Technique

Strapline. Tagline. Slogan. Whatever. Ten ones that worked. (And one that didn't.)

2012-02-17T14:59:00Z

So what makes a good strapline/tagline/slogan?
You might as well ask what makes a good doughnut.
You might think custard filling would be good.
I wouldn't.
And let's not get hung up on nomenclature.
Let's call 'em all 'straplines' for the purposes of this post.
So what makes a good one?
It depends on what it's trying to achieve.

Put simply, if it achieves what it's designed to do, I guess you can call it 'good'.

(But whether the insight behind the line is 'good' or 'right' is another conversation altogether.)
After all, plenty of straplines are memorable.
And if it was designed to be so, then it's done its job.
But can you remember the name of the business?
Does the strapline tell you anything about it?

That leads on to the second question:
b2b or b2c, does a business really need a strapline?
Well, put it like this:
Most of the planet knows what business Nike is in.
Nike doesn't need its 'Just do it' strapline any more.
It doesn't even need its name.
The swoosh does it all.
Imagine that.

But Nike is one of a select few of global corporates that can get away with the luxury of this branding minimalism.
For the rest of us, we need to be a bit more informative about what business we're in - and pronto.
This is where a 'good' strapline comes in.

So we're back to the first question.
What's the strapline's job?

You can over-analyse straplines, taglines and slogans.
You can break them down into categories with names like 'The Big Idea', 'Visionary' 'Instructional' 'Performance Claim' or even 'Say What You See'.
And discuss their pros, cons and brand suitability.
But it won't guarantee a good result.
Or tell you what it should be doing.

No formula or amount of discussion will.

The job of a strapline is pretty simple, really.
I see it as three-fold:

1.   To inform
2.   To reflect the brand's identity
3.   To do it with flair

A good strapline ticks all three boxes.

A good strapline works hard.

It will give us a good at-a-glance idea as to what the company does.
The way that it does so will communicate the brand's positioning.
If it does both in a way that leaves us admiring its panache, then it's done its job.
And if it passes into the vernacular - then you've hit the big time.
Simples.
But that's pretty much the sole preserve of the big b2c boys.

Pretty much, because the straplines of big b2c/b2b 'crossover' brands (the likes of Dell, IBM, UPS) occasionally pass over the great b2c/b2b divide to make an impact on the public consciousness.

So in rough chronological order, here are 10 b2b 'crossover' brand lines that have done just that over the years. They're not necessarily my favourite brands - but their straplines have worked damn hard and ticked the right boxes.

1 - When it absolutely, positively, has to be there overnight

FedEx, 1981
Ally & Gargano

To my mind, an object lesson in supporting a brand's promise. Ally & Gargano's memorable US TV spot featured the fast-talking John Moschitta, Jr. There've been many FedEx campaigns since, but this is still remembered as a classic.

2 - Nobody ever got fired for buying IBM

IBM, 1980s
Internal

IBM has always been a massive B2B player, with a core business developing and providing B2B technology solutions, systems and software.
This campaign was hugely successful back in the 80s when IBM really ruled the roost. The strapline crystallizes probably the most well known example of the infamous old 'FUD' sales technique: that of instilling a sense of Fear, Uncertainty & Doubt in a potential customer if they even considered choosing the competition over an established 'tried and trusted' brand. It's a technique that's often resurrected - most recently by Microsoft in the perceived threat of Open Office to Microsoft Office. (Which is somewhat at odds with its current strapline of 'Let's build a smarter planet'.)

3 - I think, therefore IBM

IBM, 1988
Ogilvy & Mather

Another IBM entry, but it's a cracker. This line was an evolution of a motivating one-word appeal made to all employees by Thomas J. Watson, IBM's chairman, back in 1911. His plea to them? That they should, above all, THINK about their role. Ogilvy's modern take on it is probably my favourite B2B slogan. It's a simple message. It's closely related to what IBM do (and what people do with IBM products) and it's a very clever twist made with panache on an already globally recognised phrase.

