storytellers

Co-publish with us on Instagram

2 min read

Updated: Dec 1, 2024

Every few weeks, we release stories designed to get co-published as collaborator posts on Instagram. Each story is thoughtfully created, researched, and produced, giving original content designed specifically for Instagram. When you co-publish these stories as a collaborator with us on Instagram, these original stories appear on your profile while connecting your channel to new circles by pooling audiences. As a collaborator, you can also contribute appropriate images or videos of your business or personal brand to the story. It's a great way to access original stories that contribute lifestyle and wider idea-based narratives into your feed.

FAQs

How does this work?

Collaborator posts on Instagram allow adding up to four people to co-publish a story together. A story published this way appears on the Instagram feed of every collaborator. When you browse our story releases, if there’s a story you’d like to co-publish with us on Instagram as a collaborator, just email us at hello@publicworks.store or WhatsApp +94 777 647 096. We’ll get in touch with the details to make it happen.

How are co-publishing stories priced?

Co-publishing prices for 2024 are as follows;

Shared collaborator: LKRs. 4,500

Sole collaborator: LKRs. 8,000.

What is a sole collaborator and a group collaborator?

A group collaborator is when you collaborate with a group of up to four more people who will be added as collaborators to the same story. This is great because the story you purchased to co-publish with everyone else will appear in all their feeds, introducing your account to new circles. A sole collaborator is when you pay extra and become the only collaborator to co-publish the story; this gives you room to supplement the story with more images/videos from your personal brand or business and have a higher degree of customizability.

Can collaborators add to the story?

Collaborators can submit photos, videos, and hashtags that align with their business or personal brand, to supplement the story. Of course, the images or videos you submit must bear relevance to the story. If you submit images or videos to supplement a story this way, appropriate credits will be added to the caption, tagging your handle.

Why collaborate for stories?

We started offering the option to purchase our original stories as collaborator posts so that more people can share great content at an affordable rate. It also allows everyone to pool community resources and engage with wider circles.

What kind of images or videos can collaborators submit?

Relevant, within Instagram guidelines (under 60-second videos in MP4 format), and with clear usage rights for the content.

What can’t collaborators control?

Who the other collaborators are (unless you’ve snagged the sole collaborator spot😌), what videos or images other collaborators submit, the order and exact cropping of images and videos, and how many out of the images or videos you submitted will be chosen for the post if you submit more than one.

Got more questions? Just ask us. Email us at hello@publicworks.store or WhatsApp +94 777 647 096 to sign up for co-publishing one or more stories. Currently, Instagram only allows adding 4 collaborators per story; we follow a first come, first served basis.

The method behind the magic

7 min read

Updated: Mar 27, 2024

Image: Nikola Tesla circa 1899

Whenever people say that our ability to design stories with the exact voice for their brand is uncanny, or amazing, we always tell them that it’s nothing magical; but a very rational process of mining the right information from the client and using it in our creative process.

The first step of this process is the questionnaire that we share with our clients; it serves as the cornerstone of our story design process. It’s designed to extract key insights about your brand, values, and other ideas that help us capture the authentic story of your company or personal journey. So, this questionnaire is more than just a series of inquiries—it's essentially the series of dots that we will connect into an articulation framework for your business; a blueprint that enables you to make decisions, brief creatives, and communicate what’s at the heart of your business to your staff. In this blog post, we'll address the frequently asked questions surrounding our questionnaire, offering clarity on how your responses can be formulated to best inform our story design process.

* Please note that the explanations given here are for selected questions only; we’ve chosen to give explanations to these questions because more people have needed help with them. If you’re a client who needs more explanations or wants a better understanding of a question not listed here, reach out to us. We’ll get on a call to make sure you get all the answers you need. We highly recommend listening to this video walkthrough while you attempt the questionnaire. It gives a step-by-step explanation of each question and can help you complete the questionnaire with greater accuracy.

Question 4

In question 4, we ask about any specific needs, problems, or wants that must be taken into account in our design process; usually, the answer to this question would be a set of words, colours, or ideas that you want to steer clear of for important reasons; or a market context that you want to make special reference to. For example, a consultant who commissioned us wanted to steer clear of the word ‘design’ because it had a strong association with a set of services she did not offer and did not want to get inquiries for.

