Three tactics to create memorable ads

Before diving into the actual tactics, let’s set the stage for what makes memorable ads… And we can use a familiar “device” found in many everyday objects: the Velcro.

A memorable ad needs a hook and a loop as well.

The loop is the part of your ad that uses existing knowledge, while the hook is what brings in new knowledge for the potential customers.

If you put those two together, you have a sticky, aka memorable ad.

So, with that explained, here are some ways to add the right loops and hooks in your marketing.

1) Concrete beats abstract or generic

A concept that comes from the book Made to Stick by Chip & Dan Heath, which argues that people remember concrete things rather than abstract ones.

We’ve also seen it regularly in the ads we created for all our newsletters.

Why does concrete beat abstract or generic?

Our senses form our memory.

And concrete things appeal to multiple senses. If we say “dog” you can see, hear, touch, and even smell it. It’s a great loop.

Here are some examples of how to turn abstract messages into concrete messages.

For a wellness program…

Abstract: “Join our wellness program to improve your health.”

Concrete: “Join our 8-week wellness program and receive personalized meal plans and weekly coaching calls.”

For a fashion brand…

Abstract: “Our clothing offers great comfort and style.”

Concrete: “Feel the comfort with our eco-friendly bamboo fiber T-shirts that keep you five degrees cooler in summer.”

You get the idea, right? Concrete information that can stimulate our senses will be more memorable.

2) Use environmental and seasonal cues

Following up on the tactic above, the more senses your ads stimulate, the more memorable they become.

One way to add more stimuli is to use environmental and seasonal cues.

For seasonal cues, you’re already familiar with using holidays so we think giving you some examples of environmental cues is better.

And one company that does this expertly is… Red Bull.

Red Bull often includes their products in extreme stunts that incorporate stunning views or familiar landmarks and environments. Just some examples:

• Wynn Las Vegas casino.
• The edge of space.
• The Eiffel Tower.
• The Pyramids of Giza.
• Burj Al Arab.
• Tower Bridge.

We’re not saying you have to spend the millions Red Bull does to do stunts like that… But we’re sure you have some landmarks in your city or some places you travel.

Even as much as a campaign for customers to post pictures with your product next to their favorite local landmark can be a starting point.

3) Piggyback on what popular competitors are doing

If something is made popular by a competitor, you can use that… Your competitor has created the “loop”, now you just need to add your own hook to it.

One way to create a good hook is what is called a “poison parasite” strategy where you inject your message into your competitor’s to make your product stand out on top.

Samsung used this regularly in their marketing campaign targeting Apple. One recent example is Samsung’s uncrush ad in response to the iPad Pro crush ad.

Here’s why you should try this

Most purchases are not impulse decisions made within seconds.

So you need to stay top-of-mind of your potential customers.

Memorable marketing does exactly that.

Do I need to say more?