Signal vs. Noise

"We know now that in the early years of the twentieth century, this world was being watched closely by intelligence greater than man's." ??

In 1938, almost exactly 80 years ago today, Orson Welles' story "War of the Worlds" was anxiously narrated by Welles himself on CBS radio. A fictional tale of the invasion of earth, at a time of extreme global tension.??

An audience of a million people listened intently as Welles' engineered fictional cuts to a field correspondent in New Jersey who reported alien ships appearing in the skies like "jet blue flames."?

Panic spread amongst those that missed the show's introduction, frantic 911 calls were made, and in some cases, evacuations were underway. ?

Ultimately, the stunt propelled Welles to the world stage. He went on to direct Citizen Kane, The Magnificent Ambersons, Othello, and a Touch of Evil.??

I started writing this with the intention of drawing a comparison to today's marketing landscape but it's not really a fair fight. The citizens of New York and New Jersey didn't pick up their smartphone 1,500 times a day or get exposed to upward of 5,000 ads before bed in 1938.?

Shock and awe is harder than ever before. It requires both thick skin and incredible creativity. I believe that's why so few do it well.?

Are you broadcasting signal or just making noise?