Stratifesto & Insights

When my boss at Oracle first heard the term Stratifesto, he thought it was a joke. But when done right, a Stratifesto is a powerful tool.

It positions your brand, product, or service—making it stand out, valuable, and essential. It helps you uncover deep insights and craft a compelling narrative. Ultimately, it enables you to create a pitch no one can forget—something disruptive and impactful enough to sell your product, organization, or team in under 20 minutes.

As Queen Elizabeth II once told Churchill, “If you can’t explain it in 20 minutes, you probably won’t be able to explain it at all.”

We've seen too many C-level executives waste their precious time with poorly prepared speeches and unfocused conversations. That’s why we created a conversation canvas—a structured framework to help people prepare better. Drawing inspiration from storytelling and the rich history of advertising, this method sharpens communication and makes every word count.

Unlike the UX mantra of “Don’t make me think” storytelling thrives on “Tell me something I don’t know.”

From the very first word, image, or sentence, the brain decides whether something is worth paying attention to. The reptilian brain, responsible for survival instincts, instantly evaluates a message’s relevance—seeking threats, pleasures, or basic needs like warmth and safety.

Here’s how it works: If the reptilian brain deems it relevant, you have your audience’s full attention. The message then moves to the limbic system (where emotions are processed) and the neocortex (where it’s analyzed). If not, especially in remote meetings, your audience will likely turn off their cameras and switch to scrolling social media instead...

- The first 30 seconds determine whether you captivate or lose your audience.

- Avoid the boring, robotic corporate tone—authenticity and emotion drive engagement.

- Fewer words on slides, more storytelling. Reading slides verbatim disengages your audience.

- Rehearsal is key. Great storytellers prepare relentlessly.

- Stories trigger oxytocin, the "love hormone," which fosters trust and emotional connection.

- Keep it simple. Reduce cognitive load so people focus on what truly matters.

- Use sensory details. For example, "It was a hot summer day..." engages the imagination.

- Know your audience. C-level executives want quick, to-the-point insights, while others may prefer detailed narratives.

- Ditch corporate jargon. Simplicity is intelligence. David Ogilvy said, “Marketing jargon is used when people don’t know what they’re actually saying.”

- Why Visuals and Icons Often Fail

- Stock photos and decorative graphics rarely add value and can even frustrate users.

- Icons are hard to memorize and often ineffective, especially for abstract concepts.

- Unless an icon conveys meaning instantly, it likely does more harm than good.

People often don’t know what they truly want and make unreliable predictions about their behavior. While customer feedback is valuable, you must ask the right questions and interpret responses wisely.

People are not rational decision-makers.
Contrary to classical economics, research shows that emotions drive decisions more than logic. The good news? While irrational, human behavior is predictable—so you can anticipate and shape it.

Without genuine audience insight, your story will miss the mark. Many brands waste time answering the wrong questions.

For example, a fast-fashion company might emphasize “sustainability” on its website. But dig deeper, and you’ll find the industry is the second-largest polluter in the world—a real problem they need to address.

What people say differs from what they think or do. People feel emotions they can’t always articulate.

Use empathy mapping to explore unspoken customer emotions. Conduct social listening—what’s the cultural zeitgeist? Read the fine print of annual reports—it often reveals what a company is truly concerned about.

I love the 5 whys technique, it is simple way to get to the heart of a problem:

"My back hurts!"

Why? I've been limping for a while.

Why? One of my hips hurts.

Why? My foot is throwing off my balance.

Why? I went on a long hike, and it's been hurting since.

Why? I wore new shoes that caused discomfort.

Now you know the real issue: the shoes.

People don’t make purely rational decisions—they buy based on emotion and justify with logic.

To craft a compelling sales pitch, connect on an emotional level:

- Empathy mapping helps uncover your audience’s true desires and fears.

- Frame your story around their ambitions, struggles, and hidden agenda.

- Make them feel understood—position yourself as the ideal partner in achieving their goals.

1. Once upon a time... (Set the stage and introduce the problem.)

2; Until one day... (Something changes.)

3. Because of that... (Escalate the stakes.)

4. Climax: The moment to sell. (Reveal the solution.)

5. Until finally... (Describe the happy ending.)

Example: Here is your conflict: Climate change threatens human life > The brand value: Saving the planet > The brand mission: Buy our eco-friendly product > it helps protect the environment > YOU are saving the planet!

Insight: What’s the real, sometimes hard-to-admit truth?

Method: How does your product/service solve a problem?

Mission: A mix of ethos (credibility) and pathos (emotional appeal).

Vision: A deep understanding of customer behavior—anticipating future needs.

Ask yourself:

- What is your vision?

- Where does it come from?

- Why is it relevant today?

- Why will it be essential tomorrow?

- What are your customers' biggest challenges?

- How does your product help them overcome these challenges?

Conflict: Financial digital transformation disrupts businesses.

Brand value: Predict the future with business analytics.

Brand mission: Buy Oracle—become a leader in your industry.

Until Finally… The Happy Ending

Describe how good the future will be if your audience adopts your solution.

A great story has five key traits: Simple, Surprising, Concrete, Credible, Emotionally engaging...