A class of first-graders huddles together on a colorful rug, ready for the final reveal. Group by group, they each will have their turn. Their teacher, Dearing Blankmann of Murphey Traditional Academy in Greensboro, reviews the lesson. Her presence carries a balance of warmth, confidence and leadership. She garners the best kind of respect — she wants to hear your ideas and you want to dazzle her with your thinking.
With wide eyes and craned necks, the students look at the setup before them: two chairs between which suspends a golf ball on a bright, red thread. The first pair of students leaves the rug to stand in front of their classmates and put their creation — and their thinking — to the test.
In the middle of it all, Tigermoth Photography Director Chris English grabs his camera and gets down on the floor to shoot the lesson from the perspective of the students. His lens captures enthusiasm, wonder and collaboration — it’s the kind of classroom experience that we all want for our students.
The story above is from one of our favorite projects: Transform, the UNCG School of Education Magazine. In the fall of 2017, we launched the inaugural issue of Transform, and we have produced three more issues since then. Magazines are just the kind of work that we love here at Tigermoth for a few reasons:
One, they allow us to take a creative deep dive into your “why,” and by extension, the specific stories that come together to form your brand narrative. You have great people doing amazing things — that’s not just inspiring to you and to us, but to your audiences. When well produced, magazines take readers inside the heart of your mission and the people living it.
Two, when you share your magazine with your audiences, it shows that you take your people seriously enough to invest in the kind of storytelling that is worthy of their impact. Whether you are showcasing researchers or faculty members or students or donors, their story matters. Tigermoth understands how to capture it powerfully, authentically and with relevance.
Finally, magazines give us the opportunity to collaborate more comprehensively than almost any other project (websites notwithstanding). Chris finds the perfect angle. Andrea asks all the right questions and then crafts engaging narratives. Lyda weaves together words and images into a beautiful, seamless brand visual. And when we get a chance to tell your story in video, Dave uses his expertise to get to know the people in front of the camera and bring action to their stories. That’s our creative team, along with Rebecca and Shelley on the client and project management side always shepherding the storytelling process and looking for ways to showcase your brand narrative.
Curious about what a magazine might look like for your organization? Reach out and we’ll help you think through your story budget and overall creative approach.
Above: A few images from the UNC Greensboro School of Education magazine. Our storytelling work spans all print pieces — annual reports, websites, videos, speeches, brochures and campaign materials. With decades of experience leveraging storytelling to help you build awareness, affinity and engagement, we know how to elevate any marketing and communication strategy by putting your story and your “why” at the forefront.
Andrea Crossley Spencer is Co-founder and Director of Creative Writing at Tigermoth Creative. Her 20-year copywriting career spans advertising agencies and higher education, with a focus on brand messaging and fundraising. A fiction writer on the side, Andrea is represented by Copps Literary Services. She teaches writing workshops to young writers in local schools.