How to Create Memorable Messaging

I recently sat in on a webinar that was titled "Creating Memorable Content". I was expecting this webinar to be focused on web content; however, it was actually focused on creating engaging PowerPoint presentations or visual aids for presentations. Interestingly, much of what was shared I found very intriguing and very relevant to the digital space.

The main premise of the webinar, what helps people remember? You see, people can only act on what they remember, so begins the conversation on things like brand recognition and awareness! These terms are thrown around by agencies alot, but hardily applied to “real life" i.e. What are your people actually remembering about your brand? And, can they even remember your brand at all?

Be Different
What makes something distinctive? Well this webinar suggests incongruity, either laced with humor or presented in the form of a question.

Incongruity forces your brain to pay attention and engage, providing just enough interest to process what it's seeing. Just enough familiarity blended with the right amount of difference will pull the reader in for a closer look. This is the kind of advertising that sticks in the brain.

Think about it this way. Can you identify who these campaigns belong to?

1. Provides the most reliable overnight delivery services
2. Is a world leader in the personal computer business
3. Is the first choice of doctors for their own pain relief

So many brands have such similar messaging that it's difficult to remember whose campaign is whose! And these are big brands! Sobering huh?

Let these big brands influence you. Do something different and unexpected that creates a contrast in your space. This will help with recall rate.

Make them feel something
The idea that emotional connections are a highly coveted reaction in marketing is no secret. But what emotion stands out in memory? Desire vs pleasure? Negative emotion vs positive emotion? The Holy Grail is empathy. If you can provide content and imagery that evokes empathy in your audience, well then, you've just gained your brand some high recall rate.

While this webinar did inspire an interest in creative imagery focused on being different and evoking an emotion, it also got me thinking about how this data could be useful for the digital realm.

The short answer: keep it short and sweet…a little different, a little unexpected or a little emotional.

Create brief, distinct messages that are unique and foster a strong emotional connection for your audience with your brand!

Heinken launched a digital campaign in January called “Um Like Um Balao" or “One Like, One Balloon" to increase their “likes" on Facebook from Brazilian fans. Every time someone from Brazil liked the Heinken Facebook page, one green balloon was blown up and added to an office. This campaign generated thousands of “likes" within a few days. They documented the increase in balloons via videos and shared these with select participants. You can watch all the videos on their YouTube Channel . Think about Heinken's audience, now think about this campaign, and the results make a lot of sense. A simple message that was unique and different helped build brand awareness and recognition in just a few days! This is the power of the digital space. Recall rate should be pretty high on this campaign, and I bet participants and friends got together and had a Heini later!

With so many big brands diluting their messaging by sounding too much like everyone else in the same space, think about doing something different with your marketing.

1. Do both or pick one.
Sometimes you can successfully incorporate incongruity and emotion into one message, but it may make more sense to pick one of the two approaches. First, know what you want to say, and then determine how you will say it.

2. Get to Know Your Audience…. Digitally.
Spend some time understanding your audience and how they interact in the digital world. This will allow you to pick the best messaging approach, and then execute in the proper digital channels.

3. Speak their Language.
Learn what speaks to your audience, and create messages that intrigue them or evoke a connection with them. Think courtship. You've got to get them interested in you, so you can take things to the next level!

4. Say things that Matter.
Start finding out what's most important to your audience and stop focusing on what's best about your product or services offerings. Speak to what your audience finds important and relevant.

5. Be Real.
After all, brands are made up of people trying to reach audiences made up of people, and all people love a unique story they can relate to. This will also build your credibility in the eyes of your audience.

Answers to: Can you identify who these campaigns belong to?

1. Provides the most reliable overnight delivery services DHL
2. Is a world leader in the personal computer business Dell
3. Is the first choice of doctors for their own pain relief Bayer