Metaphors are figurative comparisons that convey the meaning of our cause. For example, the Johnson & Johnson ad for the Band-Aids was “Say hello to your son’s new bodyguard.” The use of the word bodyguard conveyed that the product was strong and the son someone very valuable. Use similes. Similes are comparisons of two things introduced by ‘as’ or ‘as much as’, but which are in most respects different. For example, “Taking drugs is like playing with fire,” or “Hockey is like war and ballet.” These similes give a starting point for people to understand what is being communicated from something that is familiar to them. Keep it short. Few can beat Nike’s famous Just do it slogan. Short sentences are memorable and repeatable.
Communicating the Creation
Scare tactics are hard to swallow and can have the photo background removing opposite effect than intended. For example, the warning that “Twenty-five million people are killing themselves by smoking cigarettes” might convince people that smoking is acceptable because there are twenty-five million people who do it. It is better to draw a realistic picture of future profits rather than trying to scare people. Show respect. Actions that insult people’s intelligence rarely captivate. TV commercials for miraculous weight loss, eternal beauty, or instant health fall into this category. When we disrespect, what we get is resentment instead of action. Instead, it’s better to try to do something fantastic, convey the facts and let people decide for themselves.
Speech Goes Far Beyond Putting
Once we have created a groundbreaking cause, the next News US step must be a launch of epic, Homeric proportions (“the fleet of a thousand ships”), and not the usual boring, unfunny and disappointing stuff. You need to tell a great story to enthrall the public to the cause and get it off the ground fast. Tell a story. Captivating pitches are more than just press releases, fact sheets, one-sided claims, and boring sales pitches. They attract people’s interest and excite their imaginations through a fascinating story. Lois Kelly raises four arguments, which will help create a story that does justice to the cause.
