Posted by AudioConexus on Wednesday, March 7, 2012,
In :
Storytelling
Amy Taylor, Lead Copywriter, Brains on Fire wrote an intriguing post titled "A Return to Real Life: The Future of WOM" for WOMMA (word of mouth marketing association).
In her post, Taylor writes "Reports indicate millions of Americans are logging offline for good. They’re putting down their smartphones, silencing their ringers and stepping away from their Twitter streams - in order to rejoin their real lives.
For years, brands have been putting their eggs in various online baskets. ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ange Berlin on Friday, February 3, 2012,
In :
Storytelling
One of the biggest challenges for sightseeing companies is communicating with their guests from around the world.
That’s what our multilingual GPS tour systems do. They play multiple tours in many different languages at the same time. This can be the same sightseeing tour in more than one language, or it can be completely different tours like an architectural tour and a historical tour for history buffs.
Each passenger simply chooses the channel they want to listen to. Any language... Continue reading ...
Posted by AudioConexus on Tuesday, January 10, 2012,
In :
Storytelling
Okay. Well maybe not Ted. But TED. Picture the world's best thinkers right in front of you, providing you with inspiring speeches, talks on innovation, global trends, technology, design and entertainment. By the time the first speaker has ended their presentation, you're revved up to be immersed in the next one.
At TED.com, their mission is spreading ideas. You'll find the best talks and performances on video (1000+) from their international conventions. Here you have access to leading think... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ange Berlin on Friday, December 23, 2011,
In :
Storytelling
Storytelling entertains passengers and visitors alike but you may be concerned with getting all the facts about your destination across to your audience?
This is a question that we’re often asked. How many facts do you want to share? What’s really important? Do you want your visitors to remember your tour and talk about it afterwards?
When you’re on a tour that provides a lot of facts, numbers, dates, names … like something you’re likely to see written in a history or guide book, w... Continue reading ...
Posted by Brad Alguire on Wednesday, December 7, 2011,
In :
Storytelling
This week we’re having a look at a commonly overlooked type of tour your business is probably missing out on: Audio Tours for Kids! While doing some background research for this article I found tours aimed at the family and youth markets are thriving.
Most tour operators have become so focused on adding Audio Tour hardware, or upgrading their vehicles and vessels with multilingual audio tour capability, they haven’t even considered accommodating this large portion of the tourism ... Continue reading ...
Posted by AudioConexus on Friday, November 4, 2011,
In :
Storytelling
We already have a script that our guides use. Can we just record it?
Our first question is - May we ask if it was written for the ear by a professional scriptwriter?
Why Professional Writers Make a Difference
You may not think a professional writer is required. But there are several good reasons to consider one. Pro audio writers write for the ear, and they take into consideration sound and music when they’re creating audio tour experiences.
Additionally, writers take all the information you c... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ange Berlin on Tuesday, September 13, 2011,
In :
Storytelling
There are special considerations when writing a script for a GPS tour, the most important being the timing template. This is something that your team doesn’t have to worry about. AudioConexus develops the GPS tour timing template and then walks you through how it is used when structuring your stories. It’s all about where you choose to tell a story. We like to think of it as ‘setting the table’ … rather than always waiting to see a specific point of interest.
This is especially impor... Continue reading ...
Posted by AudioConexus on Wednesday, July 27, 2011,
In :
Storytelling
With Blue Boat Company's recent media launch for their new multilingual commentary, there was a lot of excitement by both the tourism industry and new visitors to Amsterdam. This is because Blue Boat Company wanted to create fun and entertaining tours that offered intimate and personal experiences for their visitors. They also wanted to tell stories that many Amsterdamers wouldn't necessarily know themselves.
Since other sightseeing companies provide visitors with typical point of interest ba... Continue reading ...
Posted by AudioConexus on Tuesday, July 26, 2011,
In :
Storytelling
Stories are how we get to know the world and our experience in it. It’s how we make connections and remember things. Stories provide a satisfying and complete experience. Through stories, we escape from our own worlds, drifting into new landscapes, new ideas, and new destinations, bringing new meaning in our lives, where we can experience a sense of accomplishment through learning and collective experiences.
Travelers are looking for a deeper meaning. The changing trends of consumers shows t... Continue reading ...
Posted by AudioConexus on Friday, May 27, 2011,
In :
Storytelling
GPS is fun, hip and cool. And we have tourism businesses contact us because they're excited about the application of GPS technology - and the perception that GPS bus systems will lead them to new customers.
And they will - but...
The competition is moving into the market with open top buses and the shuttle bus operator is looking to deliver multilingual commentary with GPS tours. And everyone is focused on the technology. Yes, technology is an important consideration. But its not the only cons... Continue reading ...