Question 5

Question 5 is to get you to consider how the articulation framework will be used. If your primary focus is on driving creative decisions when speaking to consumers, you should emphasize how the framework will inform your marketing and promotional strategies.

On the other hand, if your priority is to share your work culture, values, and onboard new teams or inform existing teams, focus on how the framework will serve as a foundational tool for internal communication and alignment. Then the framework will be somewhat tailored to help you integrate it into onboarding processes, employee training programs, and internal communications to foster a sense of belonging and unity among team members.

Question 6

When answering question 6, whether your business takes a group-led or individual-led approach in your business story, consider if your business is best represented by the collective efforts of a group or by an individual founder or leader who closely directs others and makes most of the key decisions. Determine which approach resonates most authentically with your way of working.

Question 7

In question 7, we ask you to associate a fictitious age with your brand persona; and this has nothing to do with how long your business has been in operation. Here’s why. A brand’s age has to do with shaping how it’s perceived by your target market. Although hardly ever explicitly mentioned in stories, a brand’s age can be hinted at in its visual presence or vocabulary.

Consider how these age groups are generally perceived. Envisioning your brand as young can convey a sense of freshness, innovation, and forward-thinking. This youthful persona may appeal to younger demographics seeking products or services that are modern, cutting-edge, and disruptive. On the other hand, positioning your brand as middle-aged suggests a level of maturity, reliability, and experience. This persona may resonate with consumers who value stability, trustworthiness, and a track record of success. Portraying your brand as a senior evokes notions of tradition, heritage, and legacy. This venerable persona can instil confidence and trust in consumers who prioritize longevity, heritage and established credibility. Lastly, embracing an ageless persona transcends temporal boundaries and emphasizes timeless values and universal appeal. This approach resonates with consumers seeking products or services that are enduring, adaptable, and relevant across generations.

When answering the question of how old your brand considers itself to be, it's crucial to align the fictitious age with the desired perception you wish to convey to your target market. Consider the demographics, values, preferences, and aspirations of your audience, and choose an age that best reflects the identity and positioning you want for your brand.

Question 8

When considering the gender of your brand persona, it's important to recognize the impact this decision can have on shaping the perception of your brand and its appeal. Associating a gender with your brand persona can serve as a powerful tool for conveying specific traits, values, and characteristics that resonate with your intended audience.

For instance, envisioning your brand persona as feminine can evoke qualities such as nurturing, empathy, and creativity. This persona may appeal to consumers who prioritize emotional connections, authenticity, and inclusivity in their interactions with brands. Positioning your brand persona as masculine suggests attributes such as strength, leadership, and assertiveness. This persona may resonate with consumers who value qualities like reliability, confidence, and ambition in the brands they choose to engage with. Alternatively, embracing a non-binary persona challenges traditional gender norms and fosters a sense of fluidity, diversity, and acceptance. This persona can appeal to consumers who prioritize equality, openness, and representation in their brand interactions.

It's important to note that when considering whether a brand persona is feminine, masculine, or non-binary, we're not necessarily referring to traditional notions of male, female, or LGBTQ identities. Instead, we're associating these terms with energies, traits, and tendencies that can transcend gender boundaries and apply to individuals of all genders.

By understanding these distinctions, brands can leverage the concepts of feminine, masculine, and non-binary energies to communicate specific values, characteristics, and emotions that resonate with their target audience, regardless of their gender identity. This approach fosters a more inclusive and nuanced understanding of brand personas, allowing for greater flexibility and authenticity in brand representation.

Question 13

When answering the question about what your brand sounds like when speaking, reflect on the preferences and characteristics of your ideal target audience. Determine whether they are more responsive to communications that sound local and familiar or if they prefer a more global and cosmopolitan tone. Understanding your audience's cultural context and linguistic preferences is crucial in shaping your brand's voice. Consider your business’ origins and how important that is to your story. Evaluate whether your brand's voice should reflect the speech and language of a particular region or culture. Consider whether aligning with regional dialects, colloquialisms, and cultural nuances will enhance your brand's authenticity. Is your business rooted in a specific community or culture?

Or does it have a more cosmopolitan and globally-minded perspective? Assess the potential impact of adopting a more universal and culturally neutral tone on your brand's global appeal.

