Media Zoo,&nbsp;one of the&nbsp;UK’s fastest&nbsp;growing creative&nbsp;agencies&nbsp;has appointed Giles Smith as its new Chief Executive Officer.&nbsp;Giles&nbsp;brings&nbsp;more&nbsp;than 20&nbsp;years’ senior business development experience&nbsp;across the&nbsp;learning and communications spaces and&nbsp;has been appointed to spearhead&nbsp;Media Zoo’s&nbsp;ambitious&nbsp;growth strategy.&nbsp;Media Zoo, non-exec Chairman, Andy McRae&nbsp;said:&nbsp;“I am delighted that someone of Giles’s calibre has agreed to become CEO of Media Zoo and lead it on its next phase of&nbsp;growth. Media Zoo is already one of the fastest growing and most innovative&nbsp;creative agencies&nbsp;out there.&nbsp; With Giles’s leadership we believe Media Zoo has a huge opportunity to further grow both in the UK and overseas.&nbsp;&nbsp;London, 05 September 23:&nbsp;Media Zoo, one of the UK’s fast growing creative&nbsp;agencies, has appointed Giles&nbsp;Smith to the role of Chief Executive&nbsp;Officer&nbsp;(CEO).&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The appointment comes as the business looks to build on its success of the last few years and&nbsp;continue its rapid expansion both in the UK and overseas.&nbsp;Giles brings over 20 years of relevant business development&nbsp;experience&nbsp;gained across various roles, including Director of Solutions for Financial Services &amp; Director of Enterprise Sales and Services, both at QA Ltd.&nbsp; After&nbsp;leaving QA Ltd he joined Media Zoo as Global&nbsp;Solutions&nbsp;Director, before becoming&nbsp;Managing Director.&nbsp; Following&nbsp;his appointment as&nbsp;CEO, he will join&nbsp;the board of Directors&nbsp;of Media Zoo.&nbsp;Andy McRae, non-exec Chairman, Media Zoo said:&nbsp;“I am delighted that someone of Giles’s calibre has agreed to become CEO of Media Zoo and lead it on its next phase of growth. Media Zoo is already one of the fastest growing and most innovative creative agencies out there.&nbsp; With Giles’s leadership we believe Media Zoo has a huge opportunity to further grow both in the UK and Overseas, building on the success of the last few years.&nbsp;Giles Smith, CEO of Media Zoo&nbsp;said.&nbsp;“I am absolutely thrilled&nbsp;to be given the opportunity to lead Media Zoo on its next phase of growth.&nbsp; Media Zoo is a remarkable business, with some remarkably creative people and&nbsp;I think it&nbsp;is perfectly&nbsp;positioned to take the lead in the use of creative solutions to&nbsp;help businesses communicate&nbsp;and share information with their&nbsp;stakeholders. I look forward to working with the board and the wider Media Zoo team to achieve this.”&nbsp;Giles takes&nbsp;on the role of CEO at Media Zoo after the departure from the business of former Joint CEO’s Rachel Pendered and Mark Killick.&nbsp; Both Rachel Pendered and Mark Killick remain shareholders in the business.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Media Zoo appoints new CEO to spearhead its new phase of growth

