In an era of fake news and ad overload, stories remain effective at attracting attention – but are they always useful in winning people over? Canvas8 spoke to Rebecca Krause, a PhD candidate at Northwestern University, to understand how brands can balance facts and narratives in their messaging.

A good story can make facts more interesting, but research from the University at Buffalo has found that storytelling elements may also make a messenger more trustworthy. This means that people are more likely to trust those conveying info as part of a narrative rather than through facts alone.

A visit to the National Parks may conjure up wholesome families in hiking boots, but many minorities continue to feel excluded from experiencing ‘The Great Outdoors’. As a result, the National Park Service is collaborating with brands to encourage minority groups to get outside – a tactic that’s also seen as an effort to engage younger populations.

Ben & Jerrys has taken activism to audio with a podcast that will educate listeners on White supremacy. With the Black Lives Matter movement shining a light on systemic racism, there’s a growing interest in learning about the issue, creating room for brands to provide educational tools and resources.