Cinderella’s castle.
I don’t need to say anything else, and you know exactly what I’m talking about. Odds are you’re picturing it now.
Here’s the thing: since when is that castle Cinderella’s?
It’s not even Prince Charming’s castle, because his dad’s still running show at the end of the movie.*
Fact is, it’s the King’s castle. IDFK which King – probably several generations back.
So why does everyone call it Cinderella’s castle?
Because of, “when the legend becomes fact, print the legend.”
Say it consistently and authoritatively, and soon enough folks will believe it. Call it fake news, misinformation or simple human nature.
This usually works against us PAOs, because we dabble in truth while adversaries dabble in agendas and emotions.
What to do about it? We won’t veer from facts – that is to say, we won’t start with a false legend and get people to accept it as reality. Sorry, Cinderella.
We’d like the facts to speak for themselves, but that doesn’t mean our facts need to be boring. Help the facts become legendary: tell true stories, trigger emotions and connect with your audience.
Maybe if you knew the King won wars, liberated his people, brought peace and prosperity to his kingdom, and so on … his people wouldn’t rename his castle after his deadbeat son’s one-night fling.
*We haven’t seen the live action version, so my five year old and I don’t accept it as canon.
**Mixing Princess references. Guess where I am this week?
(Photo from DVIDS)