Why first impressions count.&nbsp;In the ever-changing and competitive business landscape,&nbsp;the ‘war for talent’ is a critical challenge for companies. As&nbsp;the current&nbsp;labour&nbsp;pool shrinks, it's vital that businesses are&nbsp;able to&nbsp;attract and retain the best and brightest employees.&nbsp;&nbsp;A well-structured, comprehensive onboarding&nbsp;programme&nbsp;is&nbsp;vital for creating&nbsp;a sense of&nbsp;loyalty and belonging both to&nbsp;the company and the brand. It’s what makes people stay.&nbsp;Having recently won&nbsp;‘Onboarding Programme of the Year 2023' at the Learning Awards, and ‘Best Onboarding Experience 2021’ at the Target Job Awards, our team have powerful insights into how to create engaging and dynamic experiences that use&nbsp;engagement, technology and effective learning solutions to inspire new-starters across the globe and importantly engage with an organisation's purpose from the very beginning of their journey. &nbsp;“We’re now seeing an overwhelming amount of research&nbsp;highlighting that employees who feel disconnected from the company culture are more likely to leave within the first six months. It is therefore imperative to get onboarding right. A successful onboarding programme helps new employees understand your culture and expectations, which means they can work more effectively and efficiently, and ultimately contribute to your company's overall success.” &nbsp;Yasmine Alani, Head of Creative Learning, DEIB and Culture.&nbsp;What success looks like&nbsp;Induction programmes set expectations, nurture a culture&nbsp;of professional learning, build networks and&nbsp;crucially help new joiners feel part of the team and get to work more quickly and efficiently.&nbsp;&nbsp;When inductions are inspiring and executed well, a business can create an empowered&nbsp;community that unites colleagues, regardless of their&nbsp;location or role. Research consistently shows that they play an important part in setting the tone for the culture of a business and can be all the difference between a settled work force and one that is known for ‘quiet quitting’.&nbsp;Pete Ashcroft, Strategy Director shares: “we recently delivered a global onboarding programme for an international bank. Not only was this a personalised programme but it delivered an impressive 91% in terms of sense of belonging and 92% for sense of purpose. Which goes to show when you blend our incredible film craft with our learning strategists it is possible to build deep connections from the get go with new starters.” &nbsp;What are the big industry statistics?&nbsp;Great employee onboarding&nbsp;can improve employee&nbsp;retention by 82%&nbsp;&nbsp;(Source: Brandon Hall Group)&nbsp;Organisations with a strong&nbsp;onboarding process improve&nbsp;productivity by over 70%&nbsp;(Source: Brandon Hall Group)&nbsp;New Employees with Good&nbsp;Onboarding Experience are 18x&nbsp;more committed to their Employer&nbsp;(Source: Bamboo HR)&nbsp;Guiding principles for a successful programme.&nbsp;Media Zoo's Head of Insights, Kal Hamilton emphasises: “It always makes a difference with induction programmes when you think ‘audience first’. Put yourself in their shoes and use empathy to understand their hopes and fears to create an experience that truly engage and resonates with them. At Media Zoo we have five&nbsp;principles that is our recipe for success."&nbsp;1.) Experiential: We open hearts and minds to connect by using a&nbsp;creative direction to create&nbsp;moments that matter.&nbsp;2.) Digital: We design scalable, media rich&nbsp;digital experiences that create&nbsp;behaviour&nbsp;change, equip people&nbsp;with resources and enhance the&nbsp;social connections.&nbsp;3.) Social:&nbsp;We create rich social&nbsp;networks so that every&nbsp;employee is supported by&nbsp;a trusted community.&nbsp;4.) Developmental: We empower employees&nbsp;with the skills, mindset and&nbsp;behaviours&nbsp;required for&nbsp;their new environment.&nbsp;5.) Campaign Driven: Learning should be campaign&nbsp;driven so we create a drip feed&nbsp;of communications to hold&nbsp;and grow engagement&nbsp;through out onboarding.&nbsp;“One of the best ways to alleviate first day nerves is to give people some experiences that can absorb any excess nervous energy. Whether it’s networking, an interactive video or even a brain-tickling challenge – a well designed activity can foster a sense of connectivity and shared purpose.” – John Power, Senior Learning Consultant.&nbsp;How Technology plays its part&nbsp;In today’s world, technology definitely has a crucial role to play in inspiring inductions especially for global businesses. There has been a surge in onboarding programmes with innovative and immersive technology essential to the delivery. From CEO avatars delivering welcome films to VR headset experiences allowing colleagues to familiarise themselves with the office with a virtual tour before they walk through the door. Technology really can help make the onboarding experience more effective, seamless and elevate the experience for the new joiner. &nbsp; &nbsp;Want to find out more?&nbsp;If you are looking to create an inspiring onboarding and induction programme for your organisation – <a target="" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://mediazoo.tv/contact#contact">get in touch</a> and our team will consult with you to gain further&nbsp;insights and create a solution that is tailored to&nbsp;the&nbsp;needs of your audience, business and&nbsp;objectives.&nbsp;

Inspiring Onboarding programmes and why Inductions matter. 

