See a photo of Nora, her bio, Part 1 of this Q&A, and Part 2.
Q&A with Nora Camps, Questions 4 and 5:
Q: What is it about this moment in human history and culture that makes storytelling so resonant with so many people right now?
A: People crave authentic pathways for reason, selection and understanding. As a fine artist, as a graphic artist and as a marketing strategist, I weighed and measured the most authentic methods of conveying truths, ideas, and passion, and I progressed quite naturally to storytelling that is subtly nuanced, imaginatively reported, richly textured and often married with rich, somewhat surprising imagery.
Q: Do you think the storytelling movement has peaked? To what extent
do you think “storytelling” has become an overused buzzword?
A: Let’s consider a new buzzword to measure story — grok — from the book Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein. Grok literally means “to drink,” but it is taken to mean “understanding” — wherein someone really gets inside an idea so completely that they have drunk it in and now it is part of them.
It is possible to have people, your people, the people you want and need, to grok your story and by extension, grok your brand. Story is a condition of brand; it is brand building, it finds a voice, projecting a sentiment, sharing deeply held beliefs and intention in a way that is far more powerful and lasting than a clever campaign. Leaders become oral storytellers, clients and suppliers become re-tellers, employees can put on the story like a super hero cape… The story gains momentum — it can leap tall buildings.