The Right Stuff: How Stories Turn Data into Action

The post-holiday lull before the New Year is always a good time to binge a box-set or catch that must-see movie. Thrilling tales and adventures help me escape from the short days and cold nights. This year I got what I was hoping for. But I wasn’t expecting to see a TV show that would affect sweeping and swift changes to UK law.

If you’re not in the UK this news story may not be on your radar, so let me catch you up. From the late 1990s until the mid 2010s the UK Post Office saw a significant number of prosecutions of Sub-Postmasters (the people who run local Post Offices). These prosecutions and investigations were related to alleged fraud. Many of those accused maintained their innocence, claiming a new software system Horizon was to blame for the accounting errors. Some people went to prison, lost their homes and worse.

Since the prosecutions there have been investigations, and a number of Sub-Postmasters won a High Court battle to have their cases recognised. All this was covered in news bulletins and newspapers at the time. But the necessary changes to help these individuals clear their names, quash wrongful convictions, and provide compensation didn’t happen. That is until a recent TV dramatization of the events aired on a the ITV network in that post-holiday lull.

Within weeks of broadcast and streaming, there has been overwhelming pressure from the public on government to take action. New laws are being introduced, the miscarriage of justice is continually front page news, and it looks like those involved in the scandal will held accountable.

It’s fascinating, but what’s this got to do with market research?

What’s interesting to me is the information around this miscarriage of justice is not new. The data has been out there for decades. But it’s the human story that has moved the needle to bring about change. An emotive narrative, told in the right way to the right audience has expeditated change. Proof that the power a good story can deliver action.

Market researchers and data analysts need to be thinking beyond the data. If you want your clients to take action, particularly for those working inside organizations, then you need to harness the power of stories. Frame your findings with the right storytelling, for the right audience, and at the right time.

The right storytelling

The ITV drama (‘Mr Bates vs the Post Office’) made clear emotional connections by focusing on individual stories to illustrate the facts. There are nearly 1,000 cases that the scandal touches, but by focusing in on a small number of specific individuals to underline the data made the communication more impactful. Consider empathy as your guiding principle.

How can you help someone see the human impact of the data? The series also simplified the ideas behind the information so that they were easy to understand. How can you simplify your message to make sure it lands?

The right audience

The makers of this TV show knew who their audience were. While they didn’t make the show with the intention of bringing about change, they focused on giving a voice to those were being forgotten. By focusing on the everyday lives of individuals and the impact the situation had on them, the makers created a clear link to the people watching.

The audience recognised themselves in the characters, the way they spoke, the day-to-day challenges they faced, and the way they lived they lives. So, what’s your audience’s worldview? What language can you use to connect your data directly to the things that matter to your audience?

The right time

This four-part dramatization was broadcast when a significant number of people were able to give it their attention: the post-holiday lull. It made watching the story easy to commit to and more appealing. Can you time your communication better? Consider when your audience will be able to engage with it.

As research and data teams you’re increasingly expected to provide recommendations and insights. It’s not enough to deliver pages and page of data. Your audience will get lost in the detail. Your colleagues and clients need you to shape the narrative for them.

They want to be guided through the research findings with clear and emotive stories that illustrate the data simply and clearly. And they want you to connect to their needs with strong storytelling language that speaks to their worldview, told at a time and in a way that is most convenient to them. That’s how you get the most effective response.