Over the last couple of years, we’ve seen a large number of leaders and companies openly state their commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion &amp; Belonging initiatives (often referred to as DEIB). These strategies, on the surface at least, seem to understand the benefits of increasing diversity and promoting inclusion across their businesses, as well as knowing it’s the right thing to do. However, research shows us that despite large swathes of enthusiasm, progress in this area is slow.&nbsp;Why are we not seeing the progress that we would expect?Over half of UK senior business leaders surveyed said their DEIB strategy only pays lip service to supporting talent from underrepresented groups. Not only that, they also believe that their strategies don’t provide any helpful support in practice (Source KellyOCG). So even though we have seen companies rapidly creating various types of diversity strategies and programmes, there is a lack of follow through to ensure their effectiveness. Why is this?&nbsp;How is it that DEIB programmes that start off with the best intentions often fall by the wayside a year later?&nbsp;&nbsp;To understand more, we must look at various factors. One of these is looking at the true intention behind the programmes. Many DEIB initiatives are created to keep up with competitors, to comply with corporate governance and self-regulation, or perhaps worst of all, to be ‘seen to be doing something’. This means that programmes often fail to maintain the momentum needed to create real change.&nbsp;Without exploring a full and rounded strategy around what you want to achieve with DEIB programmes and putting in place real targets, milestones, and thought-through ways of how to get there, these programmes amount to little more than a tick box exercise.&nbsp;We also need to look at who is responsible for driving the change. Is it coming from the top? Or does the burden of making DEIB programmes successful fall on the shoulders of the very people they are supposed to support?&nbsp;The BBC recently wrote about how ‘<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200826-how-corporate-diversity-initiatives-trap-workers-of-colour">corporate diversity initiatives trap workers of colour</a>’. In essence this means that while organisations are looking to focus their attention on diversity, these initiatives often require a disproportionate amount of lift from people belonging to marginalised groups. Overhauling how a company approaches DEIB is more likely to be left to members of minority groups to lead the charge for change in the first place, in fact.&nbsp;Some might question why this is an issue.Why shouldn’t we look to disenfranchised people to lead the way?&nbsp;The answer is that it shifts the burden of education onto those who have already lived through trauma. Leaders who do this have missed the point of inclusivity by failing to protect the psychological safety of the employees who take on this kind of ‘emotional labour’. One of the golden rules of allyship is to take education into your own hands, and deepen your understanding of issues, rather than be reliant on the account of others. Doing this means using privilege for good.&nbsp;Rather than turning to minority groups to take the lead, impactful DEIB programmes make space for marginalised voices to be heard.&nbsp; Leaders need to shift the burden onto themselves to create change, and away from those they intended to lift the burden off.&nbsp;Finally, and probably most relevantly, many companies approach DEIB initiatives with the notion that DEIB is a ‘problem’ to be solved - rather than seeing the opportunities for growth, to future-proof, and the chance to build a stronger organisation. The mentality around DEIB needs to shift from ‘creating a DEIB programme’ to focusing on how we create a ‘wholly inclusive culture’. Diversity in the workplace goes way beyond simply hiring more diverse faces. Having a truly inclusive culture at work allows businesses to thrive, and opens up more pathways to connect with your clients, consumers, and employees.&nbsp;So what needs to change and how do you ensure success?If you want lasting change, you must start from the top. DEIB programmes built for lasting success need executive oversight, and conversations about DEIB need to become as commonplace as conversations about strategy and growth. The reality is that diversity and inclusion initiatives are destined to fizzle out without buy-in and regular, genuine support from organisational leaders. Ultimately, without active involvement from leaders, any change will be short-lived.&nbsp;Reviewing the substance of your DEIB programmes is also crucial. There has been much media coverage about the so-called ‘failure’ of unconscious bias training. But behind these salacious media headlines lies a grain of truth - the same of which can be said for any training programme designed without thought of what comes after. Think about what you’re trying to achieve, and pay attention to the way you’re trying to achieve it. Is it realistic? It takes more than an afternoon workshop to dismantle deep-rooted systemic biases. It takes more than an e-learning module to help people unpick their privilege and understand how to become an advocate.&nbsp;Some initial steps you can take to make sure you’re setting your DEIB initiatives up for long lasting change are:&nbsp; <ol><li>Look at DEIB across the organisation - your programme should not be a standalone product. How does it tie into wider company objectives? What is the&nbsp; bigger picture of what you’re trying to achieve?</li><li>Set yourself measurable goals to track DEIB outcomes - As Steven Covey said, begin with the end in mind. Start with your end goal and work backwards to put in smaller measurable milestones you can celebrate. Your end goal should not be ‘create a DEIB programme’.&nbsp;</li><li>Make sure it is leader led - or at the very least, is consistently being spoken about at top levels. Senior management mimic what they see and hear from the top. If it’s not part of your leader’s agenda, it won’t be part of theirs.&nbsp;</li><li>Be realistic with your aims and objectives - Rome wasn’t built in a day, and setting up your DEIB strategy shouldn’t be either. For many colleagues, this might be the first time they have delved into DEIB in a meaningful way. Change takes time. Initiatives that promise the earth very quickly are likely to be forgotten by next quarter. Think slow burn rather than fireworks.</li><li>Don’t be afraid to look outside for expertise - Sometimes it needs an outsider to point out the obvious and highlight areas that you’ve overlooked. Bringing in external consultants can help inject pragmatism into your DEIB strategy, innovation into your programmes, and support you to create something that lasts.&nbsp;</li></ol>At Media Zoo, our purpose and vision is to use our creative force for good. Changing the landscape of DEIB is something I’m extremely passionate about. I feel very grateful to be at the forefront of doing just that at Media Zoo, where I have the opportunity to work in partnership with global companies, to shape world-class DEIB programmes that stick.&nbsp;My desire is to help more and more businesses see that there is another, more innovative way to approach DEIB programmes, that take them beyond tickbox exercises and create a truly inclusive world for their employees.&nbsp; Yasmine is a multi-award winning learning professional, recognised for being a Culture Pioneer of Learning, a Top 100 Future Leader, and most recently, the LPI Learning Professional of the Year.&nbsp; She has a wealth of experience driving learning campaigns across global organisations, and also within Media Zoo to create meaningful change. Yasmine regularly gives talks on panels and podcasts on the big DEIB topics of the day and champions strategies to ensure DEIB is more than just a tick box exercise.

