Contently Crosses The Pond

This post was written by Corey Cummins, Director of Enterprise Sales at Contently.

By the entrance of our New York City office, we have a big mural on the wall that reads: “Those who tell stories rule the world.”

The quotation has been attributed to both Plato and the Hopi Indians. But who said it really doesn’t matter. The fact that it’s attributed to two very different sources speaks to just how universal the idea is regardless of where someone lives. Want to get my attention? Tell me a good story. Ever since Contently launched, we’ve tried to lead the content marketing charge by telling smart stories with our own digital and print publications.

And recently, that charge led us across the Atlantic for our first London Salon.

The goal of the event was to give content marketers a chance to mingle with their peers, learn a thing or two from industry leaders, and hopefully bring some new ideas to their own work. In typical Contently style, we took over the Google London Campus to bring together an exclusive guest list that included top marketers from companies like Coca Cola, Baker Tilly, Eventbrite, Aberdeen Asset Management, and State Street Global Advisors. We started off the night with some canapés and wine to make sure everyone was relaxed and ready to listen as our CCO and co-founder Shane Snow told a brief, topical story about J.K. Rowling and the Queen of England.

It turns out Rowling has a higher trust rating than the Queen. Why? Because she’s a better storyteller. (Sorry, Elizabeth II, you still seem like a lovely person.) But the lesson for brands is that people and companies using storytelling to interact with their audiences see the greatest engagement. And when people trust you, they’re going to be more receptive to what you have to say.

After Shane spoke, we brought James Whiteman, investment communications manager at Aberdeen Asset Management, to the stage for a quick fireside chat. James has helped Aberdeen evolve over the past few years, improving the way the company engages with customers and prospects in the digital age. The main takeaway for the audience was to show that if a highly regulated financial institution can make a strong commitment to content in the digital age, then anyone has the ability to do so.

A couple laughs and a lot of learning marked our first foray into London. But we’re just getting our feet wet, so stay tuned for more info on when we’ll jump in.