Game. Set. Match.

Can you relate?

Not long ago we wrote about a petition to get the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) to change the rating for the documentary film Bully, which recently opened in multiple cities across the country. In that post, we made the point that one person’s story – in this case a high school student who started a petition – can have the power to inspire people to action.

Katy Butler started the petition on Change.org asking the MPAA to change the rating from “R” to “PG-13” so more children could see the film. More importantly, a “PG-13” rating would mean that more schools would be willing to show Bully to a key target audience – middle and high school students.

We’re happy to report that not only did Katy Butler’s story inspire over a half million people to sign the online petition, but the petition was a major factor in persuading the MPAA to finally change the film’s rating on April 5. This was an unprecedented move for the MPAA as they had already voted down the first appeal to change the rating.

The movie itself is said to be a powerful, emotional story about the effects of bullying on children, their parents and the community at large. We’re confident that the stories in the movie will have a big impact on viewers, certainly more so than lectures would.

There’s a very important lesson here: Stories sell. Whether you’re trying to change the world or introduce a new company, product, or service, telling your story can inspire people to action. Want to convince people to sign a petition, become a loyal fan of your company or non-profit, or buy your product? Get personal and you’ll connect.

We know it can be quite daunting to tell your own story, so we’re here to help. Contact us and get our master storytellers spinning your tale.