Taking DEIB beyond a tick box exercise

The Financial Conduct Authority has introduced a new 12th principle that is designed to put the consumer at the forefront of the consumer financial services industry. It’s a watershed moment in terms of customers getting what they want from financial services. The Consumer Duty rules start on July 31, 2023. It's vital for financial institutions to be prepared.Our Consumer Duty digital learning &amp; communication experiences built by our learning consultants can get your teams ready for the new FCA principles that put the consumer back in focus. Providing awareness and clarity to help facilitate the good outcomes needed to comply with the new regulations.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://mediazoo-assets.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/mz-website-cms/Media_Zoo_Consumer_Duty_Guide_2023_ac1d8a9bd5.pdf?updated_at=2023-03-09T15:18:21.616Z">Click here for our Consumer Duty guide to find out more.</a>

Are you ready for Consumer Duty?

BGF-backed Media Zoo acquires Finer Vision as part of acquisitive growth plan.Finer Vision already works closely with Media Zoo and will integrate AR, VR and web3 comms expertise to Media Zoo’s offering.Media Zoo is targeting further acquisitions in the specialist digital learning sector.Mark Killick, Founder and Co-CEO of Media Zoo: “This is a game-changer for Media Zoo. We are thrilled to be joining forces with Finer Vision - the business ticked every box in terms of what we were looking for.”London, 24 November 2022 Media Zoo, one of the UK’s most successful creative agencies, can share that it has acquired Finer Vision, a leading digital agency.The acquisition quickly follows the April 2022 investment from growth capital investors BGF, and represents the firing of the starting gun of an acquisitive expansion strategy that will complement the business’ organic growth plan.The acquisition of Finer Vision adds experiential events, virtual reality, augmented reality and web3 expertise to Media Zoo’s existing offering of film, learning and creative communications which supports major international businesses like Santander and Lego.Media Zoo has been working closely with Finer Vision over the past year to offer an expanded suite of creative, digital and learning services to clients, so the two companies know each other extremely well.Media Zoo has a stated target of doubling in size over the next three years, while expanding internationally into regions such as North America and the Middle East.Finer Vision has an impressive client roster, working with Blue Chip companies in the Consumer, Pharma, and Financial sectors. Finer Vision has a close relationship with tech giant Meta, and recently returned from San Jose, California, having delivered a successful experiential stand at the Open Computer Project (OCP).Its strong management team, excellent financial performance record, and deployment of cutting-edge technology will create significant growth opportunities for the future.Rachel Pendered adds: “Finer Vision’s market-leading digital offering, brilliant management team, and strong financial performance fits perfectly into our future vision for Media Zoo.”Sean Cowden, Director at Finer Vision says: “We can’t wait for what the future holds in partnership with Media Zoo. Having worked with their teams for a while now, we know we’ll fit seamlessly into how they operate, without changing the way we work with our existing clients.”Acquisitive GrowthMedia Zoo says that it has ambitions to make additional acquisitions in the short to medium term, with targets including digital learning specialists to complement Media Zoo’s learning division. Rachel Pendered continues: “We don’t want to stop here, however. This is just the next step in our growth plan.” “We’re actively on the lookout for more companies, led by inspiring people, that do things that we don’t already do - we are especially interested in companies with an ‘attract, train, deploy model’ and both learning and digital businesses here and in the US.” For more information, interviews and stills please contact:Alex Williams <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:alex.williams@mediazoo.tv">alex.williams@mediazoo.tv</a> 07793 207325Catherine Anderson <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:catherine@mediazoo.tv">catherine@mediazoo.tv </a>07701 067546

