I’ve been
reading an interesting book, suggested by a former student. Sway:
The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior by Brafman and Brafman. Basically, it’s one of those “why we do
what we do even when it’s not in our best interests to do it” books. Full of
examples, warts-and-all real life, (easy to read/understand) scientific
studies.
Sway’s
a book every Kamikaze Copywriter (Kamikaze AD, GD, AE, etc.) should buy – not
just read. Keep it on the shelf
next to your Archives and CA. Not because we don’t understand the forces at work here – some
(rarely all) we do, albeit usually on a more gut/grokking level. We should keep it handy because Sway holds many clues to how to motivate,
concept and write your way around that most interesting phenom, Perceived Differences. If you have real differences, the book will help you decide when to use them,
when to fagettaboudit.
I touched on
this in February, 2011 (Perception vs.
Reality), but that was in broader, strategic and conceptual terms. This is about writing copy. Copy that may not have anything
concretely better-than-the-competitors to say about a product, but that’s stronger,
more motivating and persuasive none-the-less.
Before you
start writing, you need to know (or intuit) where you want your copy to
go. What
argument/carrot/stick/incentive your concept can ride to victory. You’ll also need to know how to sell
whatever you come up with. Being
Kamikaze, the concept/argument should be pushing someone in the
approval cycle’s limits. Sway gives great ammo to relegate lack
of approval to the merely subjective.
Some, but far
from all, the great stuff this book can help you see/sell/use:
The Rush Limbaugh School of Meaningless Copy.
The man spouts the most outrageous, untrue, ill-considered things he
can come up with – people BELIEVE. Why? First off, he’s preaching to the choir. His followers don’t care about truth;
all they care about is what Rush said. Problematic in mainstream (or any
other) advertising, there are legal ramifications to doing what Rush does. You can, however, pretend. You’ve seen those headlines, MAN EATS
DOG, RABID DOG LOVERS ON HUNGER STRIKE, yadda yadda. Turns out they’re talking Nathans, Ball Park, Hebrew
National. As blind as it is, why does it work? The
authors call what many of us have always known Diagnosis Bias. Read
the book.
The Publishers Clearing House School of
Meaningless Copy. You offer a fabulous prize 99.9% of respondents
know they won’t win. Yet gazillions enter every year (don't you?). Why? I couldn’t say beyond “dreams and greed” until Sway explained it scientifically. According to the Las Vegas School of
brain response, the anticipation of a
big win has more sway than the reality of winning (or not).
The Do-It-You’ll-Feel-Good vs. Cold Hard Cash
Copy Argument. Think about all those green products extorting
us to assuage our conscience, do what’s best for Mother Earth. How motivating is asking us to wash
clothes without phosphates for the good of the planet and generations to come?
Pit altruism against “cheaper to
buy/cheaper to use/proudly still polluting.” Which copy platform sells more
product? Not only does Sway tell you which, it tells you why. Armed with that knowledge, you may find the perfect concept
to overcome altruism and science. (If BP gets hold of this, we're all in big trouble!)
The It’s-More-Expensive-But-Worth-It way to
color your copy. Been around since
before I knew how much fun hair color could be. There are now many more expensive, designer hair
products. Still, L’Oreal’s I’m Worth It campaign sucks them in. This one’s so powerful, it has the
chops to completely distort and dismember objective and professional judgment. Even more powerful teamed with what Sway calls Change Aversion, you’ll learn
how – and why – it works.
Not
every great method of copy logic is in the book – nor do the authors purport to
be writing about how to write ad copy. It’s still a great tool. Combined with a killer Kamikaze Key Fact, supported by a
smart Kamikaze Creative Work Plan, the things you can learn help you build
your copy platform so it’s not only smart, creative and conceptual – it does what you want it to do.
I’ve a great ad “gut” and am known for getting even the most difficult clients
to understand – and agree to – whatever heresy I advocate. The guy who told me to read Sway is probably even better at it than
I am. Yet both of us found enough weapons
of persuasion in its pages to make Sway
a Kamikaze Creative’s secret weapon.
Don’t
take my word for it. Buy (or download) the book.
NOTE: Going over this
post, I had o laugh at how it reads like those direct mail missives extolling –
but never revealing – the virtues of health magazines, invest in gold
newsletters and stock advice. WTH. I learned why I should do it that way in Sway. Be a better, smarter, Kamikaze
Copywriter. Buy the book!
