A Creative RIOT

Relevant, original and impactful: that's what my friend Creative Director Jim Mountjoy says that effective creative must be. With apologies to Jim, I have my own acronym because I think ROI is only 75 percent of the way there. Effective creative is a RIOT: relevant, impactful, original and true.

Let's say you are a personal injury attorney who represents the people. Do you think that a blue collar worker cares if you have "protected North Carolinians since 1975," or would a message like "fighting the system for you" resonate more? The first is chest-thumping, the second is more relevant.

A campaign we once did for Verbatim data storage products is a great "impactful" example. Everyone else in the industry was doing technical feature ads, but consumers told us they didn't care how the products were made, they wanted to know their data was safe. We took that relevant message and brought it to life. A comet streaks toward earth and a cartoon bubble from the planet says, "We may not live but at least the data will survive. Verbatim. Your best defense against data loss." Sales leads increased by more than 300 percent. Impactful? I think so.

Original is hard. How many times have you seen lame creative that steals from the successful "Got Milk?" creative? That doesn't mean you can't use things from popular culture in an original way. In a branding campaign I worked on for First Federal of Charleston, we took the Hal computer imagery from the movie "2001," turned it into an ATM, and let it be a surrogate for the big, impersonal banks.

Truth, however, is the most important element. What if you had an ad that said: "Remember when a small business had access to the bank president; when you could talk with a loan officer who understood your business and when the bank would actually send a courier to pick up your deposit? No? We don't either that's why..." Now, would you believe that ad from Bank of America? I don't think so. But from my client, the start-up Bank of Commerce, it is true and believable.

There you have it. Now, what's keeping you from starting a creative RIOT?

Harry Hoover is managing principal of Hoover ink PR. He has 26 years of experience in crafting and delivering bottom line messages that ensure success for serious businesses like Brent Dees Financial Planning, Levolor, New World Mortgage, North Carolina Tourism, TeamHeidi, Ty Boyd Executive Learning Systems, VELUX, Verbatim and Youth Link USA.

---

Competitive Research and Google

It all started out with an email message: "I am... Read More

The Top 10 Ways to Market your Business or Professional Practice Without Networking

While focused, strategic networking is usually the most efficient way... Read More

How to Put Law & Order into Marketing Your Legal Practice

First in a series of three articlesRegardless of your law... Read More

Spike TV - Know Your Audience

What do Klingons, giant rubber bands, and monster trucks all... Read More

Fundraising Letters Should Raise Donors, Not Donations, When Mailed to Strangers

Are you willing to spend $1.25 to raise $1? To... Read More

The Top 10 Wild and Wacky Ways to Market Yourself for Big Visibility

In today's competitive world of business, it takes moxie and... Read More

How to Use Flyers to Increase Your Business

What benefits will you get from flyers?Flyers are much different... Read More

Make It A Threesome

What if -- every time you had a networking appointment... Read More

5 Steps for Developing a Marketing Tag Line for Your Product, Business, or Website

A marketing tag line is the one or two line... Read More

Teaming Up Marketing and Sales

The Pitchers: SalesLet's say you have a new baseball team... Read More

Your 30 Second Commercial

This tip is so simple, that many people we've talked... Read More

Sum of Its Parts

I just spent a week at the beach with my... Read More

Finding a Brochure Printing Company

A brochure can be a great promotional tool, whether it... Read More

Comprehensive Marketing Details Not Found in Beginner Books

If this is the first marketing article you are reading,... Read More

Rules of Thumb for Marketing to Your Past Customers

Keeping in touch can dramatically increase business, when done properly.It's... Read More

Sell Big Ticket Items Now! - 1 Simple Step To Keep Your Fears From Holding YOU Back

First, some background on today's topic. I've had a terrible... Read More

Postcard Direct Mail Marketing: 15 Ways To Grab Attention

If you use direct mail postcards to generate leads or... Read More

51 Ways to Say Thank-you in a Fundraising Letter for a Non-for-Profit (Includes Examples & Samples)

One of the hardest jobs in fundraising is crafting original... Read More

Direct Mail Formats: How to Choose the Right One for Your Next Mailing

Which pulls the best response, a postcard, a self-mailer or... Read More

How You Can Make Money From Competitors Easy

Are you market products and services using PPCs? PPC Advertising... Read More

Are You Attracting or Repelling Prospects?

There are basically two ways in which you can either... Read More

What Can Star Wars Teach You About Creating a Buzz for Your Business?

Many people think marketing is some type of mystery that... Read More

Postcards Work

What's the fastest, simplest and cheapest way to promote just... Read More

10 Beer Budget Event Marketing Tips

Are you planning an event or participating in a trade... Read More

Why Your Sales Copy Should Be Written As If It Will Never Be Read At All!

What is enthusiasm?Well, consulting good ol' Mr. Webster, you could... Read More

Write Effective Fundraising Letters By Being Conversational (Includes Examples & Samples)

I am doing what you do, sitting at my computer,... Read More

Business to Business Direct Mail Offers that Say Free

In direct mail, the offer is the incentive or reward... Read More

Youre Halfway There!...Or Not Part 1

The year is almost over and the last half of... Read More

What Are Focus Groups & How Do They Work?

Businesses and other organizations use focus groups to research consumer... Read More

Discover the Winning Marketing Strategy Secrets of Donald Trump Apprentice Wanna-bes

The highly entertaining Donald Trump's search for an apprentice turned... Read More

Using a Contact List Profitably- Part Two

Besides a survey, your contact list can be used to... Read More

Ten Tips for Creating a Winning Proposal ? Part 1

If you want your business to grow and attract new... Read More

Marketing Strategy 101: 10 Marketing Strategies I Learnt From My Oral Surgeon

This is how the conversation went on my follow-up visit... Read More