1332 BCE, on the Eastern banks of the Nile. A 9-year-old boy is playing in the palace gardens of Akhetaton. He doesn’t know yet that he has just become the most important little boy in the world. The current Pharaoh died hours ago, and the little boy is the sole heir to the throne of Egypt.
He’s inheriting the throne during a tumultuous time. His father was a religious zealot and had torn down the traditional Egyptian pantheon in favor of a singular god. People, understandably so, did not take kindly to this violent upheaval of their beliefs.
This is the Egypt that the little boy now has to rule.
He’s nervous during the ceremony. Not really sure what’s going on. He hobbles when he walks. His left foot – clubbed – hurts with every step he takes. But he’s got his favorite shirt on: soft white linen, embroidered with ducks. He loves ducks.
That little boy’s name was Tutankhaten, later known as Tutankhamun.
But that’s not the story of Tutankhamun you know, is it? You know the story of a tomb, filled to the brim with gold, discovered by a team of British archaeologists, who later died in mysterious circumstances. You know the story of a curse, punishing men and dogs alike for their greed.
But you don’t know about the little boy with ducks on his shirt.
Keep it human
The way we tell stories matters. The story of Tutankhamun is only one example of that. By focusing on his tomb and the supposed ‘curse’, we strip humanity of what was once a human life. A person like you or I. A little boy with ducks on his shirt.
It’s something we’re especially guilty of when talking about history- but it happens in other ways too. Marketing, for example.
Too often, B2B communication is cold and clinical. Robotic, almost (looking at you, ChatGPT). All humanity stripped from it, in the name of sounding professional. ‘We should sound corporate’. And fair play to you, there’s nothing wrong with sounding like a brand.
But it’s important to remember that you’re not talking to robots. You’re not talking to datasets in an Excel sheet. You’re talking to humans. People with concerns, goals, ideals and frustrations.
Talk to your audience in a language they understand. Address their concerns, pull at their heartstrings and tell them stories. Stories that move them, stories that they can connect to.
We understand the world through stories. Don’t be afraid to tell them. Do not strip your communications of humanity and personality. They are the most powerful tools you have. Use them.
Because in 1922, a team of British archaeologists broke open a tomb that sat undisturbed for more than three thousand years.
Inside, they found the story of a little boy who loved ducks.