Media Zoo acquires digital agency Finer Vision

What phenomenal News! September was a month to celebrate at The Zoo as the prestigious LPI gave Media Zoo full industry accreditation. Why does that mean so much to us? <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.thelpi.org/">The Learning and Performance Institute </a>is the learning industry's most recognised organisation have been championing learning in the workplace since 1995. Since then they have grown into a global organisation, have members across the world and have seen many revolutions take place in the work space. As an organisation that promotes diversity, inclusion and fair treatment of people in the working environment we were of course thrilled to be handed such an accolade and it's great to see the quality of work being produced at The Zoo being recognised by such asn esteemed awarding body. In fact we were so excited we decided to make a film about it at the recent Learning Live!

The Zoo awarded learning industry accreditation

Here at Media Zoo, purpose is at the heart of everything we do. We’re driven by a desire to use our creativity as a force for good. Jessica Huie MBE is the epitome of this and so, it was such a delight to host an evening of celebration for the release of the newest chapters of her book, ‘Purpose’.Transforming our Chelsea offices into an event space filled with food, drinks and live music was an exciting challenge. Our goal was to encapsulate the relaxed, joyful Jamaican culture of Jessica’s origin and current residence. We were lucky to have the phenomenal YolanDa Brown, a jazz saxophonist with gigs such as The Last Night of the Proms and BBC’s Jools Holland’s Annual Hootenanny under her belt, to perform a set of classic reggae tunes with her band. It was the perfect way to kick off the event and set the mood perfectly.Along with hosting 60 guests, we also filmed the entire evening. This included a roaming camera plus two stabilised cams to capture the main event, a fireside chat between Jessica and our MD Rachel. Thanks to our in house production team, we produced two spectacular films, a social mood feature and a Ted Talk style film. It was a real benefit having such a brilliant crew at our fingertips!The evening was a huge success. We had fab feedback from our clients, guests, YolanDa and most importantly Jessica. I’m proud we pulled off such a wonderful event and, with all the fun we had along the way, I am looking forward to more opportunities to transform our workplace into a culture space in 2022.