Posted by Amanda Huculak - CES on Thursday, May 5, 2011,
In :
Storytelling
Over the past 14 years, CES has worked with rural and indigenous communities across Canada and internationally, working hand-in-hand with tourism and community stakeholders to create unique tourism experiences and economic development opportunities. The people at CES are closely connected to their clients and the places where they work. What we’ve found is that each community and destination no matter how big or small has its own compelling stories to share with the world.
In this age of te... Continue reading ...
Posted by AudioConexus on Monday, February 28, 2011,
In :
Storytelling
Pixar knows how to tell great stories. But as you'll learn in this article, it's not always about the story - the secret is in great storytelling.
If you're running (or are a part of) a sightseeing company, chances are - you're telling stories. Storytelling is a critical componet of the sightseeing experience.
While this is an older article - the message Pixar reveals is relevant and important. Great storytelling requires a great performance. The ability to captivate and entertain has less to... Continue reading ...
Posted by AudioConexus on Friday, February 11, 2011,
In :
Storytelling
Our Creative Director passed this article around about storytelling, and we wanted to share it with you. It's an Introduction to Corporate Storytelling by Hilary McLellan. And while it was written awhile ago - it still has a fresh message.
Here are some of the Highlights:
Alan Kay, former Vice President at Walt Disney, said: "Why was Solomon recognized as the wisest man in the world? Because he knew more stories (proverbs) than anyone else. Scratch the surface in a typical boardroom and we're ... Continue reading ...
Posted by AudioConexus on Friday, January 28, 2011,
In :
Storytelling
In Joseph Pine’s and James Gilmore’s book, The Experience Economy, they write “Those businesses that relegate themselves to the diminishing world of goods and services will be rendered irrelevant. To avoid this fate, you must learn to stage a rich, compelling experience.”
The bottom line is - Stories matter. More important than any technology, software platform, or device that you may be considering, your stories are the experience – and the experience is what will differentiate you... Continue reading ...
Posted by AudioConexus on Monday, January 24, 2011,
In :
Storytelling
Posted by AudioConexus on Thursday, December 23, 2010,
In :
Storytelling
What’s your story?
Great stories promise something. In sightseeing, your story may promise fun and entertainment. When you don’t deliver on this promise to your customers, you lose credibility and trust. The most successful sightseeing operators work hard to craft and support their stories over time, delivering on their promise while appealing to our senses. They also understand that prosperity is created by making their customers feel like they made the right choice.
This is because great... Continue reading ...
Posted by AudioConexus on Tuesday, November 23, 2010,
In :
Storytelling
For the same reason some film makers invest millions of dollars to tell their version of a story to captivate audiences in cinemas around the globe, sightseeing companies need to attract audiences of tourists and travelers. Stories provide powerful links to shared experiences, how we look at life, how we fit in and fit together. This is because great stories are based on truth, are compelling, appealing --- and memorable.
Stories are how we get to know the world and our experience in it. It’... Continue reading ...
Posted by AudioConexus on Thursday, November 18, 2010,
In :
Storytelling
This is a social experience of sharing, learning, questioning and reflection. As a passionate Producer, Eleanor describes the audio tour as an opportunity to lose herself in the art (and the art of the story) as she absorbs her environment through looking, listen... Continue reading ...
Posted by AudioConexus on Tuesday, October 26, 2010,
In :
Storytelling
"People are hungry for entertainment. If they wanted boredom they would be filling out their tax returns."
Tim Crook on the Priciples of Writing for Audio. Great audio tours are not only fun and entertaining - they're memorable. However, making an audio tour memorable is not just the selection of compelling narrative voices, character actors, music and sound effects. Great audio tours are created because producers had a great script to follow.
A good script can mean the difference between a gr... Continue reading ...
Posted by AudioConexus on Tuesday, October 19, 2010,
In :
Storytelling
Many of us love new gadgets, the latest killer app, or simply - technology that makes our lives easier with new features - and benefits. While we provide multilingual GPS tours for sightseeing in mobile markets (buses, boats, trolleys, trains, and trams), GPS tours are evolving in other areas of the tourism industry - for example, the proliferation of GPS enabled mobile phones and the development of applications such as open source Android by Google (Android includes an API for location-based... Continue reading ...
Posted by AudioConexus on Monday, October 18, 2010,
In :
Storytelling
When designing soundscapes and audio tours there are several considerations when creating the final sound production. The recording of actors and narration voices and the mixing in of music and sound effects at the appropriate levels requires a clear understanding of how the audio tours will be heard. For example, tours may be delivered through: - Public Address Systems
- mp3 players and headsets
- External speakers on audio guides
- Radio Frequency (RF) to name a few
As a result, creating the final prod... Continue reading ...
Posted by AudioConexus on Friday, October 15, 2010,
In :
Storytelling
In an article appearing in the Montreal Gazette last year titled “Museums big and small look for ways to attract new visitors“, the writer (there was no byline) begins the article by writing that “Successful culture tourism is all about forging an emotional connection.”
