Our world is very noisy. Thousands of pieces of marketing content are hurled at us every day and yet our ability to consume these communications remains unchanged. What has changed is the attention we're willing to give any one thing, so much so, that it's even got it's own term - continuous partial attention.
Our brains are finely tuned to respond to messages which touch our hearts, teach us something new and, or present content in an unforgettable way. In other words, nobody is interested in information anymore - entertain us, educate us and leave a lasting impression by all means, but don't expect a response if all you serve are the facts.
So how could your business take advantage of this human condition? Think like a publisher.
1. Make an emotional connection
Who is most likely to buy your product or service?. How are you going to convince them to choose your brand over the alternatives available? Answer - make them feel something. Since hearts often rule heads, those brands which challenge us to become emotionally involved, often pique our interest and therefore get the sale. They don't call it retail therapy for nothing.
e.g. Hyundai message from space commercial
2. Add the novelty factor
Using the very prim lady in the advert below, to talk about the delicate subject of poo, is both unexpected and funny. It's often the novelty of a companies approach which grabs our attention in the first instance. We like the new and the surprising, but be sure to tailor this to the audience you're trying to attract. Humour is a delicate balancing act.
e.g. Poo pourri
3. Be memorable
Making your brand a household name, is every marketers dream and yet much of the content on offer is full of well worn stereotypes and pat phrases (see this is a generic brand video). We see the same things so often that they become invisible to us, losing their magic.
The mad men of yesteryear made products memorable by adding jingles and bold images. Some things never change - Apple think different commercial or Nike Just do it
Think of what you've liked, shared and talked about today and remember that your marketing has to resonate with real people in disguise as consumers, audiences and personas.
In the words of Viggo Mortensen “There's no excuse to be bored. Sad, yes. Angry, yes. Depressed, yes. Crazy, yes. But there's no excuse for boredom, ever”.
Go, create.