Purpose: the book launch party

The world of animation has gone through many changes since the formative days of Gertie the Dinosaur. It has evolved and progressed, with the master animators inventing their craft as they went.The 1930s brought the moving work of art that was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs that set an aesthetic marker of true genius. Fast forward a few decades to Luxor Junior which introduced us to memorable characters like Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Remy.The number of dimensions may have gone up and the technology transformed. However, the core principles by which an animation lives or dies can be traced back through the years, and have remained the same: A strong concept, a compelling narrative, and excellent execution. It holds true for a simple flip book or AAA blockbuster. Ok, the flip book might be pushing it, but you get the idea!These are what drive Media Zoo's approach to all its animated projects, whatever the brief. A strong, creative idea, is added to a compelling narrative that is wrapped up and presented to the highest level.We also love the work we do. That also helps! We asked the Zoo Crew animation team - what is it about animation that captivates them? 'One particular piece of animation that stays lodged in my brain is Tex Avery's 'Who Killed Who?' - MGM, 1943. It was one of the scariest/ funniest/ most surreal experiences my preschool brain had encountered. Everything about it showcased the magic of animation, demonstrating why it's such a creative, versatile storytelling medium.' Andrew'I grew up watching Disney TV series every Sunday morning and it was a really cozy moment that I still remember. All animation has been happy memories in my life, and that made me want to be an animator!' Yeonny'I remember watching an animation when I was younger about a little paper boat, thinking how beautiful it was, and then realising that I wanted to be an animator.' Louise'What inspired me to pursue animation was growing up watching flash cartoons on the internet from a young age. The anarchic, amateurish drawing styles and often crude subject matter really appealed to me as a young teenager who liked to doodle on the desk at school. Animation just seemed to me like the most exciting, expressive, and creator-driven art form there was.' Jay

The wonderful world of animation

Using our creativity as a force for goodPublicity still from the film ‘Don’t Look Up!’Gandhi said something like ‘If you want to change the world for the better, start with yourself.’ But in the Film Team at Media Zoo, we also know another way: if you want to change the world for the better, start with every film you make - no matter how small the subject or modest the budget.We take each and every film we make very seriously - which isn’t to say we lack a sense of humour or a lightness of touch. The subject may not be about trying to save the world from mass destruction - as in the recent feature film ‘Don’t Look Up!’ - but many of our films are about making the world a better place in relatively small ways. This may have to do with a PR campaign, a training or wellbeing programme, a more sustainable way of working or some kind of innovation in a company’s services or products…Are you asleep yet? Well, the trick is to keep you awake - in fact, to surprise and excite you regarding a subject you didn’t know about or thought you knew about but didn’t think was important.Here’s a good example. Have you ever heard of economic abuse? I don’t mean how many of us feel about what we we’re paid - or not paid - by the organisation that employs us. I mean something that happens to many women who are suffering domestic abuse. It’s often part of that abuse and a form of coercive control: abusers restrict, exploit and sabotage their partner’s access to money and other resources, such as food, transport and housing.We made a short film for a charity that was running a campaign to raise awareness of economic abuse and change the law to make it a recognised form of domestic abuse.The film is distressing, uncomfortable to watch and packs an emotional punch way above its weight - as you can judge for yourself…‘Drowning’ was also highly effective - the Act of Parliament recognising economic abuse as domestic abuse came into law on April 21 2021 and has the potential to improve the situations of both victims and survivors.In some ways, it’s easier to tell an engaging story about trying to save the planet from destruction by an asteroid, because it’s such a big, dramatic subject - the audience doesn’t need too much encouragement to want to know what happens.But there’s another kind of film-making, one that tells engaging stories about small things - the things ordinary people do everyday at home, in offices and workplaces all round the world. And it’s there, in those often unremarkable circumstances, that the world can be changed for the better - and, in the example of ‘Drowning’, that the law can be changed for the better too.By using our creative production skills to bring those everyday activities and processes to life and inspiring audiences to improve them, we think we’re making as much difference in the world as the producers of ‘Don’t Look Up!’

