The power of storytelling should never be underestimated… especially if it can turn a £10 dog kennel into a near-priceless item!
Storytelling is in the doghouse today! Have you ever wondered about the power of a story to help you communicate? Here’s a fantastic example of how a story can add emotional and financial value to a low-cost item.
Pictured above is a Costa Rican dog kennel belonging to Roky the German Shepherd. The tin roof of his shabby house was holed by a meteorite in 2019.
Remarkably, the kennel’s estimated value of £150,000-£220,000 ($200,000-$300,000) is more than for the actual space rock that did the damage!
“To value all the items in the auction, I work to the four S’s – size, shape, science and story,” explained James Hyslop, head of the science and natural history department at Christie’s.
The story and its provenance play a very important role in determining the value, he told BBC News.
Using storytelling to add value
Hyslop continued: “My first question when I was offered the dog shed for auction was: ‘Was Roky okay?’. I’m pleased to report that other than now being sans dog shed, he’s doing just fine.”
Where could telling a story add value – financial or otherwise – in your business? Contact us for help with your storytelling and problem-solving training or join one of our storytelling workshops with scriptwriter and performer (and our storyteller in residence) Max Dickins.
- Update! The kennel actually sold at auction for $44k. Not quite the astronomical fee that was predicted (pun intended) but still!