Former 303 MullenLowe MP Lee Robson launches communications + content consultancy istories

Former 303 MullenLowe managing partner and Fox Sports head of publicity, Lee Robson, has today announced the launch of istories, a new strategic communications and content consultancy operating at the intersection of data and storytelling.

Specialising in strategic communications for content companies, istories draws on Robson’s 18+ years’ experience working with and for companies involved in the creation, aggregation, distribution or amplification of content.

That experience spans senior positions leading communications strategy for globally recognised brands including Fox Sports, Discovery Channel, The Huffington Post, AOL and Sky Television in the UK, as well as numerous content-oriented SMEs, agencies and start-ups across sport, entertainment and technology.

Following his departure from 303 MullenLowe in 2018, Robson embarked on a period of study in the field of data analytics, developing a range of skills in the interpretation, manipulation and visualisation of data. Combined with the insights and skills accumulated over the best part of two decades with major brands and leading PR and full-service creative agencies, istories is equipped to handle large and disparate data sources to inform, evaluate and optimise communications and content strategy.

Says Lee Robson, founder and chief storytelling officer, stories: “Everyone in PR and content strategy knows how to talk a good game when it comes to the importance of data, but sit 99% of comms specialists down in front of 10,000 rows of raw data and ask them to draw an insight, and you’ll quickly watch them turn white.

“I didn’t want to be that person, which meant taking myself out of my comfort zone to learn the language of data; something I believe every PR needs to invest in if they’re serious about staying relevant in this industry over the next ten years.”

istories gets underway with three founding clients. iwonder, Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia’s pioneering documentary video streaming service, has engaged istories with a remit covering brand communications, trade and consumer press office, content publicity and influencer strategy.

AthletesVoice, Australia’s leading sports storytelling and brand engagement platform, will also be working with istories across corporate communications, events, brand marketing and new product and launch activity as it looks to take the brand and suite of products to an ever-widening audience in Australia and overseas.

FamilyFive, a real-world mobile parenting app designed to improve the quality of family life and maximize life outcomes for kids, has also engaged istories to drive awareness, uptake and usage among users in Australia and globally through consumer PR activity.

Breaking the traditional consultancy model, in addition to a full range of specialist communications services, istories will also be offering two products at launch. The first is a coverage impact scoring tool which can be customised at point sale to meet the specific requirements of agencies and in-house communications teams looking to bring greater intelligence and insight to their daily coverage monitoring and reporting capabilities.

The second is a bespoke communications evaluation framework and guideline, combining AMEC Framework methodologies with data analytics integrations which can be customised and delivered to fit individual agency and business needs.

Says Robson: “Campaign evaluation should always be a tailored process of continual refinement, with metrics based upon specific client and campaign needs, but what the application of data analytics does is bring hard numbers to a practice which is too frequently obscured by subjectivity and spurious assumptions. While istories’ clients gain ongoing access to these tools, agencies and in-house comms teams looking for one-off solutions can come to istories for tailor-made measurement and evaluation products to fill a short-term need or be integrated into ongoing processes.”

Says James Bridges, co-founder and CEO of video streaming platform iwonder, says of the decision to work with istories: “What led us to appoint istories was Lee’s credentials and the compelling strategic vision outlined for iwonder, but what has impressed us since is the passion and professionalism istories brings to the table in helping us to broaden our horizons and our ability to take the iwonder brand and service to new audiences each day.”

Says Kerry McCabe, founder and CEO of AthletesVoice: “istories brings a highly valued level of intelligence and insight to the team and we’re delighted to be in a position to benefit from Lee’s continued guidance and support as we build on AthletesVoice’s mission to bring athletes and brands together to win off the pitch.”

Prior to his arrival in Sydney in 2016, Robson was founder and director of award-winning communications consultancy, LRPR, named Best New Agency at the 2015 Prolific North awards, recognising outstanding talent operating outside London. Robson’s career history also includes periods with PR and integrated agencies working with clients including: Discovery Channel, The Huffington Post, ESPN and Freeview, the UK’s largest digital TV service. Robson also served as publicity manager with ISP Tiscali, working on emerging VOD technology, as well as five years with Sky Television as Senior Publicist across comedy, drama and factual.

Lee Robson can be reached via the istories website at www.istories.com.au.