Using our creativity as a force for good

We’re a unique bunch of animals at Media Zoo: learning designers, developers and filmmakers - but most importantly of all, we’re storytellers. For us, storytelling is that not-so-secret ingredient, the magic sauce, that captivates learners, elevates learning and ultimately helps our clients to achieve their wildest hopes and dreams.But how on earth does it work and what is it about storytelling that makes it absolute magic for learning?Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last decade, you’ve probably heard all the hype around storytelling in business. Unlike so many other fads however, storytelling isn’t one of those fleeting phenomena - it’s here to stay and there's a good reason for it: it’s quite literally in our DNA. Yep, you heard right - as humans, we are hardwired to listen and tell stories. For thousands of years, our ancestors have used storytelling as a powerful vehicle for sharing life-saving information and there’s no sign of it abating any time soon. As a species, we are hungry for stories, and while we no longer sit around the campfire as often as we’d like, we continue to consume and share stories every day, often at the push of a button.This innate pull towards storytelling makes sense given its immense power and influence. There’s a huge body of research out there with some pretty impressive facts (for example, did you know that 65% of our daily conversations involve some form of storytelling?), but for now, let’s focus on its ability to help us learn.We can probably all recall the fairytales, fables, or folklore we heard as young children, all of which helped to communicate big life lessons and shape our values, attitudes, and sense of self. It’s for this reason that Aleks Krotoski calls stories, “memory aids, instruction manuals, and moral compass.” The same is true of the stories we continue to hear as adults today - they are vital for helping us to learn from others’ experiences. But what exactly happens in the brain when we hear stories and why does this help us to learn?To answer that question, it’s first worth noting that our brains absolutely love stories and we experience 5x more neural activity than when we listen to facts alone. An important part of that activity is that it connects our right and left brains, which helps us to process information and create meaning. It’s this that makes stories so appealing (and necessary) as a learner - they build our understanding and help us to make sense of abstract or complex information.Stories also activate parts of the brain that allow us to turn the story into our own ideas and experience, opening up a whole new way of thinking. This is really powerful given that we’re far more open to the ideas that we discover for ourselves than the ideas that are forced upon us. As a learner then, stories are a brilliant way to challenge our existing thinking and invite a fresh approach.Our brains also respond especially well to stories that use a narrative arc structure, with plenty of conflict and tension. That’s because different neurochemicals are released at different stages of the story, all of which evoke different reactions in the listener. Tension and conflict specifically help to release cortisol or the stress hormone which you’re probably familiar with from fight, flight, or freeze situations. The cortisol that’s released when hearing a story helps to grip your attention and keep you on the edge of your seat. As a learner, this keeps you motivated and engaged to find out what happens - after all, it’s near impossible to walk away from a well-told story only half-told!When we follow the emotionally-charged events of a story through to the end, our brain also rewards us with a big dose of dopamine, the pleasure chemical. This leads to better focus, motivation, and memory. Enhancing our memory is one of the biggest benefits of storytelling for learners and according to psychologist Jerome Bruner, we can remember facts 22x more when shared as part of a story! Not bad at all.Of course, a key reason why stories are so memorable is that they tap into our emotions. In fact, hero-driven stories are known to be particularly potent in stirring our emotions, as neurons in our brain help us to mirror the exact emotions experienced by the hero of the story - we literally can’t help but put ourselves in their shoes (which explains why I regularly leave the cinema in tears!). And why does that matter for learning? Well, as the wonderful Maya Angelou said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Incorporating storytelling into learning is one of the best ways to ensure your learners leave with those all-important takeaways.So if you’re thinking about how to ramp up the effectiveness of your own learning, why not inject a story or two and discover its power firsthand? As for me, I’m off to find the next great story to sprinkle some learning magic!Want to find out more or discover how we can elevate your learning experience? Get in touch today and send us a message using our 'Reach Out' form: <a target="_parent" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://mediazoo.tv/#contact">Reach Out</a>

The power of storytelling in learning

Media Zoo has sold a minority stake in its business to BGF.It comes as Media Zoo announces it has substantially increased its turnover over the last twelve months, returning to its traditional fast growth model, and raised its headcount to over 180 media professionals.Rachel Pendered, managing director, says: “This investment is key the business moving to the next level. Our clients are demanding a new way of working when it comes to digital learning, rapid content creation and access to world class creative output. This funding means we will be able to roll out our Zoo+ proposition as a creative and digital disrupter with a different way of doing things”.The substantial investment will enable Media Zoo to expand further both nationally and internationally and double in size over the next three years as well as launch Zoo+, its creative partnership outsourcing solution.Mark Killick, creative director of Media Zoo, adds: “This investment is the start of a new chapter for Media Zoo and the whole company is looking forward to the exciting opportunities it offers. We know our content creation is second to none and with BGF as our partner, we can take our content engine to the world”.

