Storytelling in the Digital Age: How it's done

Dubai - No matter how digital-savvy you are, there is still a need for those who can deliver quality journalism

"How are we going to make this digital?"
It's a conversation heard today in any marketing meeting or planning session between a client and their agency across the region.
But is there a growing danger that we start focusing too much on the medium - and even forget the message?
Why do I say that? Because of a firm belief that at the heart of any great and effective PR communications campaign is great storytelling. When you have an amazing story to tell, it makes it so much easier when you can have what I like to describe as "compelling conversations" between our clients and their many and varied audiences.
Yes digital is important and increasingly so. But a Facebook Live event, YouTube video, Twitter post or Instagram image is ultimately only as good as the story they are telling.
However beautifully executed or presented, we must never lose sight of the fact that what really grabs and motivates people to act is a great idea or new innovative concept.
Content matters and we forget that at our peril. Clearly, there are now more ways than ever before of delivering that content - but without a clearly defined purpose and objective that is strongly allied to a highly focused message, it is in danger of just being so much noise in cyberspace.
However it is clear that the digital age has transformed the way that the modern PR business operates. The conversations we have on behalf of our clients, and the stories we tell to deliver our messages, are today more visually engaging and diverse in their delivery than ever before.
For some of our clients, we have exclusively used partnerships with social media influencers. For others it is the development of high impact videos to promote campaigns and foster engagement with their audience and wider stakeholders. And for others, the message will be delivered through highly focused social media content and ongoing community conversations.
So it means that traditional Press releases and media relations are now only a part - albeit still a very important part - of the modern communications tools we have at our disposal. But whatever the medium, it must always have a powerful and clearly defined message as its foundation. This could be evidence-based or research-led and we are increasingly seeing both agencies such as ours and brands across the region adopt this approach by commissioning independent surveys and opinion polls.
What about traditional newspapers? Does the arrival of the digital era signal the demise of newspapers and magazines that dominated the news agenda when I first arrived to work in the Gulf in 1998?
Clearly the print version of news is declining due to the growing number of easily accessible ones on the move - mobile-friendly current affairs and real-time updates.
However as someone who started their career as a newspaper journalist it is my view that the decline of good quality news reporting is overstated. While circulations are clearly declining and advertising spend is impacting print editions, good quality writing and journalism is not going to go away or go out of fashion.
We hear a lot about the era of the citizen journalist, the individual who is there with a smartphone at the centre of historic news events.
But let's be very clear: they are not journalists.
They are, however, witnesses and ones that can provide real-time photography and images as incidents happen. Just ask Oscar Munoz, the embattled chief executive officer of United Airlines, after images of a passenger dragged screaming from one of his aircraft went around the world.
The fact that nearly everyone carries a smartphone and a camera does mean that news organisations have more access to live footage and imagery than ever before.
But these are tools to help the journalist to tell the story - faster than ever before. However, these individuals cannot and never will replace good quality journalism and analysis.
Meanwhile, the news medium will move increasingly to online and digital.
Although traditionalists like me, and many of our clients as well, will still savour the impact of seeing a good story and their message spread across the pages of a newspaper or magazine.
There is also still a place for what we like to call the "Big Read". Something that is more than 140 characters long and looks in depth and in detail.
For a number of our clients we help develop in-depth opinion editorials that are widely read and have impact - something we will continue to recommend and implement.
It is essential that we do look beyond the surface of issues, events and the stories our clients have to tell and there will continue to be place for long-form content in the future.
Meanwhile, as the digital landscape continues to evolve and transform around us, and one thing is clear: the medium cannot and should not be allowed to ever overshadow the message and the need for compelling conversations.
The writer is managing director of BPG Cohn & Wolfe. Views expressed are his own and do not reflect the newspaper's policy.