6 Degrees of Benjamin Franklin
Doing business with — making yourself vulnerable to — a complete stranger feels bad. Nobody wants to put themselves in that situation.
Top Gun & The Tale of 2 Super Bowl Ads
While Tony Scott's Top Gun was the highest-grossing film of the year, his 1985 Super Bowl spot is regarded as Apple's worst ad ever.
Do Your Ads Obey the Law?
The first law of advertising is quite simple: Thou Shalt Not Be Boring! And there are really only two ways to avoid breaking that law.
The Slow Season Fallacy of PPC Advertising
When almost no one is in the market for what you sell — i.e., when it’s slow season — then almost no one is searching on relevant keywords.
3 Reasons Why Everyone’s STILL Talking About “The Slap” — and How to Harness That Power For Your Advertising
I don’t even have to tell you what slap I’m talking about, do I?
Screw You, I’m Going To Stand Out
How do you become the industry market leader if you say the same thing as every other business?
A “Common Sense” Mistake That’s Killing Your Advertising Effectiveness
By the time you’ve been on the air for three months, your audience knows who you are.
The Thing is Never the Thing
I would never criticize something I have no experience with… so I went ahead and bought an automated iHeart radio ad to advertise this article.
The Hybrid Persuasive Power of “Slice of Life” Campaigns
These are mini-dramas in which the efficacy of the product is semi-demonstrated, as testified by the main character.
Recipe for Success: Strategy First, Messaging Next, Creative Last
You'll need to follow either Pizza Hut or Rolling Stone. It depends on whether customers are wrong about you, or they're right.
Fundamental Forces of Business – Part 2
This technique is used by many who think they understand advertising. It can turn a person into a customer, but only a weak one.
SUPERbowl vs SuperBORE
Professional sports now revolve around storylines. Business is about stories too. They glue us to the game and keep us wanting more.
Super Bowl Advertising vs. Your Advertising
Even guaranteed attention fizzles with a dud ad, while completely disinterested audiences can be won over with high-impact advertising.
Learning from the Legends: Yes, Virginia, It Really Is That Simple!
Marlboro was a failed filtered cigarette brand, marketed to women with the slogan “Mild as May”
Demonstration Ads — Part Deux.
Demonstration ads are like testimonial ads. They demand more of the advertiser and the creative team, but they're persuasive magic.