When was the last time you saw some advertising that made you go “wow”? Arguably some of the most memorable advertisements are the ones from our childhood or the ones that have really cheesy slogans or catching tunes. They’re memorable for a reason and it goes without saying that their influence has really changed how we perceive those products. If given the choice between a familiar brand and an unknown brand, we’re likely to pick the one we are familiar with even if it’s slightly more expensive.
These are the effects of a good marketing campaign. It’s not just about the product you sell or the impressive specifications it has or where it came from. It’s also to do with how you advertise it, the type of marketing tricks you use, and how to ride the wave of current trends. Turning heads isn’t difficult, but it’s made easier if you first have a plan. So whether you’re outsourcing your advertising or doing it yourself, here are a couple of pointers you can follow to successful turn the heads of consumers.
Show it Off
Have you ever wondered what makes an attractive logo? Why do you think you remember iconic logos such as the Adidas stripes, the McDonald’s M or the Coca Cola font? It’s not all in the design, but the look of it certainly helps. A great business logo encompasses what the business is about. For example, a logo such as FedEx or Google are iconic and instantly recognizable because the name itself is in the logo. There are some logos, such as the Nike tick, that don’t always show the name of the brand but instead, has a story behind that intrigues us and helps us to remember the brand.
Tell a Story
Like the Nike logo, telling a story is perhaps the easiest way for people to remember your advertising campaign or television commercial. It’s the reason why Thai life insurance commercials are so well-received and memorable. They don’t just show the brand or why you need the services they offer, they also tell a story that is memorable and helps link the brand to the story.
Show Don’t Tell
If someone tells you all the specifications of a product, then you’re probably only going to remember a few things that are relevant to you. Let’s say there’s an advert on television about the latest smartphone. It’ll tell you about the processor, how many megapixels the camera has, and perhaps that it has some kind of fingerprint scanner or other useful widgets.
You’ll probably remember a few of them, but it’s far easier to remember that new smartphone if they showed you the uses of the phone instead of just talking about it. They could show you that it runs the latest video games by showing some footage of someone playing a game, it could show you a clip of people taking beautiful panoramic shots with the phone, and it could show someone exercising with the phone in their pocket to show off how great it is as a fitness tool.
This is referred to as “show, don’t tell” in the creative writing business, and it’s one of the most effective ways to turn heads and have people running to buy your products.
