Some People Say Our Ads Are Annoying. What Now?
Indifference is the killer. Irritation is just evidence that somebody's paying attention.
“We Care” Is Not a Marketing Strategy
Nobody gets bonus points for clearing the basic bar, but most ads are celebrating mere table stakes.
You already know what this is
McDonald's had bravery on this that if people didn't figure it out, somebody would tell them.
Why this AMAZING ad doesn’t land…
It made you feel like you were listening in, which hits you differently.
The Attention Equation: Story, Trust & Timing
Most owners do this backwards. Humans love to reciprocate, so start by giving a gift.
Don’t Let The Legal Department Kill Creativity!
They make you as bland as possible to snuff out any chance of going to court. But the edge is what made it funny.
How Being Specific Makes You More Persuasive
Naming details takes guts and makes you trustworthy.
Why Explanation Doesn’t Create Desire
People do not move through the world as neat little logic machines. They are running. Distracted. Hopeful. Insecure.
How To Stand Out In Your Industry
They originally started a cookie cutter ad, just terrible. Thus began some soul searching that led to the dazzle.
Why Your Ads Aren’t Working
You're talking about the wrong person. It's about listeners. It's about empathy.
The benefit of being Absurd
Don't overexplain what you're doing because then nobody's going to like it.
Irresistible Marketing – Why Stories Sell & Facts Don’t
Gurganus was right. Stories only happen to people who can tell them.
How Smarties became a Billion Dollar Brand…
Why do 185 countries (except the USA) all know which color to eat last?
When Sex Appeal doesn’t sell…
Charlie was the bestselling perfume on the planet until it traded 1970s empowerment for a more traditional appeal.
How to Write Headlines That Demand Attention
Have the courage to be different, evocative, surprising, and occasionally absurd.