Make and Share Courageous Communications
"Great art is connected with courage and truthfulness." -Iris Murdoch
Marketers have such little room for error. When a brand misses the beat, it loses another chance to connect with a group of people who might otherwise have become customers. Sadly, this happens all the time because people working in marketing (on the client-side and the agency-side) have trouble with some of the core truths of our business.
Core Truth #1: People are overwhelmed with their own day-to-day tasks and do not want to be interrupted by your pitch.
Core Truth #2: Based on core truth number one, you have but one chance to break through by making communications that provide clear and real value.
Core Truth #3: Communications that provide clear and real value to the reader or viewer are not chest-beating affairs. The best work makes a strong connection with people precisely because it taps something inside of them.
British novelist, Iris Murdoch, takes the concept further.
Great art is connected with courage and truthfulness. There is a conception of truth, a lack of illusion, an ability to overcome selfish obsessions, which goes with good art, and the artist has got to have that particular sort of moral stamina.
Take whatever commercial product it is that you’re making—an ad campaign, or a new magazine, or film—and subject it to The Iris Murdoch’s rule.
When the product has “a conception of truth, a lack of illusion, and an ability to overcome selfish obsessions,” it will help move people to buy. When it lacks these fundamental elements, it will be ignored.
Client Feature: St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Marco Island, Florida turned to Bonehook with a unique request. The church sought a partner to help it reinvent its logo and brand identity, and create a new website and street-facing signs (now in production).
The creative brief called for universal expressions of love, so right away, we knew this project was going to be different from the rest.
Lagniappe
“Truly, the icons of advertising are not Ogilvy and Bernbach but Snap, Crackle, and Pop.” -Faris Yakob
Is the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team cursed? This sports reporter does not say so, but there are so few other viable explanations.
I recently showed my proof of vaccination card to gain entry to The Outlaw Music Festival, which kicked off at Germania Amphitheater in Austin. Works for me!
Austin FC is attractive to players and fans alike. Austin FC is also a case study in how to launch a powerful brand and how a powerful brand participates in and sometimes leads the culture.
Pati Jinich’s new show, PBS primetime special “La Frontera," will begin airing in October
When you are ready to make better presentations and truly ‘wow’ your audience, use just nine slides.
We Can Work It Out
To connect with people in today’s marketplace, don’t just state your offer. Cast a spell. How do you do that? You marry your brand voice to brand identity and experience.
Thanks for being here now.