Earlier this year, I attended a GIBS forum titled MONEY: The object of our desires. The engine of our genius. Humanity’s greatest invention, where Irish economist David McWilliams shared that economics is the story of humanity, yet too often it’s told through the lens of algebra rather than through real stories. What does this mean for us in our roles as PR professionals?
Learning from David McWilliams: economics as a human story
In a discussion led by Rob Rose, an experienced journalist and co-founder of The Currency publication, McWilliams shared insight about his book Money: A Story about Humanity as well as stories ranging from his first visit to South Africa to an unexpected meeting with Bono and the Pope. No, this wasn’t the start of a “Bono, the Pope, and an Irish economist walk into a room” joke. It was a surreal story about being pulled over in Rome for speeding the wrong way up a one-way street… while on his way to meet Bono and the Pope!
Despite all the exciting side stories, what stayed with me long after the event was his view that economics has lost its joy, because economists don’t know how to tell stories.
When we lose joy, we lose connection
McWilliams argued that we destroy the basics of economics by being anti-joyful. Children intuitively understand value and trade at the age of seven when they swap sports cards. We saw this same joy in South African kids when they traded Checkers Sixty60 minis, instinctively grasping value without needing a spreadsheet to explain it. There were even jokes about people trading ‘the pink trolley’ for Hilux bakkies or selling it online for thousands of rands, proof that value is often as much about the story and emotion as it is about price.
Unfortunately, those same seven-year-olds get moulded by a system that teaches the joy of economics straight out of them, leading to graduated economists who have completely lost the skill of storytelling. Instead, they rely on numbers alone to convey their messages.
Why PR professionals are more important than ever
This is exactly where PR professionals can play a powerful role. By helping economists, executives, and financial leaders translate complex numbers into compelling stories, we can bridge the gap between technical analysis and public understanding.
Storytelling isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s essential for building trust, inspiring confidence, and connecting on a human level. As PR professionals, we have the skills to bring joy, clarity and relatability back into these conversations, making sure that the story behind the numbers is never lost.
That doesn’t mean the numbers aren’t important; quite the opposite. How we share the numbers is just as crucial.
McWilliams suggests three storytelling principles that are especially vital for investor communication today:
- Make it logical.
- Make it fun.
- Use numbers, but always ask: Am I using them to bully my audience or to build rapport?
An easy place to start is to incorporate infographics into your PR and communications strategies and to curate stories around purposefully designed visuals that translate complex information into something your audience can absorb at a glance. You can read more about this in one of our latest blogs.
Today’s investors want more than just balance sheets and earnings updates. They want to understand your story: your purpose, your people, and your long-term vision. I recently saw a post on X by @SoulFairy3 that captures this so well:
The rise of retail investors, the growing focus on ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) factors, and the demand for authentic, transparent communication highlight this shift. Numbers alone can’t inspire confidence or loyalty. Stories can.
Help investors believe in the story behind the numbers
If we want investors to believe in the numbers, we must first help them believe in the story behind them.
As PR professionals, we have both a responsibility and an opportunity to help economists and financial leaders become better storytellers. By doing so, we don’t just change investor updates, we transform how people engage with finance and economics as a whole.
At the end of the day, investors aren’t just buying shares. They’re buying into the story, the vision, and the people behind the numbers.
Are you ready to work with a team that can help you become a better storyteller? Get in touch with us today.