Speed: B2B Marketing Lessons on Blissfully Simple Storytelling from the 90s Classic Movie with Chris Hutchins, Director of Content Strategy at 6Sense

Can you sum up your marketing message in three words? (And would customers “get” it?)

Like, can you write it in plain language—just a few words that would make sense to your audience? Because if you - the B2B marketer - get it, your audience will too, right? Maybe not.

On this episode of Remarkable, we’re learning from the 90s classic movie Speed about keeping it simple. The movie can literally be summed up in three words: “Bomb on bus.” It’s a blissfully simple premise that rocked viewers, made Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock stars, and raked in $350 million dollars at the box office. 

And we’re bringing on board Director of Content Strategy at 6Sense, Chris Hutchins, to talk storytelling, using character tropes, and fictionalizing your B2B marketing. So grab your popcorn and buckle up for the wild ride that is this latest, greatest episode of Remarkable as we talk about Speed (“Not the drug, but the movie” - Ian Faison).

About the movie Speed

Speed is a 1994 action movie starring Keanu Reeves as young police officer Jack Traven who has to keep a bomb from exploding on a city bus by staying above 50 mph. It also stars Sandra Bullock as the female counterpoint, Annie, who ironically had had her drivers’ license revoked for speeding but steps in when the bus driver is shot. And of course the villain is played by Dennis Hopper as Howard Payne, the madman who rigged the bus with the bomb in the first place. Speed was written by Graham Yost and directed by Jan de Bont.

About our guest, Chris Hutchins

Chris is a versatile, deadline-driven content director, editor and writer with corporate go-to-market, creative agency and professional journalism experience. He uses nimble workflows to produce world-class content at scale. His agency work has engaged millions of consumers worldwide.

Chris is currently the Director of Content Strategy for 6sense, an ABM platform. He also provides consulting services for SMBs that need help with content strategy, content production, branding and messaging.

In addition, he helps craft award-winning immersive marketing narratives, screenplays and novels for companies such as 20th Century Fox, A&E, Cinemax, Discovery, FOX Broadcasting, Infiniti, Macmillan Publishers and Ubisoft. He has been profiled by The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR’s Weekend Edition, ABC Radio and the BBC.

What B2B Companies Can Learn From Speed: 

• Keep the story simple. Use simple, straightforward language to explain what your marketing message is. Drop the jargon and boil down your message. Chris says that your audience needs a simple story, especially in the beginning, “to get the hook and begin to get an understanding of our content or product.” He says you don’t want prospective customers opening your site to find the content to be far over their heads. Speed does this with its simple premise that anyone can understand, that grabs attention and conveys a sense of immediacy.
• Fictionalize your story. Add fictionalized elements to your B2B marketing to grab your audience's attention, invite their curiosity, and inspire them to share their experience on social media. Chris shared an example of an event that incorporated a sort of online scavenger hunt. He says, “You just need to color outside the lines just a little bit to make it memorable.” And that the effect can be dramatic, especially in the B2B world. We see fictionalized elements in Speed as well, like when the bus has to cross an unfinished overpass, effectively leaping over a 50-foot gap in the road. Viewers are invited to suspend their disbelief to continue following the storyline. That fictional element is an invitation to go deeper into the story, deeper into engagement.

Quotes

*”When I think about blissful storytelling, it’s uncomplicated. Here is a movie done 30 years ago that is just pure bliss because you don't have to have a deep knowledge of X, Y, and Z. You are just there for the ride.” - Chris Hutchins

*”As B2B content creators and marketers, we often assume our audience has the same kind of comprehensive knowledge about our product, when in fact, we are the ones who are drinking the Kool-Aid. They need the simple story - at least in the beginning - to get the hook, and to get an understanding and become delighted and dazzled by our solution. Make it as plain spoken as possible. And make sure that our readers who are coming to our site, likely for the first time, find something that isn't overwhelming or over their heads.” - Chris Hutchins

*”The B2B equivalent of a blissful story is simply told and invites curiosity. It gets you from the beginning of the story to the end. And then keeps you engaged to investigate more.” - Chris Hutchins

*”When you are starting to get sick of your messaging, that means that it's probably starting to sink in with your audience.” - Ian Faison

*“Don't try to be every single thing. Just try to focus and say, ‘This is exactly the utility that you're gonna get from this thing.’ It's not gonna be 50 other things. It's just gonna be this one.” - Ian Faison

“The first 30 minutes of the movie is not set on a bus. And the last 30 minutes of the movie is not set on a bus. But all we remember when we talk about speed is the stuff on the bus. So what do you want your audience to remember? What do you want them to remember feeling?” - Chris Hutchins

“There are ways to enhance your narrative with fictional elements or fictionalized elements. You just need to color outside the lines just a little bit to make it memorable for them. It’s wildly, wildly experimental stuff in the world of B2B. But the path of creating these experiences, while it's a non-trivial thing to accomplish, it's absolutely possible and the promotional upside can be really dramatic.” - Chris Hutchins

Time Stamps

[1:20] Get to know Chris Hutchins, Director of Content Strategy at 6Sense

[2:41] Tell me more about Speed

[7:43] What makes Speed Remarkable?

[12:23] How to keep your brand message simple

[16:08] Ask: What do you want your audience to remember feeling about your brand?

[19:39] What is 6Sense?

[22:40] How does Chris use his experience as a narrative writer in his marketing work at 6Sense, and what can we learn from it?

[28:53] Why don't we use fiction more in B2B?

[35:28] How could you apply fiction to a B2B event?

Links

Watch Speed

Connect with Chris Hutchins on LinkedIn

Learn more about 6Sense

Check out Chris’ work and writing

About Remarkable!

Remarkable! is created by the team at Caspian Studios, the premier B2B Podcast-as-a-Service company. Caspian creates both non-fiction and fiction series for B2B companies. If you want a fiction series check out our new offering - The Business Thriller - Hollywood style storytelling for B2B. Learn more at CaspianStudios.com. 

In today’s episode, you heard from Ian Faison (CEO of Caspian Studios), Dane Eckerle (Head of Development), Colin Stamps (Podcast Launch Manager), Anagha Das (B2B Content Marketing Manager), and Meredith O’Neil (Senior Producer). Remarkable was produced this week by Meredith O’Neil, mixed by Scott Goodrich, and our theme song is “Solomon” by FALAK. 

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