Impact storytelling has become an integral part of many brands’ communication strategies. For non-profits, impact stories are a measure of success and accountability. They can be the key to funding opportunities. For profit businesses, are also realizing the power of impact stories, especially now when brands are forced to be “politically correct”. On special days like International Women’s day, every brand wants to show off their impact on their female workforce. SMEs too and personal brands are leveraging on the power of storytelling as a way to attract new leads.

Everyone is leaning on the power of storytelling. But how do you tell the perfect stories that achieve the right goals for your brand, without attracting legal trouble or ethical questions?

In October 2021, Machakos University was sued for using a student’s image in a commercial advertisement without her consent. In 2023, a nightclub in Kilimani was fined 1.8 million for using a customer’s image without consent.

Since the Data Protection Act was passed in 2019, people have become more aware of their personal data privacy rights and they are proactive in ensuring their data is treated properly. Gone are the days when organizations could take photos and videos of their buyers or beneficiaries and use them as they please.

Photos, videos, and stories that include people’s personal details, that can be used to identify them have become more sensitive- but also important in impact storytelling. In this article, we look at how to navigate storytelling.

Getting the story

The biggest challenge, as any storyteller will tell you, lies in getting someone to share their story. Your brand might have changed their lives in a million ways but they will still decline to have their story told. You can’t blame people, though. There are a lot of unethical practices that trigger people to be cautious. It is not uncommon for brands to use images or personal stories for commercial purposes in an exploitative manner. There is also the monetary factor. “How will I benefit from sharing my story,” that’s the first question that comes up when you approach someone. They know you will benefit from sharing their story and they feel as if you want to use them.

• Build trust first, then demonstrate value: Start with explaining why you want their story, how you’ll use it, and what they will gain (visibility, being heard, possibly compensation or recognition).

Be Transparent: Transparency is extremely important in these kinds of stories. Share information on where the content will be published (TV, Website, Social Media, Print, etc). If you will use the content commercially or in an advert, explain clearly and put it in writting as well.

• Consent and identity protection. Always get written consent. Offer options: full name, a pseudonym; full image, silhouette or blurred; share location or not. Especially when dealing with sensitive stories (health, abuse, or children), ensure privacy. Identity protection is also a great way to assure people that your respect their concerns. Though name changes could dilute the authenticity of a story, you may consider offering people this option, especially if their stories are sensitive.

Identity protection means, changing their name, not publishing their images, covering their faces in videos and omitting details that might be used to identify them.

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Defining Your Goals

Before you begin capturing stories, be clear on what you want to achieve. Possible goals include:

• Increasing funding or donor support
• Accountability and transparency for stakeholders
• Advocacy (policy change, awareness)
• Branding, visibility, building reputation

With your goal in mind, you can tailor the story’s tone, media type, and distribution channels.

Telling the story

Stories are not equal. Some are more compelling than others. But on a more positive note, everyone has a story within them. You just have to figure out how to get the right story.

How do you do this?

• By asking the right questions.
• Sharpening your interviewing skills.
• Knowing when to probe without being pushy.
• It is also important to understand interviewing ethics. For instance, leading questions are considered unethical in any interview set up. Let us look at examples below.

Leading Question: How much have you enjoyed using product X?

Better Option: How can you describe your experience using product X?

Choosing a medium

Will your impact stories be a blog post, a journal, a book, a podcast, a PDF report, a YouTube video or a series of social media posts with photos? This is an important decision to make before getting down to work. The format and medium you use for your stories should be determined by a number of factors. Let us break them down here:

Medium	Pros	Cost in Kenya
Written articles / blog posts	Lower cost; easy to share can serve as a foundation for multi-media impact stories,:good for detailed stories and statistics	Need clear writing; may require copy-editing and photography services. Translation is required if stories are collected in different countries or regions.
Photo books/ photo stories	Visually powerful; good for social media; quick impact	Need a good photographer; photography equipment; logistics for remote areas.
Videos	Very engaging; captures emotional details, great for before/after impact. Perfect for multimedia content.	More expensive; logistics budget, more equipment: lighting, editing, sound; power, connectivity issues in remote areas matter.
Podcasts	Accessible for people with low literacy or limited internet; radio integration possible, timeless	Need good recording gear; quiet environment; editing; audience size may be smaller, lots of pre-production planning
Social media posts	Great for reach; easy to target specific audiences; shareability	Need consistency; content must be optimized, stories might get lost in a sea of content afterward.

Interviewing techniques

Behind every story told is a skilled interviewer. The camera crew might bring their A game but if the interviewer does not know which questions to ask or how to probe, you will not tell the perfect story.

It is highly advisable to work with a professional interviewer when curating impact stories and ensure you plan adequately before the interview.

Common interviewing techniques include:

• Ice breaking strategies
• Questionnaire drafting
• Structuring the interview
• Probing techniques.
• The interviewer should also have the ability to read non-verbal cues and establish when the interviewee is uncomfortable, shy or when they do not understand questions.

Storytelling ethics

When someone agrees to share their story with your brand, it is imperative that you treat them with dignity and respect. There are several ethical issues to consider during interviews or productions.

These issues depend on the subjects you are dealing with.

• Ethics during interviews with children in Kenya: You will need to get consent from parents, avoid asking them intrusive questions and refrain from taking photos or videos of them in distressful situations.

• Mirepresentation: Beyond ethics, there are legal issues that could arise from a badly written or produced story. Each country has Media Laws and Children’s Acts that dictate the boundaries to avoid crossing.

• Avoiding stereotypes and profiling: When dealing with adults, there are general ethical rules to observe too. For instance, using stereotypical messaging can lead to a bad response from the public. That might include portraying a community as impoverished, illiterate, hostile, incapable or any other stereotype that strips them of dignity.

• Decency and privacy: These are critical issues in storytelling. Interviewees should be given an opportunity to decide which parts of their story should be left out of a narrative.

• Accuracy: Lastly, impact stories have to be accurate. It’s not uncommon for brands to exaggerate their impact, in a bid to make themselves look good. When people exaggerate their stories, they do not expect anyone to ever find out. It could be exaggerated figures, fake interviewees or spiced up stories. As you navigate this temptation, remember that information known to more than one person is not a secret. Any of the people involved in cooking up numbers or stories will eventually spill the tea.

Navigating potential legal issues

Like any other engagement in the professional world, there will always be legal landmines to navigate. There are three main issues to pay attention two in impact storytelling:

First and most important is consent. Do you have permission to take photos, videos and narrate someone’s story? If you have such permission, make sure it is captured in writing with a signature. Second, you need to be clear on how you will use the content. Are you publishing on your website, will you advertise the content and how else are you planning to use any of the content produced? Be as transparent as possible and avoid using the content in any way that was not discussed prior.

Lastly, address payment concerns. If someone offers to share their story or images, be clear on whether they will receive monetary compensation or not. Content used for commercial purposes tends to be extremely delicate. If you are paying or not paying for stories, put it in writing in the consent form.

FAQ: Things to Consider when Producing Impact Stories in Kenya