4 - Intel Inside®

Intel, 1991
Dahlin Smith and White

Yet another example of a PC heavyweight (and one of the top ten world brands) with a hard-working nugget of branding that's entered the vernacular by spawning numerous parodies; substitute the word 'Intel' for whatever you want and you've got a ready-made T-shirt sloganeer's dream. This campaign represented the first time a PC component manufacturer successfully talked directly to computer buyers. 20 years on, and the line is still plastered across millions of PCs.

5 - Think Different.

Apple, 1997
TBWA\Chiat\Day

A strapline to make the grammar police all twitchy. Nevertheless, it was a clever play on and dig at IBM's 'Think' motto. It encapsulated what Apple was all about, and challenged IBM's dominant market position so successfully, that the playing field now has now most definitely levelled out.

6 - The document company

Xerox, 1991-2008
Young & Rubicam

A bit of a double-edged sword, this one. A line that aimed to position Xerox as the big cheese in the world of document copying - which it did hugely successfully for a number of years - so much so that it helped the company name pass into the vernacular and a new verb was born, as everyone started to Xerox their documents. But with the advent of the digital age, the company felt it was being hamstrung by it. Not even a logo morph from a solid red 'X' to a more 'digitised' look could save it from the perception that it was getting left behind - and so the line and logo were dropped in 2008.

7 - Easy as Dell

Dell, Inc. 2001
Full Moon Interactive

Ten years ago, people were still wary of buying a computer online. (Many still are.) How would they know what to choose? Would it arrive on time? If at all? Would they be able to get it to work without an engineer? The horror! This catchy strapline nailed the brief to help reassure uneasy online shopping pioneers.

8 - Fluent in finance
Money speaks in many languages. Barclays understands them all.

Barclays Bank 2002
Bartle Bogle Hegarty

The 'Fluent in Finance' TV spots featured Samuel L Jackson delivering complex monologues with his customary cool panache directly to camera. With a left-field approach deliberately designed to be thought provoking, the Fluent in Finance straplines reinforced this positioning, and aimed to generate a certain confidence in the brand's promise, capability and authority.

9 - The world's local bank

HSBC, 2002
Lowe

Another bank with another clever proposition. Aiming to play up the fact that the HSBC Group operates as a number of local banks around the world, the strapline - supported by a huge media campaign - was a very smart way of lending the brand a sense of local insight and touchy-feely sensitivity to its global corporate image and reach.

10 - We Love Logistics

UPS, 2010
Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide

A lesson in complication made simple. And as complicated things go, logistics is up there. Someone at O&M had the simple-genius idea of explaining it all to the tune of 'That's Amore'. Appealing to a wider audience but at the same time unravelling the complexities of logistics, this line and its well-executed, gently humorous TV spot explained exactly what the brand does, and at the same time lending it immense recognition and priceless recall in the minds of joe public.

Wooden spoon - What's your problem? FileMaker.

FileMaker, 1999
TBWA\Chiat\Day

Beware the dangers of an overly clever strapline.
In 1999, this was FileMaker's. Aiming to position itself as a versatile business database software product, the brand was temporarily hoisted on its own sharply witty petard - because funnily enough for a lot of people, FileMaker was indeed the problem.

View the image gallery at www.b2bmarketing.net

If you've a favourite strap/brand/tagline or a candidate for the Hall of Lame, then let's hear it.

The future of presentations?

2012-01-04T17:21:43Z

Move over PowerPoint, Keynote and even Prezi, we've seen the future of presentations and we like it. And it's completely browser based, using HTML5/CSS3.

You'll need a decent modern browser (Safari or Chrome) to see this:
http://bartaz.github.com/impress.js/#/overview

Enjoy!

New Vimeo Portfolio

2011-12-13T17:42:05Z

We've put together a new portfolio showcase featuring some of our video work, including our latest work for Micro Focus and Polycom.  You can view it here: http://vimeopro.com/baseone/video-showcase

Enjoy!

Why not to confuse blog writing with a phone call

2011-10-17T09:03:35Z

In the world of online forums, blogs and social media that I prowl around, it's not uncommon to see spats arise and be played out publicly between individuals (particular between more techie minded users - sorry developers yes that means you). For a serial spectator like myself, sometimes they can be very funny, sometimes they provide a nice diversion, but more often than not they are a bit sad and embarrassing. Mostly they are insignificant.

