A great tagline is as rare as a grand slam in the bottom of the 9th, your team down by 3 runs, 2 strikes on the batter. Great when it happens, but unlikely.
Lessons from animals: E is for eagle
The reality is that while they’re great birds of prey, eagles will eat carrion, too, if need be. And they’ll steal the food captured by a smaller bird. All you schools that have the eagle as a mascot? You’re rooting for a bully.
Cheeky writing Part 3: A financial services example
CUSTOMER: Can I run a bowl of chili through the vacuum tube in the drive-thru? TELLER: I’ll have to ask my manager. That’s an excerpt from a great campaign for financial services that shows how cheeky writing can boost business.
Authenticity: Why Dylan’s Super Bowl ad didn’t work and Eminem’s did
We know that our products come from all over the world, so counting on us to find a car appealing just because it’s American made is a little insulting. We might assume that Eminem would walk into a Detroit auditorium where a gospel group is singing, but we don’t really think Bob Dylan is playing pool in a neighborhood bar.
In ads, concept rules — but copy counts, too
After my last post on the grammatical issues in a series of real estate ads, I got a lot of comments from people who said grammar doesn’t matter — concept is key. They’ve got a point. A good concept can get by with weak writing while a weak concept won’t fly, even with excellent writing. […]