It is the 125th Anniversary of Groundhog Day and the legendary Punxsutawney Phil is celebrating with an atypical forecast. As reported at 7:45 am in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, our nation’s furriest weatherman called for an early spring after not seeing his shadow.
Stemming from an age-old German belief in the prediction powers of hibernating marmots, it’s quite incredible that such a simple tradition has managed to stay relevant to our society today. Especially considering that the groundhog called for an early spring on this same morning that CNN went live with the headlines: “Massive Winter Storm Blitzes U.S.,” “Chicago Blizzard Shuts Downtown,” and “ NY Streets Perilous after Ice Storm.” Then again, if we tracked the groundhog’s accuracy versus that of an Ivy League educated meteorologist, the report would probably show animal instincts largely winning against those green-screen maps showing cute images of fluffy snow clouds and smiling suns...
At its core, the story of Groundhog Day could not be simpler. We could summarize it in three sentences: Since 1886, a small town in Pennsylvania has gathered on February 2nd to forecast the upcoming weather through a groundhog. If he sees his shadow and returns to hibernation, the prediction is set on six more weeks of winter. If he does not see his shadow and remains outside his burrow, we are to have an early spring.
So how did something so plain and so simple wind up attracting tens of thousands of visitors to a place called Gobbler’s Knob in a small town in Pennsylvania for an event that lasts less than a minute, is held at the crack of dawn, and is hardly taken seriously as a competitor in the industry of weather reporting?
Because the story of Groundhog Day has proven to have that sellable component of being retellable.
In 1993, a movie was released starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell called "Groundhog Day." It was a spin-off story based around the simple three sentences written above. According to IMDB.com, it grossed a modest $70,906,973 – significant but nothing spectacular in terms of box office hits. The real indicator of success for “Groundhog Day” is how it reached the town of Punxsutawney’s potential tourist market. Immediately after the film hit the screens, the Groundhog Day ceremony at Gobbler’s Knob saw its visitor traffic increase from a few thousand to tens of thousands. Today, the expected crowd numbers around 30,000 and is believed to include citizens of every state and at least 20 different countries. Not surprisingly, the businesses in Punxsutawney have seen related raises in their revenues.
When we at entreQuest go to write a client’s story, we do it in the spirit of our furry, forecasting friend Punxsutawney Phil. The core of your company is simply based on the beliefs of your people and the experience you intend to bring your customers. Then comes the sellable component of being retellable. Can your employees take that story and retell it in a manner that fully encompasses the values of your company with the added quality of their own personal style? Can your website take that story and retell it in a manner that reaches the masses with a click-worthy pull? Can your customers take that story and retell it in a manner that captures its true essence through their true experience? Could Hollywood come in tomorrow and retell it in a manner that goes on to touch masses of your potential customers bringing you more business?
With an early spring on the way, maybe it’s time to blossom the beliefs of your organization and get your story straight. Some of us have remained in the shadows for far too long.
Kristen Zatina is a writing specialist who scours worldwide business news for corporate inspiration.
(*Information Sources:
“Punxsutawney Phil Forecasts an Early Spring” by Associated Press. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Wednesday 2 February 2011. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11033/1122366-100.stm
“What the Heck Is Groundhog Day Anyway” by Albrecht Powell. About.com Pittsburgh. Wednesday 2 February 2011. http://pittsburgh.about.com/cs/punxsutawney/a/groundhog_day.htm
“Groundhog Day.” The Internet Movie Database. Wednesday 2 February 2011. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107048/
“Punxsutawney in No Hurry to Escape Phil’s Long Shadow” by Regis Behe. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Sunday 27 January 2008. http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/lifestyles/travel/s_548710.html)