Media Zoo takes investment from BGF

Sometimes you need a precise plan ... and sometimes you need to throw paint at the wall and see what sticks!At Media Zoo, we believe in creating spaces for serendipity, spontaneity, and play, spaces where there is some curated chaos helping new ideas be born, and spaces like our Art Jam sessions.These are a chance for all the different Zoo creators to come together and have fun learning painting skills, developing their inner artist, and embracing creative risks. It’s a no-judgment zone where you can work on master experiments (rather than masterpieces)!The sessions are hosted by two people:Artist-in-residence, LJ (or Lyndsey-Jayne) is one of our Senior Project Managers but is also a phenomenal painter and creative spirit who fills her own life and others with extraordinary creatures and visions that are out of this world. (Well worth a quick visit to Instagram @lucid_curiosity or snoop in LJ’s meet background). 'Jam-Master' John, is one of our Senior Learning Consultants who have a passion for taking inspiration from the arts to add emotional depth to learning. John has run a series of Jams in the Zoo on various topics including Story, Games, and Poetry, which have all pushed the boundaries of the craft in search of the new.&nbsp;When asked why he was passionate about the idea, John said “The talent in the Zoo is phenomenal - you can almost see it fizzing in the air! Somewhat selfishly - I was just really curious to see what would happen when we get a load of us together doing creativity with no agenda - to see what magic will happen! Can’t wait for the next one!”

Art jam

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Known as S2T, Media Zoo’s new centre of excellence brings together unmatched techniques and processes developed by the company over more than a decade.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; S2T has been set up in recognition that similar skillsets can create a compelling business story, sharpen a strategy, build a team, change a culture, land the big pitch, and light up a leader or public speaker.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Our USP is putting journalist-led storytelling at the heart of everything we do.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; S2T is headed up by Siôn Taylor, a former BBC Exec, who said, “I’ve spent the past 15 years taking the skillsets and insights from traditional media training and developing them to have an impact right across businesses and organisations. We have clients around the world who love what we do, and I’m delighted Media Zoo has now decided to formalise this approach with the new Centre for Strategy, Story &amp; Training.”·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Media Zoo, CEO, Giles Smith said: “We have seen a growing demand from both Comms and HR customers for combined solutions that offer strategic thinking, messaging, and practical training.&nbsp;&nbsp;S2T can provide customers with clear strategic guidance, thinking and training across any part of a campaign or initiative, while also giving them an even bigger list of courses and solutions to choose from.”29/11/23: Media Zoo, one of the UK’s fast growing creative agencies, has launched S2T, its new dedicated Centre for Strategy, Storytelling and Training.&nbsp;S2T has been launched in response to a growing demand from customers, particularly Comms and HR directors, for combined solutions that can provide critical thinking and training across the lifetime of the campaigns and initiatives they run.&nbsp;&nbsp;The new Centre builds on the success of Media Zoo’s existing strategic messaging and media training offer and takes a unique journalist-led approach to message development. Using a one-page StoryHouse to deliver succinct and easy to understand messages, the team can work with customers to develop strategic solutions, while delivering practical training outcomes via its suite of outcome-orientated courses.&nbsp;The Centre is headed up by Siôn Taylor, a former BBC Exec who led a wide range of factual prime-time TV shows, and who has more than 15 years’ experience working with businesses, governments and third sector organisations as Senior Media Counsel in the Media Zoo comms team.&nbsp;Siôn says: “We have developed cutting-edge comms techniques that make our media training and strategic messaging second-to-none. But we have also combined those techniques with skillsets that have traditionally been thought of as the HR realm. As a result, we have a suite of uniquely effective courses.”The team has developed a digital brochure that highlights the new service offer, with a range of 16 courses across strategic messaging, storytelling for business, media training, podcasts and webinars, public speaking, leadership, and team building.Journalist-led storytelling is at the heart of everything.Siôn says: “It makes a real difference that all our media counsel spent many years working as senior national-level journalists, in print and broadcast, before joining Media Zoo. They have written for television, film, newspapers, books, and magazines. And now they are helping our clients to discover and deliver their own stories in a way that makes them compelling, whatever the audience or platform.”The launch of the new S2T comes as Media Zoo looks to build on its success of the last few years and continue its rapid expansion both in the UK and overseas.&nbsp;Giles Smith, CEO of Media Zoo said. “I’m delighted to announce the launch of the Centre for Strategy, Storytelling and Training as it gives Media Zoo an increased service offer for the benefit of our clients.&nbsp;The strategic input and concise journalist-led messaging expertise that the S2T team provides, can be integrated into all the campaigns we work on for our customers and I’m sure will be at the forefront of inspiring positive change.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;For further information please reach out to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:info@mediazoo.tv">info@mediazoo.tv</a>

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Art jam

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