In this episode of the Storytelling for Social Impact Podcast, host Ravinol Chambers sits down with Ala Ho, founder of design agency And Human, for a thoughtful, wide-ranging discussion about integrating the human touch into brand storytelling amidst the rise of AI or whatever new tech comes along.

Ala shares insights into successful and unsuccessful campaigns, including American Eagle and Kit Kat, highlighting the importance of brands knowing what they stand for in the face of criticism and learning to spot cultural trends in the sales data.

They also delve into the intricacies of marketing tactics, short vs. long-form content and discuss the power of brands to create meaningful connections and foster community.

The conversation wraps up with practical advice for organisations on creating spaces that facilitate genuine belonging.

00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview

00:37 Guest Introduction: Ala Ho and And Human

00:53 The Importance of Human Element in Branding

01:59 Discussion on Cities and Homelessness

03:49 Branding and Personal Belonging

08:02 Short Form vs. Long Form Content

14:04 Polarization and Social Media

19:03 Brands and Sustainable Development Goals

20:53 Eras of Marketing and Branding

26:01 Campaigns: Successes and Failures

28:36 The Fear of Cancel Culture

29:45 Brand Authenticity and Credibility

30:41 The Wildfire of Outrage in Internet Content

31:58 The Reality Behind Social Media

35:46 The Importance of Email Lists

37:17 The Human Touch in Marketing

39:02 AI & Personalisation in Communication

42:18 Effective Messaging for NGOs

48:26 Creating Meaningful Brand Connections

51:35 Parting Nuggets and Final Thoughts

• American Eagle: Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans - Ala references this advert created by American Eagle, and the controversy surrounding it. In particular, what was interesting was how they responded confident in their own values.
• The reason KitKat took off in Japan - Ala references this interesting trend Kitkat noticed in their sales data that led KitKats to become the most popular good luck symbol for students taking big exams.
• Be Inspired Films website - We help organisations communicate clearly so people notice them, understand them and choose them, using our Impact Storytelling System™. We define your core story and link it to your strategy. We train your people to tell that story clearly and consistently across every channel. We create cinematic content that helps you win the moments that matter.
• Ravinol Chambers on Linkedin - I help purpose-led organisations use video to win the moments that matter across purpose, recruitment, growth, culture, events & impact. | Monk-turned-Moviemaker | Award Winning Founder | Certified B Corp 2015 |
• andhüman | Home - We build brands people can't stop talking about — using the BelongingOSTM to unite strategy, identity, and experience into growth systems that spark connection, loyalty and advocacy.
• Ala Ho on Linkedin - Founder of andhuman | Building brands people can’t stop talking about | Polymath advocate | Lecturer