It's certainly not the kind of behaviour you'd expect businesses to get caught up in.

So last week it was interesting to observe two brands I respect succumb to such foolery. Howies & Finisterre got into their own little online ding-dong, played out on their blogs. (I have to declare being a loyal customer of both, having a bit of a fetish for UK-designed technical clothing).

Finisterre started it, with a blog post moaning about Howies bidding on their name on PPC, seeing themselves as the aggrieved underdog. 'How could they', the blog said (I'm paraphrasing to keep it short), 'target us as a fledgling brand. They should support us little guys rather than try to wipe us out'. Oh, at the same time they point out how Howies has sold out to 'the man', being now owned by corporates.

Howies then responded, publishing their actual PPC stats claiming that bidding on the brand name actually has resulted in hardly any business anyhow, itself an implicit put down, saying they've tried to call Finisterre but that they've been avoiding their calls.

Both posts were accompanied by the usual range of comments, from the considered and unconsidered, through all flavours of bias.

The rule on this kind of thing: whenever there's a bit of public mud-slinging, neither side comes off particularly well.

Both brands quickly realised this, and did what they should have done in the first place: had a chat on the phone. They had used their blogs like the worst type of email exchange - getting into a silly little argument that never would have arisen if they'd have spoken. At least they had the sense to end it fast.

Finisterre has stamped 'case closed' on their blog post. Howies has removed it from their blog altogether. This may do a pretty good thing of covering things for the future, though for those couple of days it was very visible to most of their advocates, those who follow their blogs and social media. It was a bit like overhearing an argument between a couple you are friendly with: you learn things you don't want to about both them and in general you could just do without it.

Both still make very nice clothes though.

The Great Browser Support Problem

2011-07-06T10:26:57Z

Image from Majento

As a business, you’re going to want a really nice looking website, right? All the ease of use/navigation and a nice slick interface filled with animation and effects. Of course you do. We all do.

Forget your budget for a second and let’s say you get that site. The creative juices start flowing and the possibilities are almost endless. It’s going to be the best site ever. Finally it’s completed and you couldn’t be happier with the results. It shows just how cutting edge your business is. You might even say a cut above the rest. Excitedly, you go to show your decision-maker what he/she has paid for and-BAM-it looks awful. The formatting is ruined, the effects don’t work and subsequently, you cannot even navigate around.

How can this be? It looked GREAT on your machine. Then the penny drops - they’re viewing in Internet Explorer 6. So are most of your colleagues. So are many of your customers. You go back and have the site amended so it is compatible with IE6. Everything needs to be simplified, possibly even working from the ground up, and suddenly your site looks no better than that of your competitors…

But why is IE6 such a big issue for websites, and what can you do about it?

]]> Here’s some fun IE6 facts* for you:

IE6 came out in 2001 along with Windows XP. Yes, it’s over a decade old.
It was once the leading browser, before Firefox et al appeared.
It does not support modern code, forcing workaround exceptions to be made for IE6, IE7 and, to a degree, IE8.
PNG images that support translucency spawn a rather attractive grey colour instead.
It’s still supported by Microsoft (though to Microsoft’s credit, they are making an effort to get the world off IE6).
It’s a developer’s nightmare.

*facts = some may be on the side of personal opinion.

Before we can discuss creativity, let’s talk about why IE6/7 is still around. To begin with, Windows XP and IE6 were released around the time PCs became affordable, not just to the household, but also to the person. Windows XP is still the most used operating system. In offices, admin rights frequently ‘protect’ PCs, preventing users from installing their own software. This also prevents upgrades to the browser. Then there’s the simple fact most users do not know or care about modern browsers. They simply click on the word ‘Internet’ and the internet appears.

Now you know who your audience is. But that’s not to say they won’t appreciate a cutting edge site when they see it, many of them just don’t know any better. Chrome is the only browser to actively advertise to consumers aside from Internet Explorer, so you could forgive most for not being “browser savvy”.

It’s not just Internet Explorer that’s the issue. We also have the issues of slow machines, mobile and tablet devices that are not necessarily capable of producing the content of a high-end desktop PC.

With this in mind, how is creativity ever to progress in the B2B realm?

