The power of bad: Turning bad news into transformative stories for business and brands

Grant Feller, Leanne Tomasevic

Global strategic consultancy Truth Consulting took a journalistic approach and highlighted bad news in its storytelling to grab more attention and appeal to certain emotions.

Abstract

What is the opposite of trauma? The actual word, trauma. Just because there isn't one doesn't mean that we don't feel good when good things happen. But they are moments that have a short-term effect. Just moments – and not always profound ones. Do we really remember the times we felt good more vividly than the moments where we struggled?

It's a question that goes to the heart of research and insight. Are we more likely to act on bad news or good? How can we frame that bad news so that it inspires rather than depresses, so that...

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