Hi Laurence,
The recent deaths of two adolescents from rival elite clans in Verona have brought renewed attention to a longstanding intergenerational conflict. While the families have now issued symbolic gestures of reconciliation, the incident has raised broader questions about the social, political, and economic structures that sustained the feud for so long.
This conflict was maintained through rigid hierarchies, institutionalised family loyalty, and a system that limited individual agency in favour of preserving legacy and status. Attempts to challenge these norms, particularly by younger individuals, were constrained by the absence of mechanisms for negotiation or reform.
The situation has prompted reflection on how embedded power dynamics can perpetuate hostility across generations, with limited accountability until an irreversible outcome occurs.
Would you be interested in hearing more?
Never was a pitch more woe, than this one about Juliet and her Romeo.
In PR, we often default to the big-picture - trying to show how a story affects everyone, everywhere, all at once. But in doing so, we risk losing the very thing that makes people care.
Often, when something applies to everyone, what it really means is that in practice, it applies to no one. Emotion, experience, and relatability are what might make a reader pick up a paper or click on a link, when a bird’s eye view won’t.
The pitch above highlights a highly emotional story, one of the most famous in the world, but with no personal storytelling whatsoever; everything that is unique to Shakespeare’s story is wiped in the pitch, and with it, the very heart of what makes this story matter.
By stripping out the human detail, the intimacy of young love, the tension of secret meetings, the defiance, we’re left with a case study in conflict, not a tale of two teenagers caught in something far bigger than themselves.
Even the most iconic stories lose their impact when we lead with structure over sentiment
At its core, personal storytelling is about connecting on a human level. Audiences are naturally drawn to stories because they evoke empathy and emotional engagement, and personal stories can bring life to brand messages, transforming dry facts into narratives that inspire and move people (hopefully to read, listen... and buy).
Ultimately, personal storytelling is one of our most effective tools for reaching journalists, because their job is to connect with their audiences. Inundated by hundreds of pitches daily, many will be more receptive to stories that provide a personal angle – what does this mean for their audience? Your analysis of banking interest rates over the past 100 years might be the most thorough ever produced, but you're far more likely to grab attention by starting with the personal: how the financial reality of someone today compares to that of a person a century ago, for example. (I know, I know — I'm suddenly thinking of Romeo and Juliet, Italian bankers, Verona... But hey, it's the personal touch that grabs attention, right?)
For Romeo and Juliet, it’s not the feud itself that resonates, but the love that flourishes in the face of it, the tragic cost of societal constraints on individuals. It’s the personal story, the moments of connection, of conflict, of impossible choices, that has made this tale as famous as it is. So, if we were going to reword the pitch, maybe something more like:
Hi Laurence,
Raised in a world of animosity, where his wealthy Italian family despised Juliet’s, Romeo’s life changed the moment he first saw her. Their tragic deaths, unable to live without each other, brought an end to generations of hostility between the two families.
Romeo demonstrated his devotion through secret marriage, reckless actions, and ultimately, tragic suicide, proving his love was so intense it overrode all reason.
Even the Prince of Verona, Prince Escalus, has now condemned both families for allowing their feud two cause the death of these 14- and 13-year-olds. Lord Montague, Romeo’s father, and Lord Capulet, Juliet’s father, have erected monuments in honour of Romeo and Juliet, symbolising their newfound peace and remorse.
Would you be interested in speaking with Lord Montague, Romeo's father, about this tragic story?
When we bring these personal elements into our PR efforts, we create narratives that not only capture attention but also foster genuine connections.
Finding the Emotional Core
Every great story starts with an emotional truth - pivotal moments of struggle, transformation, discovery, etc. These experiences should anchor your narrative across all your activities:
- Pitches: Highlight a leader’s personal journey to spark interest. What does this complex topic mean for the average individual, who may have no prior knowledge of this?
- Op-Eds and Thought Leadership: Share experiences to make complex ideas more relatable. Why did you want to undertake this research?
- Interviews and Speaking: Personal anecdotes make discussions memorable. What moments in your earlier years set you on your current path or influenced your viewpoint?
- Social Media and Digital Campaigns: Share behind-the-scenes stories for deeper engagement, and lead with individuals, rather than projects, first.
As PR professionals, sometimes, but not always, we need to flip the lens: start with the human, and let the systems come into focus. When something seems universally relevant, it can often feel personally irrelevant. What resonates most with readers, and with journalists, is emotion, experience, and relatability.
So next time we pitch, maybe we don’t need to explain why a story matters to the world. Maybe we just need to show who it matters to — and let the audience figure the rest out.
.png?width=160&height=100&name=team%20photos%20(4).png)
Having studied at top institutions including Sciences Po, City University of Hong Kong, Oxford Brookes University, KIMEP University and having completed his Masters at the University of St Andrews, Alex’s insider knowledge means that he genuinely understands the inner workings of universities and higher education institutions. Alex has won awards for his academic writing and is fluent in both English and French, and proficient in Spanish.