1. Leave old browsers behind; keep creativity in the forefront

Many web-designers do this in the B2C world. A little browser detection code will simply tell users, if using an old browser or unsupported platform, that their browser is out of date and simply needs to be upgraded. Unfortunately such sites are aimed at consumers (where there are no upgrade restrictions), not businesses.

2. Have two sites

Many people have optimised sites for mobile. It’s just as possible to create a specific site for older browsers in addition to your creative site. You’re looking at a very expensive solution, though.

3. Do what most others do: keep compatibility in mind

As sad as it is to say, this is often the most cost-effective and safe solution. It’s frustrating for everyone.

Ultimately, you need to think about your audience. If you’re a tech-savvy business with tech-savvy clients, then go crazy and keep the creativity coming because they will probably have the latest browser. If you deal with financial audiences, however, you might just need to wait until the rest of the world catches up with you.

Designers and developers alike have become very good at making the best out of a bad situation, with clever workarounds, but it’s a patchwork solution at best.

Will the world ever catch up? Eventually yes, but whether Microsoft will ever catch up is a different matter…

Internet Explorer 9 was officially released to the public earlier this year, filled with the many ‘modern browser’ features that Chrome/Firefox/Safari users have been enjoying for quite some time. It complies with CSS 3 and HTML5 standards and, for many web designers and developers alike, was welcomed with a sigh of relief. On closer inspection, IE9 might comply with the rules, but it doesn’t necessarily play the prefect’s game, or as a friend on Twitter put it, “IE9: welcome to the party… you’re a bit late though… and it looks like you’ve not brought anything with you…”

Sure, it’s a step forward, but in 10 years’ time, will we be screaming about IE9 preventing creativity?

If Google and Apple get their way, perhaps not. Google have already publically stated that they will no longer officially support IE6, and when you have the most used search engine and video hosting platform, there’s more incentive for IT teams to ensure their staff’s software is kept up-to-date. In Apple’s world, this also isn’t an issue. They’re quicker to phase out compatibility of software (iOS 5, for example will only be compatible with the iPhone 4 onwards), but Microsoft has more responsibility to support legacy software due to a more diverse audience.

In the B2B world, there’s always a need to consider your audience, but there’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to push the envelope. As with most things in life, it’s simply a case of finding a balance.

How to shoot yourself in the foot

2011-05-20T10:20:11Z

Wow - if you want a really poor user experience try using the Blackberry App store for the first time.

I have 2 phones, and iPhone for home and a Blackberry we use as a work support hotline. I decided today to check out the blackberry app store.

Now, you'd have though that Blackberry, being a little late on the app scene, would be trying hard to make their app store as successful as possible. I'm left feeling they actually don't want anyone to use it at all.

First up, no instructions for first time users.

Second, lots of messages about my OS being unsupported (*of course* i'm on a mac).

Third, when you click sign in you this:

Offputting or what?

I persevered (wondering if I've just signed away a kidney or something), then I was asked for both a ScreenName and a UserName - what's the difference? How many names do i need?

It turned out my screen name needed to be a valid email address. So I entered one. Then it said it was invalid. It wasn't.

I gave up.

A client of ours has a large salesforce using Blackberrys. We are considering whether an App could be useful for them... but after this experience I wonder if anyone would even be able to download it in the first place?

Come on people at Blackberry, do you actually sign up yourselves? Has anyone noticed this mess?

Getting in the know at Base One

2011-05-05T12:45:00Z

O.K. So I came to Base One two days ago for two weeks of work experience and I didn't have a clue what the company do. The only clue I got was from my school, which said they were in the business of marketing and advertising (not very helpful) - so I came here clueless.

David Thomas, the company's Creative Director, and my contact at Base One, gave me my first task - which was to interview everyone at the company to find out what Base One do. Although he did chuck me straight into the deep end with this job, I did find the interviews very helpful, as not only did I find out what Base One do, I also found some interesting job titles and some interesting stories of how they got into the business. The three people who had the most interesting stories (in my opinion) are:

mso-fareast-language:EN-US"> Dean, Matt, Gabriel.

DEAN

Who he is: Dean is a senior Art Director at Base One. He is a graphic designer for print work, brand work, corporate identity and he also specialises in photography.

