think feel act – Sonya Ellen Mann

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I Edit Wikipedia

Posted on June 20, 2015May 20, 2016 by Sonya Mann

Spoiler alert: I don’t actually edit Wikipedia. The only individual I’m aware of who does is that wonderful man crusading against the ungrammatical phrase “comprised of”. But these volunteer models serve as stand-ins for other Wikipedians:

I edit Wikipedia, poster concept — Poster via mikeedesign.

In 2008, students designed Wikipedia posters as an assignment for an art-direction class taught by Holly Shields at Texas State University. Flickr user mikeedesign explains how the posters were meant to mitigate the perceived unreliability of Wikipedia: “Our concept was to present an everyday person as an ‘expert’ on a specific subject in order to show that whether the information comes from a university professor or from an avid gamer, it is still reliable. […] We felt this approach humanizes the experience of Wikipedia.”

I love these posters. They depict the rabbit-hole glory of exploring obscure entries about a topic you find fascinating. However, your mileage may vary — for instance, my dad dislikes the TSU designs. To him, scribbled thought-trees look like a disorganized tangle of information, not something he would ever want to read.

Much as I personally enjoy them, the posters fail when it comes to People-Optimized Marketing. The text is certainly not readable at a glance. And although the sight may provoke your brain to twitch — “What the heck am I looking at?” — the posters won’t arouse emotion unless you already adore Wikipedia. It would also help to have the models smile. Cancer patients and veterans don’t have to be grim! People in tough circumstances can still feel joyful about their hobbies.

Toothy Headphones on an Egyptian Billboard

Posted on May 22, 2015May 20, 2016 by Sonya Mann

This post is part of my series based on People-Optimized Marketing, summed up by the keywords think, feel, act, and design. It’s a quickie.

striking 3D billboard — Photo by David Evers.

Obviously this billboard wins when it comes to design. The mouthy headphones and three-dimensionality are eye-catching. But how about the necessary intellectual aspects?

Illustration by Christopher Dombres.

Well… the billboard conveys a sense of rock-‘n’-roll brashness, and you can identify the brands Nokia and XpressMusic if you look closely. Obviously it has something to do with cell phones (back in the quaint old days of flip phones). But what is the message of the billboard? What is it proposing to the viewer? Mysterious. The think component is not spelled out sufficiently.

Instamotor Says You Can’t Uber To Big Sur

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Sonya Mann

I encountered this Instamotor ad on Twitter (on my phone, since I use AdBlock on the web). I think it’s a pretty good ad, even though I’m not convinced that car ownership is a better deal than Uber. Let’s evaluate Instamotor’s ad based on the principles of People-Optimized Marketing, summed up by the keywords think, feel, act, and design.

THINK: The caption reads, “You can’t Uber to Big Sur.” Your brain is immediately prompted to fill in the missing information. Why not just take Uber? Because it would be super expensive. Why go to Big Sur, anyway? Because it’s beautiful (reinforced by the photo). This has further implications…

FEEL: Thinking about Big Sur, looking at the snapshot of pretty California scenery, contemplating a weekend getaway… Feelings of pleasurable freedom, maybe even nostalgia. Now you’re going to associate those emotions with Instamotor, and the idea of driving to an idyllic camping spot.

A beach in Big Sur, California. Photo by John E Robertson.

ACT: You can tap the button and download the app, which is quite direct. This is one of the few scenarios where the viewer is able to act posthaste, which is a cool thing about mobile ads. Alternately, you can fave the tweet, retweet, and/or follow Instamotor.

DESIGN: In my opinion, the visual would work better without the iPhone screenshot imposed on the Big Sur image. Besides that, well done.

gorgeous beach in Big Sur, California — Big Sur really is gorgeous! Photo by Sarah Tzinieris.

Click here to see all my posts about People-Optimized Marketing.

People-Optimized Marketing Manifesto

Posted on May 11, 2015May 20, 2016 by Sonya Mann

What is People-Optimized Marketing?

Many marketers don’t consider how normal human beings will interact with their advertisements. This dilemma spans the profession, evident in the work of creative directors, designers, copywriters, account managers, etc. People-Optimized Marketing is a rubric for considering how marketers’ output will perform, based on simple principles.

Effective advertisements make the viewer think, feel, and act. In order for those reactions to be provoked, the visual design must be clear and interesting.

ad for tiny smart cars — Contrapunto BBDO for Smart USA, via Ads of the World.

How do good ads make people think?

Curiosity gaps coax viewers into thinking. Ads should give the viewer just enough information to prompt them to finish the story, drawing connections in their own mind. Guide the viewer toward a particular narrative without spelling it out entirely.

How do good ads make people feel?

Emotional responses are simple. For the most part, people care about other people, preferably specific people with faces and personalities. Ads can also use symbols and connotations to evoke particular moods, like this ad that shows buildings about to domino into catastrophe:

cooling toppling buildings ad — Havas for AXA Insurance, via Ads of the World.

How do good ads make people act?

Most ads won’t get the viewer to make a purchase right away. Rather, good ads give people what they need to act later. The product or service is identified, the brand is clear, and ideally the product is positively differentiated from what the competition offers. Triggers are another important consideration, as discussed in Jonah Berger’s study of virality, Contagious.

What makes an ad well-designed?

Design is more subjective than the other categories. In general, prioritize clarity and simplicity. Viewers need to be able to read the caption (if there is one) and identify the branding. I’ve written about this extensively when it comes to billboards. If you can make the design interesting or beautiful, that’s icing on the cake! Remember, cake needs frosting to be delicious.

bizarre dancing cartoon cake — Bizarre dancing cake for Verisign by FCB Chicago, via AotW.

Are these hard-and-fast rules?

Obviously not. People-Optimized Marketing is more about attitude than specific mandates. That said, ads that neglect to make viewers think, feel, and act are missing the opportunity to really engage viewers.

Click here to see all my posts about People-Optimized Marketing.

Geoffrey Holder’s Baldness Sells Vidal Sassoon

Posted on May 6, 2015May 6, 2015 by Sonya Mann

vintage Vidal Sassoon ad — Vintage ad via Jamie.

Actor Geoffrey Holder, quoted in an ad that ran in Rolling Stone in 1985: “If I had hair, I’d use Vidal Sassoon for men.” I think this ad is brilliant. Let’s evaluate how it prompts the viewer to think, feel, and act, then look at the visual design. I’m trying this four-pronged rubric as a way to examine ads and understand what they do right.

THINK: As soon as you read the caption, the contradiction is obvious. An ad for a hair product, promoted by a bald guy? That’s silly! You also process that Vidal Sassoon has to do with hair. Even if you’ve never heard of the brand before, you can easily tell what their business is.

FEEL: There’s something inherently funny about a bald guy shilling shampoo and pomade. You are amused. Geoffrey Holder’s smile is friendly, welcoming. He connotes vitality and artistic panache — Holder was a Trinidadian-American performer in New York. If you watched TV in the 1980s, you might remember him from 7 Up commercials:

In 1985, when Rolling Stone carried this Vidal Sassoon ad, Geoffrey Holder would have been familiar to most readers. The work he did for 7 Up boosted his work for Vidal Sassoon, giving the second company more bang for their buck.

ACT: The caption emphasizes Vidal Sassoon’s brand name without being clumsy or pushy. Next time you browse the shampoo aisle, positive associations will be swirling around in your brain, probably under the threshold of consciousness but powerful nonetheless.

DESIGN: The photograph and caption are simple, easy to read/understand, and pleasant.

That’s it! What do you think? Is this a good way to evaluate advertisements? Do you agree with my interpretation?

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