I recently read a very interesting book "UnSpeak" by Steven Poole.
The whole debate or the premise of the book is based on how the political parties or cause activitist coin words or phrases which make the debate redundant or make the whole opinion one-sided. To take an example which is in the beginning of the book itself, point is illustrated through the debate on the woman's right to abortion. The pro-abortionists coined the word "pro-choice" so if you are not pro-choice you are automatically anti-choice. The other group in turn coined the word "pro-life", which in due course of time was countered with "pro-woman" by the first group.
The question is not about who is right or who is wrong but when you as a neutral person get exposed to any of the choices how would you react to the argument? Lets take "pro-life", you cannot say you are not, everyone is "pro-life". There is no counter to the argument, becuase there is no alternative offered, rather no alternative exists. Conversation over deal sealed. Words are weapons and politicians are using the same to limit or given a choice kill the human curiosity, capcity to think. Turn them into vegetables.
But the reason that I started this topic was not about contentiousness of UnSpeak but to try and give a positive spin to the same by finding a utility of the same in the field of advertising. Advertising end of the day is about creating feathers which will tilt the weight in favor of one brand over the other. And UnSpeak can be an extremely powerful tool to convince that your brand is superior than any other brand.
When creating advertising the whole effort should be to create an argument or a proposition which cannot be debated by the intended audience. Currently when brands say "I am the best or I am the best solution or I am status" , anyone can turn and say you are not and nullify the whole argument.
The whole debate or the premise of the book is based on how the political parties or cause activitist coin words or phrases which make the debate redundant or make the whole opinion one-sided. To take an example which is in the beginning of the book itself, point is illustrated through the debate on the woman's right to abortion. The pro-abortionists coined the word "pro-choice" so if you are not pro-choice you are automatically anti-choice. The other group in turn coined the word "pro-life", which in due course of time was countered with "pro-woman" by the first group.
The question is not about who is right or who is wrong but when you as a neutral person get exposed to any of the choices how would you react to the argument? Lets take "pro-life", you cannot say you are not, everyone is "pro-life". There is no counter to the argument, becuase there is no alternative offered, rather no alternative exists. Conversation over deal sealed. Words are weapons and politicians are using the same to limit or given a choice kill the human curiosity, capcity to think. Turn them into vegetables.
But the reason that I started this topic was not about contentiousness of UnSpeak but to try and give a positive spin to the same by finding a utility of the same in the field of advertising. Advertising end of the day is about creating feathers which will tilt the weight in favor of one brand over the other. And UnSpeak can be an extremely powerful tool to convince that your brand is superior than any other brand.
When creating advertising the whole effort should be to create an argument or a proposition which cannot be debated by the intended audience. Currently when brands say "I am the best or I am the best solution or I am status" , anyone can turn and say you are not and nullify the whole argument.
Only brand which has used this argument mostly effectively is "Apple - Think Different". Is there any argument against - no I will not, I prefer to be a vacuous , staid thinker. Now who will say that, even if I am a dodo brained, I would like to think otherwise or project otherwise (now you know why so many advertising professionals swear by the brand).
I am yet to come across any other brand that has used the approach in their marketing but would be glad to be enlightened.
If you would like to commnet on the fallacy of the thought, I have one last parting shot - "Think before you write" and remember I should not be able to say "You have not".
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2 comments:
here i will not talk about advertising. i will just talk plain writing.
consider the statement - the sun rises in the east.
of course in the normal course of events no reader will get up and say - no i think it rises in the west.
it is a statement of fact. good writing, however, it is not.
now consider the statement (and here i will use one that you must be familiar with) - truth is a matter of the imagination.
you can debate this statement till doomsday. but it is still good writing.
you will realise that most undebatable statements are nothing but cliches. so is 'think different'. apple was not the first entity which said it. nor will it be the last. what apple however managed to do is make it relevant. with fresh, nice advertising which accompanied the line.
anyways that is what i think.
and yes, as usual, i did not think before i wrote this. but tried to after i started writing it.
so there.
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