What he does: Dean's average day consists of project briefing, design and art direction, photographic art direction and location photography.

Why he does it: Dean is very artistic as a person and decided to go to art college to study design and photography - but then focused solely on design work. After leaving, he went to a small marketing company and then moved on to Base One.

MATT

Who he is: Matt is the Senior Copywriter at Base One. This consists of proofreading and editing, working in partnership with designers to come up with ideas for marketing campaigns, and writing a hell of a lot.

What he does: Matt's average day consists of meetings about 'briefs' (documents that let everyone know what work for their clients needs to be done) and then writing the copy (the literature) for whatever the brief asks for - so that could be thinking and writing about a 'big idea' for a new marketing campaign, or writing copy for an email, a leaflet, or website copy (he roughly works on two to three different briefs a day). He works out the main things to say about the client's product or service, and plans out the writing structure, making sure that it answers the brief. He also has occasional meetings if a client has any suggestions related to the work.

Why he does it: After university, Matt became a Runner for a T.V. commercials company, and then moved on to become a freelance Assistant Director in T.V commercials and films. Afterwards, he went to a start-up web company, writing marketing literature, and then moved on to working at EA, where he wrote marketing copy and games manuals. He then moved into the copywriting business, becoming a 'midweight' copywriter and then became Senior Copywriter at Base One.

GABRIEL

Who he is: Gabriel is a Project Manager at Base One. This consists of reviewing work that's been produced by the designers and copywriters, estimating the time/date that work will be finished by and scheduling who will work on the task given.

What he does: Gabriel's average day consists of handling projects, speaking to designers and copywriters, checking urgent e-mails from clients and colleagues, and booking people to do upcoming work.

Why he does it: Gabriel used to work for Sega, but became redundant. Rather than going back into the games industry, he followed his interest in web designing (he also felt the games industry wasn't taken seriously). He went into web design not just because of his interest, but because he wanted to see how far he could go in the design industry and wanted to be able to keep learning, as there's always new technology going into web design.

Is Flash Dead?

2011-02-09T13:53:57Z

Flash had a bit of a hard time in 2010, and many will point the finger at Apple. When the iPad was released, consumers complained Flash didn't appear on the device, like its iOS sisters: the iPhone and iPod touch. Steve Jobs' Thoughts on Flash open letter cleverly spins the argument for not supporting the tech as a 'feature' as opposed to a 'hindrance'... in a "this is for your own good", kinda way.

They have now taken this one step further by shipping all new Macs without Flash pre-installed for Mac OS X - which started with the MacBook Air and now on all new Macs. Apple claim this is because users will not receive the latest version on initial install, and so have given them the "choice" to install Flash themselves, making it less, "Flash! Ahhhh!" and more, "Flash! Arrggh!"

Apple-cynics will argue that Jobs is dictating what technology us consumers are and are not 'allowed' to use. But cynic or evangelist, one would be forgiven for thinking Apple is trying to flush the technology completely. It raises many questions regarding the future of Adobe's adopted baby, and whether it is indeed obsolete...

]]> Now, before I continue, I need to stress that I am actually a fan of Flash. I have worked with it for many years and have never ceased to be amazed with its... well, flashiness. But is it still relevant?

Flash on Mobile Platforms
The 'reasoning' for why you will not see Flash on an iPad / iPhone etc. includes processing restraints, UI on a small screen and so forth, but are Apple's criticisms well founded? An article by 'LAPTOP' investigated Flash on the Android OS and they found that Flash player performance to be 'hit-or-miss at best'.

I decided to experiment. Both my housemates use Android-based HTC phones, so I asked them to look into Flash on their phones for their 'consumer feedback'. Aside from the (very) long loading times on a 50Mbit connection, it looks surprisingly impressive and runs rather well. However, other Android smartphones, such as Vodafone's self-branded touch-screen (more like punch-screen), are not as fast as the HTC and user experience is already limited. Playing a Flash game is a no-no. Processing speeds on mobiles will inevitably improve over time, but functionality will always be key. Developers aiming to use Flash for mobile will need to make optimised versions for mobile devices. This is more of a nuisance than amending a little HTML for a mobile-friendly UI.

