here on Monday at about three o’clock; received with
great glee by the Squire, and, after taking a short walk in the garden,
returned to dress. We had some time to wait for Lord and Lady
Charles, who did not arrive before half-past five or near six, and
even then undressed. They had been detained by the axle-tree
breaking down, and the detestable roads. Without their waiting to
dress, we immediately sat down to dinner and spent a most
delightful day. In the evening we found a manuscript play which had
been sent last year for Mr. Sheridan’s perusal.[14] It is taken from a
very striking story in the Canterbury Tales, of which I have forgotten
the title.... I read it aloud to the ladies, and the gentlemen played
billiards, and occasionally visited us. The play, which bears the name
of ‘Sigendorf,’ is really extremely interesting, and much better, as to
language, than most modern productions. Sheridan had never
looked at it, and Mr. Ogle lent it to Lady Charles.
“Yesterday morning, after a long walk, Lord and Lady C. left us.
We had an excellent dinner, and amused ourselves in the evening
with the ‘Liber Veritatis,’ which is, as you may remember, a very
expensive collection of two hundred of Claude Lorraine’s sketches,
published by Boydell.
“We are going in about an hour to Little Harle ... for Mr. Ogle and
papa remain here together. We go to-morrow to Alnwick and return
the same night. To-morrow is expected to be a very full day at the
Castle, on account of the Sessions Ball. The ladies—the married
ones I mean—go in Court dresses, without hoops, and display their
diamonds and finery on the occasion.
“Mr. Ogle is quite a man of gallantry and makes his house
extremely pleasant. We talk of coming to see him again next week,
when my cousin Mary and I are left to keep house alone at Morpeth,
and my uncle and aunt go to Little Harle Tower.”
From Morpeth, on October 11, was despatched a very long letter,
too long indeed for quotation in full, but from which we must give a
few extracts. It begins:—
“In papa’s letter of yesterday, my dearest darling mamma, he
promised that I would write you a long one to-day, and I certainly
owe you one in return for the very entertaining epistle I received
yesterday. After we left Kirkley, we called at Belsay, and saw Lady
Monck and the little Atticus, who was born at Athens fifteen months
since. He is a very fine boy, very like Sir Charles. Belsay is a very old
castle, and its eccentric possessor has done all he possibly could
desire to render it still more outré by stopping up the proper road,
and obliging us to approach this fine specimen of Gothic architecture
through the farm-yard. We arrived at Little Harle to dinner; and you
would have been greatly amused at my having my hair cut by Lord
Charles’s friseur, who is by occupation a joiner, and actually
attended with an apron covered with glue, and a rule in his hand
instead of scissors. He, however, performed his office so much to my
satisfaction, that I appointed him to dress my hair the next morning
for my visit to Alnwick. While I was thus employed, Lady Swinburne
called on purpose to see me. Lady Charles said I was out walking.
She is, you know, niece to the Duke of Northumberland, and I
regretted not seeing her.

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Storytelling and Market Research A

Practical User Guide 1st Edition C.

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The ability to create an elegant and compelling evidence-based story is a

Once upon a time I worked with Fred John. He is a veteran marketing

In my experience, learning by doing is not enough. But a sound theoreti-

We market researchers are always passionate about our material; some-

This is a book written by a consummate insights professional and story-

A Practical User Guide

Preface and Acknowledgments x

1 The Fundamental Power of Story 8

2 The Immediate and the Essential 28

3 Tales Clients Tell 53

4 The Written Report as Narrative 62

5 A Radically New Approach to the Presentation 92

6 Humanizing the Presentation 115

7 Recasting the Narrative as an Imaginary Tale 132

8 The Story of a Company or Brand 155

9 Continuous Learning 168

Appendix: “Landscape and Narrative”

I wish to thank Jeffrey Polevoy, my supervisor at MasterCard, who

• These might include a humorous incident at work, a detailed

Getting Down to Business

• Workshops, podcasts, and other forms of tutorials have sprouted up

1. Story as novelty. This refers to the latest news or development. It can

necessarily mean the final or most profound outcome of a study, or

• While the narrative is constructed to provide knowledge and insight,

Motivations Fueling Demand

• In many situations, he or she will simply rely on a summary of key

• Or the client will engage a management consultant or other

Identifying Critical Learning

• To be relevant to the business owner, this learning usually needs to

• A solid understanding of the background of the inquiry

Our Historical Baggage

• In an academic investigation, the learning is the final product, to be

• The impact of faulty information, flimsy conclusions, or weak risk

• This is where making sense of what we have learned requires a broad

The Need to Evolve

• Objectivity should never be sacrificed.

Your business owner needs to make a decision. Whenever possible, you

A Deliverable That Compels

• Conclusions, implications, and recommendations, usually found at

Laundry List of Fatal Flaws

1. They are too complete.

• Research reports and presentations still tend to evoke the output of

• Wherever possible, I have provided examples from various research

The Fundamental Power of

In order to harness the power of storytelling in your own work, you

1. Its pervasiveness in our lives and in all forms of art

The Ubiquity of Story

in persuasion—again, often citing “real-life” (or modified or totally

The Compulsion to Explain

In addition, case studies are standard fare in law, business, economics,