This tone of voice must be managed consistently whether it’s in advertising campaigns, social media posts, customer service interactions, or written content. Maintaining a cohesive and unified voice across channels is a must.

Question 28

This question prompts you to think about the type of consumer with their purchasing decision-making methods. When creating stories and visual language, a brand must pay close attention to the type of consumer they are targeting because different types have unique behaviours, preferences, and motivations that shape their purchasing decisions.

For instance, the Bargain Shopper is primarily driven by discounts and deals, seeking value for their money. In brand stories and visual language, emphasizing cost savings, special offers, and price competitiveness can effectively resonate with this audience segment.

The Researcher, on the other hand, values information and seeks thorough research before making a purchase. Providing detailed product information, customer reviews, and comparisons in brand stories and visual content can help build trust and credibility with this audience.

For the Impulse Buyer, who makes spontaneous purchasing decisions, leveraging eye-catching visuals, limited-time offers, and persuasive storytelling can create a sense of urgency and drive immediate action.

The Negotiator appreciates flexibility and seeks opportunities for customization or personalized offers. Tailoring brand stories and visual language to highlight customizable options, flexible payment terms, and personalized recommendations can appeal to this audience segment.

The Loyalist values brand trust, consistency, and reliability. Reinforcing brand identity, values, and past experiences through consistent brand stories and visual elements can foster loyalty and strengthen the emotional connection with this audience.

Lastly, the consumer on a mission seeks efficiency and convenience, with a singular objective of completing the purchase quickly. Streamlining the buying process, providing clear navigation paths, and minimizing distractions in brand stories and visual language can cater to this audience's need for speed and simplicity.

Understanding the nuances of each consumer type allows us to tailor their brand stories and visual language effectively, resonating with their target audience's preferences, behaviours, and motivations. Consider this when you’re answering this question.

Question 34

This is one of the questions often elaborated by our clients; however, the point here is to be as succinct as possible, narrowing down on what exactly it is that you do. This question is to identify how to refer to your work or business. For example, ‘a clothing store’, or a ‘financial intelligence consultant’. Of course, there is room to bring in a specialized aspect of your business here; for example, an ‘abstract painting artist’. When a business identifies what it does, it helps customers understand its purpose, offer, and what to expect. This is important for brand stories and visual language; this clear identification should be reflected in messaging, visuals, and branding elements to ensure consistency and coherence.

For example, if the brand is a digital marketing agency, it should clearly convey its services, such as "digital marketing solutions," "online advertising," or "social media management”.

This is a question that requires a somewhat short answer, which is why we encourage clients to try and explain their work as succinctly as possible, in approximately 3 words.

* Got a question that we didn’t cover here? Don't hesitate to reach out to us. We're more than happy to schedule a call and help you complete this questionnaire. We highly recommend listening to this video walkthrough, while you attempt the questionnaire. It will save you time and help you record accurate answers that best reflect your business.

The truth will set you free; guide to the Sage archetype

8 min read

The defining power of the Sage is intelligence. The Sage explores the world and themselves through information, knowledge, and understanding. Their core motivation is truth. In stories, the Sage is often portrayed as a wise mentor or guide, offering profound wisdom and guidance.

They say information is power, but when you’re a savant of truth you know that information without knowledge only leads to the paralysis of indecision. They say knowledge is wealth, but when you’re a savant of truth you know that it means nothing without the understanding to apply it to life’s complexities. Understanding is the key to opening any door, but when you’re a savant of truth you know that even understanding only gets you so far. Without truth, you have no compass. Without truth, you have no reason. Truth is supreme. Truth, alone, will set you free.

Central to the Sage archetype is the practice of introspection and observation. Sages are known for their contemplative nature, spending time to analyze and understand matters whether it’s work, life or spirituality. Through this tendency to dissect everything, those channeling Sage archetype are never short of insights. The Sage archetype is not limited by age or gender; it resonates with any entity that has a reservoir of know-how and insight from their analyses, observations and research. Whether through scholarly pursuits, spiritual practices, or life experience, those embodying the Sage archetype are revered for their breadth in knowledge, thorough understanding in their field of expertise and the ability to simplify complexities.

