Jeremy Bertrand Web and Social Manager

WSDOT

Visual Storytelling

Olympia, WA

November 2012

• …in fact, fiction seems to be more effective at changing beliefs than writing that is specifically designed to persuade through argument and evidence

• When we read dry, factual arguments, we read with our dukes up. We are critical and skeptical. But when we are absorbed in a story we drop our intellectual guard. We are moved emotionally and this seems to leave us defenseless.

• http://www.fastcocreate.com/1680581/why-storytelling-is-the-ultimate-weapon

The “golden age” of storytelling

Ice Closes Tacoma Narrows Bridge

3

Photos

Fish on 101

Tunnel Boring Machine

9

Infographics

Why haven’t you created one yet?

51%

10%

15%

10%

22%

48%

41%

40%

55%

40%

33%

44%

2%

29%

21%

40%

31%

6%

4%

15%

9%

10%

14%

1%

1%

10%

The Seattle Times (n=150)

Office of Seattle Mayor McGinn (n=48)

Seattle Police Dept. (n=47)

Seattle Fire Dept. (n=30)

Washington State Patrol (n=36)

Washington Dept. of Transportation (n=90)

Usefulness of Institutions’ Feeds

Very useful Somewhat useful Neither Somewhat useless Very useless

Seattle Times Trustworthiness study

• Tell your next story in 100 words or less

Your challenge

Questions or comments?