What a Netflix show can teach us about good storytelling

TV recommendations probably won’t be a regular feature on this blog, but this one deserves to be talked about. If you haven’t watched Somebody Feed Phil on Netflix, this is a recommendation (bordering on an instruction) to get over there immediately and start watching. The premise is Phil Rosenthal (creator of the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond) travels the world finding, places to eat. That pretty much sums it up.

So why have we given it the real estate on this blog? Well, because it’s such a fantastic example of storytelling and communication around food and drink, and how it brings people and communities together. From Seoul to Guatemala, Tbilisi to Mumbai, the food might be different in each place but the hospitality, camaraderie and love of food is the same around the world.

Whether they’re visiting fine dining, Michelin-starred establishments, market stalls or food trucks, the message remains the same throughout; that food is a great connector, and there is no greater treat than sharing a meal with another person.

“If you fall in love with the people in the place, you’re a customer. You’re coming back.”

What feels so special about this show compared to other food travel shows is that it’s not just about the food as a commodity - it’s not just featuring the end result, the meal on a plate in a restaurant. It talks about the people and the process behind it, the journey to the table, and the people we share it with.

For us, this show epitomises the importance of relationships when it comes to communication. It shows the difference that it makes having people who care about what you do, whether they’re working with you or coming to buy your products. It’s how you make people feel that keeps them coming back again and again, and how you make people feel is what creates positive word of mouth recommendations.

In a world where it feels like we’re constantly sitting behind a screen, scrabbling to figure out how to game the algorithm, it’s a handy reminder to focus on the things you do well and the importance of telling your story. It showcases how making time for people creates customers, and how focussing on what’s important to you can help to develop your values as a business.

The love and passion behind so many of the people in the businesses in the show comes through, and hearing Phil talk to them in each episode you can really tell that they’re clear on who they are, what they’re doing and why they’re doing it.

This, for us, is a great example of why AI will never be able to provide the same service as a human person when it comes to writing content; sure, you can get the words, but the personality and the connection, something that’s so important to us all, isn’t the same. When I’m looking for a new product, I want to know that the person behind it cares about what they’re doing, I want to learn from you - I’m not buying something just because you sell it, I’m choosing you for a reason, and that’s what creative storytelling is all about.

If you take one thing away from this post, aside from an excellent new TV show recommendation, it should be this: think about how you want to connect with your customers. How is your current brand showcasing what you do? Are you showing people who you are and what you can do, or are you simply telling them without offering up any proof?

Let your brand and your online presence do some of the heavy lifting when it comes to telling the story of your business. Get in touch with us today if you have any questions, and we’ll see how we can help!