Manosphere – human storytelling that still moves the needle.

It was arguably the biggest talking point in Britain last month.

And if you haven’t watched it, then you really should.

Louis Theroux’s Manosphere documentary on Netflix has fast become must-watch TV.

And as our brains become increasingly wired to only absorb content in 15-second reels, it had the nation gripped.

Why?

Because Louis is an expert storyteller.

While everything around us is getting faster, faker and much more dystopian, Louis’ shows are compelling because he just tells real human stories.

And he tells them very well.

As a journalist, his work is nuanced. He knows that life isn’t black and white – and that even chauvinistic influencers deserve to tell their side of the story.

And as the documentary shows, the art of ‘good’ storytelling can do more to stir public debate than anything else – even in 2026.

The documentary has been raised by MPs and has been the subject of countless editorials.

Clips have been widely shared across every social platform.

Yet the manosphere issue isn’t new. Louis was by no means the first person to tackle it.

But by telling the story so well, it has moved the needle on the debate immeasurably.

And that’s what good storytelling does.

It is the same in PR.

Yes, we live in a world where AI can whip up a neatly polished piece of copy. It can rapidly create imagery that ‘does the job’.

But it can’t tell stories like humans can.

Not now. Probably not ever.

And in PR, storytelling still is everything.

Stories that are felt.

And for a good story to be told, it must first be heard.

ChatGPT is a wonderful tool, but it doesn’t have ears (at least not yet).

It can’t feel the emotion of someone as they open up about the hardship and struggles they endured to get their business off the ground.

Nor does it appreciate the joy a business owner can feel when he’s been able to change people’s lives.

This month, we worked with Rounton Coffee to tell the story of their business.

It is a human story, involving founder David Beattie and the sacrifices he makes – the long hours, the trips away from home, and the risk he took – along with the positives.

Lives changed around the world. Jobs for his team.

That secured fantastic coverage as an exclusive feature in the Evening Gazette.

Maybe we are a bit biased, but like Louis, that sort of storytelling really can only be done by humans.

And as Louis’s film just reminded us, it is human storytelling that still moves the needle.