I always enjoy seeing how art directors come up with various ideas to unify content that spreads across various pages. An interesting approach, using “thin ribbons” was on display in this past weekend’s print edition of the Financial Times.

A special edition, promoted here on Page One, was all about the millennials, those who came of age after 2000. As the FT introduced the extensive series of articles, it wrote:

“Millennial writers, illustrators and photographers on the ambitions, attitudes and art of their generation.”

While I am far from being a millennial, I do enjoy my interactions with them at various consulting jobs, and, of course, with my Columbia University students, and so I enjoyed getting an insight into what makes this peculiar group interesting.

The main piece refers to the millennials as “rebels taking on their parents professionally, personally and politically.”

The millennials themselves wrote pieces under such provocative headlines as:

“I am just basically floating everywhere.”

“Love in the time of Facebook.”

“Life is so much fun if you can have pride in yourself.”

“I can be immortal.”

“Knowing how to talk is a great power.”

Baby boomer me agrees!

Come to think about, is there anything above that could not be said by members of my baby boom generation? I argue that my generation is definitely one that continues to take steps to be “immortal”. We have been activists from the start and know well that “knowing how to talk is a great power.” And who can say that we baby boomers have not been the first to proclaim that having pride in yourself is key to self fulfillment? Many adults, especially in the wild 60s, accused us baby boomers of “floating everywhere”. Come to think about it, we did, with one major difference: While we baby boomers may have floated, we did it with perhaps more of a constant foot on the ground, firmer goals and more focused. Am I biased here?

As for “love in the time of Facebook”, WE boomers are a major presence in FB. Or, my baby boomer friends are, and it is one sure way for me to keep in touch with them.

So, millennials, what’s new with you?

Then the best headline

And, for me, the best, a travel piece headlined:

“Where to go—now everywhere looks the same.”

Six tips for digital storytelling (the video)

Evangelischer Presseverband für Bayern e.V.

My short article with “six tips for storytelling” is online (sorry, german only):

https://www.sonntagsblatt.de/artikel/digitalisierung/medien/mario-garcia-sechs-tipps-fuer-gutes-storytelling

The Interview is also online:

https://youtu.be/6K1qJoupORY

This week

Reporting this week from one of the most scenic spots in Germany, Lake Konstanz, where we wrap up the so called SHIFT project with the regional daily Sudkurier.

This is a digital strategy project and this week I will be conducting training sessions for all journalists in the team.

Will report on highlights during the week.