Giving a Storyteller a Visual Voice

There is a magic that happens when someone says, “I’m going to tell you a story.” We, as humans, are wired for a good story. We become immersed in it; we experience the information rather than consume it. Most importantly, people connect through stories. So, it makes sense that in some cultures, the age-old art of storytelling is valued more than any other skill.

Organizations also recognize the value of being able to articulate their story. When they need help doing so, they turn to experts like Mario Juarez. A former journalist and longtime corporate communications leader, Mario helps teams and individuals become better storytellers to elevate their businesses. Mario recently came to Electric Pen with a dilemma. His presentation, which he affectionately coined his Crappy Old Deck (COD), was dated and stagnant. It served him well, but it was time to up-level his most essential sales tool. His presentation, which needed to convey quality, innovation, and professionalism, was in desperate need of a WOW factor. Mario had been awarded a coveted speaking opportunity where he’d find himself in front of some high-profile, influential people. This could lead to future business, so he had to be nothing short of spectacular. He had one week to prepare.

Electric Pen designers were up for the task. We’ve created many high-stakes executive presentations for companies such as Microsoft, DocuSign, and VMware, under some pretty tight deadlines. Our designers first broke down Mario’s COD to its foundation. We kept the story framework but enhanced the pages with sophisticated visuals and engaging animation. We reworked the palette, typestyle, and content hierarchy. Mario’s new presentation was infused with color and movement and joy, with each element carrying a purpose. The deck came to life.

The deck needed to be flexible because Mario sometimes stands in front of two hundred people, and sometimes two. We redesigned the presentation to be in a template form, allowing Mario to easily align it to any audience while remaining branded and professional. A week later, we handed it over.

Mario hit it out of the park! His presentation was a tremendous success, and he was approached by some major players interested in working with him. The new deck showed off his best work and, as a result, boosted his confidence.

From our early days of childhood, our favorite tales are those entwined with how the story was told. Similar to the way dazzling illustrations can make a book sing, so can dynamic executive presentations. And all of a sudden, a story becomes unforgettable.

by Robyn Komachi, Marketing Specialist