Some of the important considerations of this article include:
“Today’s tourist tends to be better educated, more experimental, (technologically) wired, comfortable financially, has multiple interests and wants an aut... Continue reading ...
Posted by AudioConexus on Friday, October 8, 2010,
In :
Storytelling
The purpose of a Creative Outline is to define a creative concept and the sound production rationale that will inform our readers of the development of an enhanced audio tour experience.
This is an analytical document intended to outline a creative approach comprised of three integrated and intrinsically connected components: - Tour Theme (the approach we propose to take in developing the guided experience);
- Storyline / Route Logistics (the continuity or thread of story elements we propose shoul...
Posted by AudioConexus on Tuesday, October 5, 2010,
In :
Storytelling
As the use of multimedia in interpretation continues to grow in popularity we are receiving more inquiries regarding video tours for smartphone apps. Videos are the new hip. And they look great in an app. However, this approach to developing tours is flawed.
We don't produce video tours because we know they don't work (with the exception of video tours created for accessibility). We've seen many companies come into the market with a video intensive strategy for developing tours. Unfortunately,... Continue reading ...
Posted by AudioConexus on Monday, September 27, 2010,
In :
Storytelling
"Stories are the creative conversion of life itself into a more powerful, clearer, more meaningful experience. They are the currency of human contact." — Robert McKee
There have been research reports over the years regarding the benefits of audio visual learning. What do these studies say? In a study by Adobe for learning, the study showed that "when you explain visuals with words in text, you overload the visual centers of working memory. When you explain visuals with words in audio, you ba... Continue reading ...
Posted by AudioConexus on Monday, September 20, 2010,
In :
Storytelling
"Stories, including narratives, myths, and fables, constitute a uniquely powerful currency in human relationships. Stories speak to both parts of the human mind - its reason and emotion." Here are some highlights from her story:
Highlights - Stories are fundamental to the way people structure information.
- According to Peter Giuliano, "Usin...
Posted by AudioConexus on Thursday, September 9, 2010,
In :
Storytelling
 Tourism is a fun industry and represents a multitude of remarkable experiences. It's also provides us with the opportunity to enrich people's lives by providing fun and entertainment, cultural enrichment and learning to thousands of travelers every day. Many of our stories are shared at key Points of Interest ("POI"s) along tour routes - delivered as guided or self-directed tours - indoors and outdoors.
When discussing new projects, we are sometimes asked the question "How do you craft storie... Continue reading ...
Posted by AudioConexus on Tuesday, September 7, 2010,
In :
Storytelling
Okay. So many organizations think they're providing a good enough sightseeing experience - you're selling tickets right? And making enough money to pay the bills and maintain the business. And you're investing in marketing and building new partnerships. But you're not getting the results you hoped for. You're tours are running with just enough capacity to cover the operating costs. You can't help but wonder how your competition is building their business.
Could it be that your tours aren't g... Continue reading ...
Posted by Blair Shakell on Monday, September 6, 2010,
In :
Storytelling
Guided tours that preoccupy themselves with describing the sequence of “points of interest” encountered along the way — what’s on the right, what’s on the left — make the fatal error of believing they are telling a story, when, in fact, they are simply announcing a route map. Dispensing facts and figures, however “interesting” those facts and figures may be deemed to be, should never be mistaken for weaving the threads of a mesmerizing plot. In the end, the information imparte... Continue reading ...
Posted by AudioConexus on Sunday, August 22, 2010,
In :
Storytelling
It’s our stories that unite us all in a common purpose and connect us with the people around us. If brands are experiences, then the stories we tell are the coherent, meaningful narratives of who we are and how we fit into the world, and into the worldview of our customers.
In Joseph Pine’s and James Gilmore’s book, The Experience Economy, they write “Those businesses that relegate themselves to the diminishing world of goods and services will be rendered irrelevant. To avoid this fate... Continue reading ...
Posted by AudioConexus on Friday, August 20, 2010,
In :
Storytelling
This is no ordinary beer commercial. This is a beer advertisement with an engaging, compelling story. As Seth Godin said, "Great stories succeed because they are able to capture the imagination of large or important audiences."
UP THERE from Jon on Vimeo. Continue reading ...
Posted by AudioConexus on Thursday, August 19, 2010,
In :
Storytelling
Every great audio tour experience starts with a great script. If you’re planning to invest in audio tours, we recommend that you hire a writer that has the expertise and the experience to write an engaging and entertaining audio tour script.Naturally, a writer has to be a great storyteller, but he or she will also be writing for the ear. We have seen noble efforts in script writing, but writers who do not have experience writing for the ear write for the eyes. This is akin to writing short ... Continue reading ...
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AudioConexus Blog
Helping you learn more about tourism trends, storytelling and audio tours. Help, tips, advice, and techniques for better storytelling and tourism marketing. Our Higher Purpose is to captivate the imagination by creating exceptional entertainment experiences about our world - shared experiences that inspire the human spirit and unite us in discovery. |
