The human brain functions on alertness clues. Marketing agencies have to remember the simple math of problems and desires.
By Marc Zasada
Managing Director, Screenfire Media
If you’re buying agency services, you see the same mistake over and over.
They ignore how the human brain actually works.
What makes a good campaign?
Think about primitive types wandering through a jungle. Always they are on the lookout for two things:
- Do I see a problem I need to solve? (A tiger, a swamp)
- Do I see something I desire? (A shiny fruit, a deer)
Those “alertness cues” come in exactly that order, and every other question is far, far down on the list. Our wanderers are NOT on the immediate lookout for:
- Do I see a quality provider who might someday be useful to me?
Indeed, they are immediately suspicious of anyone appearing in the jungle and offering to shake their hand while saying, “I’m very competent, trust me.”
That’s why it rarely works to put out copy that leads with stuff like:
- Unmatched Capabilities
- Proven Frameworks
- Leading Methodologies
- Full-service solutions
When you or your agency is doing marketing, that means that good copy will not passively promote a service or a capability, it will identify a problem or a desire, then addresses it.
Two very famous examples
The “Got Milk?” campaign of 1993 went directly to the hunter/gatherer brain. This ad didn’t say “Milk is wonderful and nutritious.” It said, “Milk is a basic necessity, and you are in danger of running out of it.”
The remarkable Apple iPod ads of 2003-2008 did not say, “Here’s an amazing new product on which you can store thousands of songs,” it showed fit, beautiful people in silhouette, dancing with earbuds. “I desire that experience,” was the immediate reaction.
Problems or desires. Not capabilities and services. Got it?
One important corollary:
Problems and desires are far simpler than capabilities and services. So go simple.
Don’t say, “At XYZ Corp, we offer a full suite of services, including the latest technologies and highly trained staff to solve your IT problems.”
Instead, lead with a simple alertness cue for a problem: “Is downtime unacceptable?”
Don’t passively pack in messaging like: “We make paradise affordable at our all-inclusive resorts.”
Lead with a basic, primitive alertness cue for desire: “Gentle surf and margaritas await you.”
After leading with problems or desires, you can then give the detail you think is essential, but just how much detail is a question for another blog.
For now, stay fiery.
Best, Marc
Marc Zasada is the Managing Director and Co-Founder of Screenfire. His credits include work for Microsoft, Mastercard, Christie’s, and many other leading companies.
Does your marketing need help? Find us at www.screenfiremedia.com