And what about all your lovely Flash ads? The moment someone goes to your website on an iPad, - where they're more likely to visit a 'full' website, as opposed to a mobile incarnation - those ads won't be visible. Don't forget, these are the ads that you depend on to promote your business. These are the ads that might help fund your own site or blog. Naturally we can always use replacement GIFs, but it's not the 90s anymore (although the percentage of Internet Explorer users out there would have you believe otherwise).

SEO-friendliness
If you want your website to be at the top of the Google rankings, don't develop in Flash. Adobe have been pretty good at trying to get Flash's files readable by Google, but more often than not, the user finds themselves linked to the SWF file itself and not its accompanying HTML. Many people in SEO will tell you that Google likes to 'map' or 'crawl' your site. This ensures that the relevant section of your site will immediately be highlighted in the results if someone searches for specific content. This is more difficult when caching Flash content. While it may be able to 'read' the content, it will not be able to assist the user in navigating to this section due to being a timeline-based interface.

CPU power
Until recently, I've been running a PowerMac G5. I know; it's ancient in comparison to the 12-core Intel Xeon machines you can buy today, but it's still a powerful machine. Flash encodes its video so heavily to compensate for varied internet speeds that I found I'm often unable to view YouTube videos beyond fundamental resolution... and yet I'm able edit video at 1080p on the same machine. In other words, Flash is somewhat processor hungry.

Screen resolution
One of my biggest frustrations as a former Flash designer was dealing with different screen resolutions and aspect ratios. What might look glorious on one person's 17" laptop will look tiny and unreadable on another's 27" iMac. The higher the screen resolution, the smaller the Flash will become. Same argument could be made vice-versa. I know there are scaling options for Flash, but the results aren't always pretty.

HTML sites are often made on the '960-grid' (i.e. designed to not exceed 960 pixels in width, which ensures it will be viewable on nearly all computer screens), which may not be much better for some, but it does at least benefit from vertical space without over-heating your CPU.

"But Flash offers innovative interfaces beyond the over-subscribed 'web 2.0' layouts"
This is a very valid argument, and it's one of the reasons I have supported Flash for many years. Just check out any site made by the guys at Hi-Res and you will see Flash sites at their most cutting-edge. I follow their work with both envy and glee, just to see what is possible. It's easy to understand why Flash was so attractive.

However, this is an argument that is wearing thin as HTML-based tech has caught up. Perhaps the most famous demonstration is the multimedia-experience / music 'video' from the Arcade Fire The Wilderness Downtown. This is a "Chrome" experiment (although will work just fine on modern versions of Safari / Firefox) that demonstrates just what can be done with HTML5 technology at consumer-level.

There was once a time and a place to use HTML or Flash - the former for 'content' based sites and the latter for 'promotional/showcase' activity; however it seems HTML has now taken the lead to do both.

Still not convinced? Then I encourage you to check out The CSS Website Awards, which is a dedicated to awarding a site-per-day on innovation through excellent design, functionality, device compatibility and rarely a drop of Flash.

"Is the answer HTML5 then? What's all the hype about, anyway?"
Firstly, I must stress that "HTML5" is more or less a buzzword within the web community... much like people use "3D" as a consumer term to refer to what is actually "stereoscopic". I digress. HTML5 does not alone provide the future for web development - it depends on excellent CSS and JavaScript, which once combined as a unit, forms an asynchronous user framework we know as "Ajax". It's nothing new, but with HTML5, we are able to do even more with the supported scripts.

One of the reasons why Flash appeals to so many is that they do not need to worry about learning three-four different languages like one does with Ajax: A basic knowledge of ActionScript and key-frame animation is enough to whip up a surprisingly good website on Flash.

HTML5 sets to challenge this with its new features: Canvas allows animation and interaction, comparable to Flash's. New audio and video integration will allow native and seamless compatibility with all compatible browsers (if Google stop trying to push their own WebM format in favour of H.264, anyway ) - no additional plug-ins necessary. All this with code more basic than a simple piece of ActionScript. In other words, there's no reason you cannot develop on it with little experience. Of course, knowing your code will open up even more creative offerings.

