Story & Communications — Shape Stories

We help organisations, projects and places express who they are, what they stand for and why their work matters.

We bring together strategy, writing and creative direction to develop clear stories, distinctive identities and communications that connect with the people you want to reach.

Johny O’Donnell walks a group through the story panels for Kōpū

Help people understand and connect with your work

Clear communication makes it easier for people to understand your purpose, see their connection to it and know how to get involved.

That starts with understanding what you want to say and who you need to reach. It requires a story that reflects your identity, language that makes sense to your audience and thoughtful choices about how it is shared.

We help develop that foundation and carry it through into the content and creative work you need.

How we can help

01Story and messagingArticulate your purpose, identity and key messages in language people understand.
02Brand identityDevelop a consistent verbal and visual expression of who you are, working with creative collaborators.
03Communications strategy and planningClarify your audiences, priorities, channels and activities.
04Writing and contentCreate website copy, publications, project communications and campaign material.
05Creative direction and storytellingBring words, design and other creative disciplines together to communicate ideas and stories.

Our approach

We take time to understand your work, your people and what makes you distinctive. We listen to how you describe yourselves and consider what your audiences need from you.

From there, we develop the story and its expression together. We bring in the creative skills the work needs and stay involved as the detail takes shape.

The aim is communication that feels true to you, makes your work easier to understand and gives people a reason to take an interest.

In their words

01 / 03

“Johny’s ability to connect, listen, and translate complex ideas into clear, compelling narratives was invaluable. The quality of his work is always exceptionally creative, thoughtful, and grounded in what the situation truly needs.”

Ali BoswijkCEO, Nelson Tasman Chamber of Commerce

Johny is incredibly effective at what he does; from top-level strategy right down to the implementation of the many moving parts required to make that strategy successful. He has a rare ability to not only come up with visionary ideas but also to be able to apply those concepts in the real world of business. I can highly recommend Johny based on the fantastic work he has done for our businesses since we started working together in 2016.

Brendan AlbornManaging Director, Alborn Enterprises

It has been a pleasure working with Johny and his team at OD&Co. They took the time to understand a complex project and overall programme of works; curated a well considered, thorough and meaningful communication and engagement strategy. This has brought a wealth of expertise and craft into the project which has enriched the project in so many ways.
The team are professional, dedicated and have gone above and beyond to meet the project milestones with a constant check and view to achieving the overarching project outcomes. The project has been lucky to have them on board and look forward to the final stages of delivery in the coming years.

Karina MitchellProject Manager, Bridge to Better

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