Powerful positioning can do more for your marketing than just about anything else. Yet, most people neglect this aspect of their marketing plan all together. Usually, because it is misunderstood.
First, take a moment to watch this amazing ad. Then, we’ll discuss what’s going on behind the scenes and why it’s so powerful.
- Curiosity/Suspense/Entertainment: First, the ad creates an element of suspense. You want to watch in order to find out what happens. Good ads will always have some kind of hook to keep prospects watching, listening, or reading.
- Unexpected Twist: This ad takes a very unexpected twist. It’s important to note that the twist is not random. It is aimed directly at making the point of the ad. This hooks the prospect in deeper. Now the prospect wants to know the meaning of it all.
- Juxtapositioning: The most powerful part of the ad is what I call “juxtapositioning”. Often times, it actually decreases the power of your message if you explicitly state what you’re all about. For example, you wouldn’t put up an ad that said “Cheap lawyer for people who don’t want to pay”. Being the “cheap lawyer” isn’t good for your brand, even if that’s exactly what you are. In this case, just saying “We treat you well” would have no power whatsoever. But, “de-positioning” the competition, or as I like to say by juxtapositioning your benefits against the competition’s weaknesses, you put yourself into a position of power. In this ad, the competition is implied to be ravenous wolves, only caring about their bottom line and not about the customer. But Shangri-La Hotels is different. They’ll embrace the stranger because that’s who they are.
The power is in the subtlety. If you can fully grasp the concept of juxtapositioning, and use it in your messaging, you’ll see fantastic results.
Comment below to share other examples of this powerful technique or even share your own.
Great post and I cannot help to think, how can I use this information, thank you