The Sage is one of the twelve archetypes of the universally recognized patterns of the human psyche as theorized by Carl Jung— the Swiss psychiatrist and founder of analytical psychology. We use them in our story design process. We created a more detailed guide to understand archetypes as a story design tool; it’s recommended as a supporting read to understand why Jungian archetypes provide a great framework to typify business personas in story design.

In this short guide focusing on the Sage archetype, we cover:

Businesses channelling the Sage
Sage stories
Is the Sage always old?

Businesses channeling the Sage

When the Sage is channelled by a business, it embodies qualities like wisdom and knowledge as well as being a voice of ethics connected to their work. Sage businesses also demonstrate a sense of authority that is quite different to that of the Ruler archetype; the authority of the Sage is intellectual and comes through demonstrating deep knowledge, expertise, and a commitment to sharing valuable insights with its consumers. Whether it's through thought leadership content, educational resources, or advisory services, Sage businesses establish themselves as trusted sources of wisdom, insight, and guidance, offering valuable perspectives and solutions to its consumers to help them make informed decisions.

Once, we helped a Colombo based financial securities group with a dominant Sage archetype to communicate their brand story within their corporate space. Ideas like the difference between knowledge and understanding and the importance of digging deeper in search of truth were central to this brand story told through space.

With truth being a core persuasion of the Sage, integrity and ethics are fundamental principles for a business channelling this archetype. Sage businesses operates with honesty, transparency, and a commitment to ethical business practices; they value integrity over expedience, prioritizing long-term relationships and trust-building. By upholding high moral standards, the Sage businesses tend to cultivate a reputation for reliability, credibility, and authenticity.

Providing guidance is natural to the Sage. We’ve often noticed Sage archetype brands offering guides, mentorship programs, coaching workshops, or personalized consultations to their audiences.

In our own business, the Sage is the second most dominant archetype after the Creator. The Sage archetype comes into play in our love for rationalising the creative process through a methodology and our insistence on creating frameworks to start all projects (to the point our clients joke about it). We also practice 100% transparency in our fees and costings; We share a complete breakdown of each and every task required to complete an order. This comes as part of our costing process; it is discussed with prospective clients before activating work. In the spirit of full transparency, we share the time it takes to complete each task and respective our profit margins. We are open to alternative forms of payment, such as barter, and digital currency with long-term clients. See the Public Works brand articulation framework that unpacks how this archetype is channeled in our business.

Some businesses naturally channel the Sage archetype; like educational institutions and online learning platforms focused on imparting knowledge and wisdom, such as universities, training academies, and e-learning platforms. Consulting firms and advisory services that provide expert guidance and strategic insights to businesses and individuals also embody the Sage archetype, offering solutions based on expertise and wisdom. Similarly, healthcare providers and wellness centers that prioritize holistic well-being and offer evidence-based treatments and advice resonate with the Sage archetype, as they aim to empower individuals with knowledge to make informed decisions about their health. Additionally, publishing houses, libraries, and media outlets that curate and disseminate information, literature, and thought-provoking content embody the Sage archetype by serving as repositories of knowledge. Spiritual organizations, meditation centers, and life coaching services that facilitate inner reflection, personal growth, and spiritual enlightenment also naturally align with the Sage archetype, guiding individuals on their journey toward self-discovery and drawing inner insights.

1901, Jiddu Krishnamurti. Public Domain. This childhood image of philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti is a great representation of the youthful Sage. Despite the obvious innocence, a mind of deep introspection is evident in the thoughtful eyes of young Krishnamurti. Further into this guide, we tackle the question of whether the Sage is always old.

When we worked with a new school entering the Sri Lankan education market with a Sage archetype in its persona mix, we found it a natural channel for the broad spectrum of knowledge the college aimed to offer its students. The Sage archetype was a key determiner of the name, strapline and brand statement that we created for this school because its unusual learning culture and far-reaching education were the most powerful USPs of the brand. We created a brand name that hinted at the spark of intellectual curiosity that drives the Sage while the strapline and brand statement were designed to give a more serious view into the breadth and depth of the learning experience at the college.

Sage stories

One of the most popular story types associated with the Sage, particularly in the context of a business embodying this archetype, is the ‘journey towards understanding,’ story arc. This narrative follows the trajectory of a business on a quest for wisdom, knowledge, and discovery. In this story, the business could be the seeker of the story or the mentor offering guidance to its audience.

