# Ep. 68: Is Storytelling Just a Buzzword? How Higher Ed Marketers Can Build Narrative That Actually Works

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/talking-tactics-6399040/ep-68-is-storytelling-just-a-buzzword-how-higher-ed-marketers-can-build-narrative-that-actually-works
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/talking-tactics-6399040/ep-68-is-storytelling-just-a-buzzword-how-higher-ed-marketers-can-build-narrative-that-actually-works.md
Podcast: [Talking Tactics](https://stenobird.com/podcast/talking-tactics-6399040)
Published: 2026-02-03T08:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://talking-tactics.simplecast.com/episodes/ep-68-is-storytelling-just-a-buzzword-how-higher-ed-marketers-can-build-narrative-that-actually-works-51fSS1gy
Audio file: https://afp-232483-injected.calisto.simplecastaudio.com/0e7718ce-a9f3-4eec-ae5a-990837981e0f/episodes/a6234e50-241a-4755-acc9-eda7c2c35504/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=0e7718ce-a9f3-4eec-ae5a-990837981e0f&awEpisodeId=a6234e50-241a-4755-acc9-eda7c2c35504&feed=TW3wUdsO
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Duration seconds: 1527

## Resource

Storytelling is having a moment. But most brands are still telling stories that sound exactly the same. On this episode of Talking Tactics, Safy sits down with John Gorman, founder of Saint Orange, to unpack why “storytelling” has become marketing’s favorite buzzword and how it lost its edge along the way. They get into what actually separates storytelling from narrative and copywriting, why higher ed marketing has been sanded down to beige, and how playing it safe is quietly killing differentiation. From building lore without blowing up your institution to measuring whether a story is doing its job, this conversation is equal parts strategic, cultural, and refreshingly honest. If you’re a marketer who wants fewer buzzwords, better stories, and permission to take smarter creative risks, press play.

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## Transcript

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