See a photo of Megan, her bio, and Part 1 of this Q&A.
Q&A with Megan Sheldon, Questions 2 and 3:
Q: When did you see the connection between marketing and mythology?
A: Growing up, I was always suspicious of marketing; the last thing I
wanted to do was build brands that were inaccurate or deceitful. What I recognized in storytelling was the ability to embed many different experiences into a single story, allowing people from all walks of life to connect with a brand message. For me, branding is about listening and interpreting people’s experiences and finding the common threads that connect them back to a business. I always ask my clients “What do you want people to feel when they hear about your business?” Our day-to-day experiences with a business impact our decisions and ultimately determine the success of a company.
Q: Describe one of your favorite projects or initiatives.
A: When I worked in Ghana as a community engagement coordinator, I saw the power of story first hand with the young girls I worked with. While I was living there I was introduced to the work of Shannen O’Brian, a fellow Vancouverite who was working tirelessly in Northern Ghana to build a charity (Create Change) that sends young girls to high school and university and provides rural communities with access to clean water. I was immediately inspired and told Shannen about my vision for Narrative Communications. Shannen approached me last year and I worked with her to build the brand story for Create Change, which is being launched later this year, as well as the brand story for her new social enterprise Karma Exchange, a way for businesses to align themselves with charity while marketing their products to new audiences. Shannen brought four of the girls from Ghana to Vancouver this past November for a six-week documentary speaking tour (For Our Daughters), and I volunteered to be their story coach, helping them weave together their experiences into a powerful presentation. Working with Shannen on all three of these projects has proven to me that storytelling can be a powerful way to connect people to a cause and ultimately change people’s mindset.