Thought leadership is another popular and effective Sage story type; these stories help to reveal the trailblazing and visionary aspect of the Sage through groundbreaking perspectives that shape the future of their field. These stories showcase the Sage's expertise, foresight, and ability to anticipate trends and developments, inspiring others to embrace new paradigms and approaches. Narratives offering inspirational insights are great at building communities around a Sage brand. They help to uplift and motivate audiences, offering words of clarity, wisdom, and empowerment in the face of adversity. These stories draw upon the timeless wisdom of the Sage to provide guidance, comfort, and voice of reason and lucidity amidst uncertainty. Stories that delve into profound truths, those offering deep insight or unusual knowledge also favour the Sage archetype. These narratives allow the audience to see the understanding, thinking and know-how that underpins the Sage business. Good visual storytelling with on-point symbolism and semiotics are a must for Sage archetypes. When it comes to written stories, meticulous language and rich uses of literary devices like symbolism, allegory, and metaphor, lend to the Sage archetype’s affinity for reflection and contemplation, allowing audiences to appreciate the business’ intellect and thinking.

When we worked with a Colombo retailer channelling the Sage, we brought in the archetype’s wisdom to bring coherence to the chaos when COVID-19 shut down the world through a short and inspiring story offering clarity. We often leveraged the Sage’s ability to view things from unusual perspectives to bring out interesting facets of their products; like the allure of an all-black saree or finding parallels between Sri Lanka’s soil composition and the colour curation of a series of stoles.

When appropriate, we recommend some Sage businesses to include ‘How-to stories’ in their communication plans; these are stories that provide practical guidance and actionable advice with step-by-step instructions, tips, and strategies for achieving specific goals or overcoming obstacles, demystifying complex concepts and making them accessible to a broader audience. Whether it's mastering a new skill, navigating a difficult situation, or achieving personal growth, these stories serve as practical guides for success and help the Sage business build stronger ties with the audience.

Is the Sage always old?

We don’t think so. While the Sage is often depicted as an old, wizened figure and there are strong perceptions about this aided by pop culture, it’s an archetype with a relevance that extends beyond age and outward appearances. In our experience in making commercial stories, the Sage can also manifest in middle-aged or youthful, fresh, and intellectually vibrant personas. These younger Sages embody a contemporary understanding of wisdom, blending traditional knowledge with innovative insights and cutting-edge thinking. They harness the power of technology, social media, and digital platforms to disseminate knowledge, connect with audiences, and spark meaningful conversations.

Get a quick snapshot of how we visually interpreted the young Sage brand persona from these two pages drawn out from a wider brand guide.

A young Sage may lack the same depth of experience as the old, wizened Sage that we typically associate with this archetype; but the young Sage compensates with fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and a willingness to challenge conventional wisdom. They readily embrace new cultural trends, and emerging paradigms, infusing their teachings with a sense of youthful dynamism and relevance. Young Sage brands are more adaptable and open-minded, willing to experiment with new approaches, embrace uncertainty, and evolve with the times. They leverage their agility and flexibility to respond quickly to changing circumstances and address the evolving needs of their audience. Older Sages command respect and authority by their age, experience, and wisdom. They exude a sense of gravitas and credibility that comes from years of dedication to their craft. Young Sages, on the other hand, establish rapport and connection with their audience through relatability, authenticity, and shared experiences. They speak the language of their generation, leveraging social media, pop culture references, and informal communication styles to engage with younger audiences on their own terms. We’ve also noticed that young Sages often have a broader range of interests and a multidisciplinary approach to knowledge. They draw connections across diverse disciplines, synthesizing insights from various sources to provide holistic perspectives and innovative solutions to complex problems.

When we created a story for a talented young artist with a secondary Sage archetype, we highlighted the significance of his noesis to his art, particularly in highlighting how he draws inspiration from diverse disciplines like architecture. In this story, designed to communicate his artistic vision to museums, curators, buyers, and media, the Sage aspect of the persona complemented the Creator. In comparison, this story was designed for a senior artist with over forty years of experience in the art world to channel her secondary Sage archetype supporting the Creator; our approach was different.

Does your business leverage its knowledge, expertise, and work ethics? You may have a dominant Sage archetype. To find out how we can tell your commercial stories, get in touch.