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Why advocacy campaigns need stronger stories, not more talking points

September 3rd, 2026

When an advocacy campaign stalls, it’s tempting to just keep repeating yourself. Produce more social media content. Send more emails. Keep talking. Make more noise.But if your target audience didn’t act the first ten times they heard your message, hearing it an eleventh time probably won’t change their minds. True audi...

Why Stories from Rural Minnesota Matter

July 16th, 2026

By: Lynn Melling We recently had the privilege of partnering with The McKnight Foundation on a short film about my small hometown of Melrose, in Stearns County. We decided to call it “Great(er) Minnesota” because, as someone who grew up in “Greater Minnesota”, I’ve always had a chip on my shoulder about that identifier. It’s e...

Emotional Resonance is How People Understand What’s at Stake

May 6th, 2026

There is a tendency in business communication to treat emotion as decoration. Something added after the “real” message is figured out. But emotional resonance is not fluff. It is how people understand what matters. When a story creates an emotional connection, it does not distract from the message. It gives the message weight. It helps an...