June 20, 2005
what’s their angle?
[FROM A RECENT MEMO TO A CLIENT:]
Back in the old days, you hired an ad agency to tell your product’s story. Some of them would do a good job– engaging commercials, beautiful photography, exotic locations, sexy people, clever taglines etc etc.
Nowadays, you have to be smarter than that. You don’t want the kind of high-production stories that come out of ad agencies– you want the kind of stories that ordinary people can tell.
Ordinary people actually aren’t that different than ad agencies i.e. they’re only going to tell your story if there’s something in it for them. With ad agencies, it’s easy– they just want the large wads of cash. Ordinary people want something else. Status. Cool factor. Peace, Love and Happiness. Whatever.
Forget your “product benefit” for a second. Instead, just ask yourself, when somebody’s telling your story to other people, what’s in it for them? What’s their angle?
Worth thinking about.
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Sometimes, the angle can be as simple as the pleasure of telling an engaging story that the audience enjoys hearing.
That, in and of itself, is an art form. The ad agencies have told stories for years, and just like filmmakers, some are well told, some are not. Some capture imagination and inspire, while the vast majority of stories or product narratives are bland and forgettable.
I think the trick is to forget about what you think you know is hip and cool and trendy, and instead get back to the basic values of STORY. Start there, and everything else good will follow.
If your product is bland and unexciting, completely worthless or it sucks, you’re pretty much out of luck. We’ll enjoy watching your company die… maybe re-invent with something worthwhile and of quality next time? hmmmm?
I’d love to see that image in your t-shirt store.
Good call Jon — some of the flashiest/most expensive/‘coolest’ ads have been no more than camouflage for a meaningless story. It may have worked once, but most people these days are too familiar with broken promises from poor products and service not to recognise that most ads are wallpapering over unfixable cracks in the wall …
Often the people enjoy the telling of the story, sometimes they want to identify themselves with a product they like. But a lot of the time they are, consciously or not, trying to raise their social status by being perceived as reliable sources of information, early adopters with a good eye, etc.
Pick your favorite toy, and try to think who you first saw with it. If it was someone you know, chances are you have other favorite things they also had first. And chances are that has something to do with your opinion of the person.
I like quite a few of your cartoons, but this one is particularly funny. I second the nomination to T-Shirt status.
happy coincidence indeed:)
A: Oh God
B: What?
A: Not you I was talking to myself
What a phenomenal post. Thanks for sharing it.
Such a common sense idea really, but most people with experience in a given field get trapped in the old days with the old ways. That’s so true in radio. Everybody wants to be larger than life, but they put themselves in a position where nobody relates to them. Big voice! Sayin’ stuff! …no impact… instantly forgotten.
ENGAGEMENT.
thats the new word i use for my evolving phisolophy on marketing. just down to earth engagement — how do you keep readers faithful? how do you win advertisers?
its not just about primetime slots or circulation.
its keeping your ads and content engaging to readers so you can humbly say that yes, people do read my stuff all the time.
makes me wonder how it works in the blogging world. im thinking of another online project — something more personal, soft-skilled, and witty.
i love this blog of yours, hugh.
Hugh Always Nails it on the Head
You do read Hugh McLeod’s business card-sized comics on his blog gapingvoid, don’t you?
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