May 9, 2006
if you talked to people
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Hugh MacLeod
I'm a cartoonist.
I sell limited-edition prints.
I wrote a book.
I'm CEO of Stormhoek USA, which markets South African wine in the States.
I also draw private commissions.
Prints |
Opening | Current |
|---|---|---|
Bluetrain |
$900 | |
We Need to Talk |
$650 | |
Portfolio #2 |
$300 | |
NY NY |
$275 |
test
Punch you in the face and then lock you up.
I laughed out loud at this one, but when I thought about it I don’t know why I thought it was funny. It’s just kind of sad really.
Nice riff Hugh.
Very True.
It would probably sound like ‘BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH ME ME ME ME ME’ [repeat]
…then they whine and ask why you hit em’.
Been there, done that. And by God I’ll do it again.
R E S P E C T…
Simple to know, simple to learn, simple to do.
If you can’t, walk away.
At the same time, if you advertised the way people really talk to each other, you wouldn’t be able to sell anything.
Advertising uses tension to generate desire — you want…, you need…, you’d be better off if…, won’t it be nice when.…
Meanwhile, we tend to want to keep our conversations with strangers on a more polite, even-keel path.
How do you do? Well, thank you.
Pretty boring stuff.
Is that the alternative?
R
I can’t claim to have read a lot of advertising that has been interesting, but reading reviews/analysis of product/services has proved a lot more entertaining and definitely more interesting than a bunch of advertising I can see right through.
How about, as an alternative, we all become lensmasters on Squidoo and start giving people useful information to carry out their own evaluation prior to buying stuff they might actually value and appreciate.
OK — so that means there may be crap product/services that suffer as a result, but is that a problem the purchaser should have tyo worry about? I think not.
Times are a-changing.
Ruben,
Ever hear people discuss things about which they’re passionate? Sometimes that can be quite compelling.
“But people aren’t passionate about what I sell.”
Then I’d challenge you to think about why you’re even advertising. Advertising is talking about your product (to keep it simple). If you’re not worth talking about, you’re not worth advertising.
The best advertising gives people not only a reason to buy, but a reason to talk as well.
From now on I shall never talk to people the way advertising talk to people. Amen.
True!
Hugh, you rock.
… especially if you use that movie trailer voice. It’ll be funny at first… then it’ll be kinda creepy… then you’ll be fed a low-calorie, 7-essential nutrients, high-fiber, multigrain knuckle sandwhich.
In all seriousness Hugh, ’twas a brilliantly simple statement. Kudos!
As well as the main critical mass ride there
For you? Chloraform and strapping tape. Or a magazine. Go with the one without the federal charges.
And if we all listened and took to heart what avertising is saying (you need, you want, you deserve, etc), we’d all be insecure, shallow wrecks.
Well, come to think of it, an awful lot of people seem to be listening…
Is there any way in hell this can get added to the blogcards printing options? I want it and want it bad
I’d try to talk Weinberger into buying a truckload of them, too 