Watershed's Narrative Marketing Approach

Back in 1993, Watershed Founder and Principal Lisa Donoughe was running international PR campaigns for the Natural Tender Venison of New Zealand, celebrity super star Charlie Palmer, America's doyenne of Organic cooking, Nora Pouillon, and brands such as Campari, Bombay Sapphire Gin, Stoli Vodka, Pernod, Ricard, Wild Turkey, and Bacardi, and she thought she had mastered all the finesse involved in smart PR.

Until one day when boss, David Kratz, checked in with her about the US launch of the venison and the kick-off event she was producing with Bobby Flay, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and Lidia Bastianich.

"The event you're producing at Tavern on the Green is great but what's the story?" Kratz asked.

That simple question became Lisa's own Watershed Moment.

She had mastered everything traditional PR demands: strategy, brand building, event production, budgeting, marketing messages and materials, media relations, you name it.

But no one at big or small agencies had ever stopped and addressed this single most important aspect of creating genuine connection and cultural relevance through a simple narrative. The passion, the conflict, the curiosity - all the things that draw an audience to a product or a service.

Since that day, "what's the story" has become Lisa's mantra. It's the very basis of everything we do at Watershed.

We will never approach your project with a solution based on a template. Instead, we ask:

• Who would care about this story?
• What makes this story different?
• What is the best timing for this story?
• What individuals would be most likely to run with this story and treat it with the enthusiasm it deserves?

At Watershed, we not only have deep expertise in natural foods, beverages and products, we know what makes a great story.

We only pitch relevant story ideas that serve the media's readership. We earn and maintain our relationships with influential national media because they trust our editorial judgment.

Narrative marketing takes discipline but it's what elevates us above the waterline of everyday natural food and beverage PR firms.

We take the very essence of your business and drive your public relations from a story-based perspective. It's powerful, it's real and it resonates. Most important, narrative marketing gets results.

Give us a call today and see how we can help you tell your story.