In a nutshell: an Ajax framework with HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript means your site will be quick to load, works on your smartphone / tablet device, is SEO optimised, flexible with screen resolutions, processor friendly, easy to manage with CMS, open source, functional, W3C compliant (along with a brand new logo) and creative. And yes, Apple supports it.

"But Wait! Flash will soon have an HTML5 export option..."
Also a valid argument! If you haven't seen this demonstration yet, then you should check out this link here. Yes, appears Adobe have found a way to allow Flash devs to export to HTML5. Impressive! This is essentially a Canvas export option, which may just be its saving grace. But up against many open-source alternatives that can now do the same thing, the question still remains, "Is Flash dead?"

There's no doubt Adobe has the might, power and influence to support their format, even if it means adapting to keep up with the trends... but the answer to this is up to you, the consumer, the business and your fellow web community.

Socrates, b2b and the creative brief

2011-01-18T15:19:27Z

"Understanding a question is half an answer."

Socrates

Funny thing, briefs. Much maligned and rarely praised, yet they're the genesis of every unforgettable ad you've ever seen or heard. Good, bad, b2b or b2c, behind every ad you're sure to find one strutting proudly or lurking apologetically.

The first sandwich board guy proclaiming that the End is Nigh was even working to one (we've got to get the message across that the apocalypse is on its way, and we've got to use the most effective media to do it. Poster? Newspaper ad? Horse-drawn banner, maybe?)

Ideally, a great creative brief (as opposed to the bread-and-butter briefs essential to the day-to-day work of the agency) can involve every department - strategists, planners, account execs and creatives. There's a lot of effort that goes into one. So you'd think a lot of time should be invested in coming up with one. But we all know that that's not always possible. And when it comes down to it, a brief is only as good as the weakest link in the process - and there are a lot of links.

Inspired thinking? Or work order?

"Take a look at that brief on your desk today. How does it stack up?

Do you feel inspired by it, or is it more of a work order coming from the account and planning team?"

Howard Ibach

How to Write an Inspired Creative Brief

To appreciate what an inspirational creative brief looks like, I think we need to talk about what one of Howard Ibach's 'work order' briefs might look like first:

It might fail to expand on the client's initial brief to the account team.
It may take as its focus reams of product & background information in place of a clear message for the creatives to work from.
It may have nothing unique or distinctive to say about the product or service & offer no insights.
It may start the creatives off in the wrong direction with a weak insight, so that they waste time digging around to trying to discover what the real issue is.
At its worst, a bad brief may just fail to inspire the creatives at all.

But how to inspire creative types when all you have is a list of product features? Try pictures. Videos. Maps. Anything to get them interested. But they do respond very well to emotive words.

Copywriting guru and rigorous thinker Howard Ibach has a lot of good stuff to say on what it takes to produce a great creative brief:

"A great creative brief should always be single-minded but never a straightjacket. The best creatives don't work to a brief. They work from it. Most of all...the creative brief needs to be like the work itself - bold, ambitious and creative. When it is, the brief becomes a springboard that drives creative people further. It should inspire as well as direct."

I like it. Brief as a springboard to an engaging creative solution that answers the client's problem. And if you believe Ibach (and I do):

"...a brief reduced right down to its core will most likely produce better results than a brief packed full of inane detail."

But what happens when you try to prise out a clear, single proposition from the multiple-message, high-volume, fast-turnaround and budget-constricted b2b machine?

Thinking with your gut

With all but the biggest b2b clients, a clear, single proposition can be difficult or impossible to achieve; the acute lack of time and budget militate the necessary research and strategy. And even then, a trusting, marketing-savvy client, a clear proposition, everyone firing on all cylinders and the time in which to do it all, need to be bundled into the mix to increase the chances of a great creative brief emerging.

It's not a hazard peculiar to b2b, but it is a common one. So if account teams are basing a brief on a single proposition, they need to rely on experience, gut feeling and intuitive guesswork. But we shouldn't always need to rely on gut instinct.

Enter Socrates

We can instead rely on a different method to determine the focus of the b2b creative brief. A bit of good old Socratic Method ; clear thinking and challenging accepted wisdom. Big fan of face-to-face discussion, was Socrates. Loved a chat. Great orator. Thing is, Socrates had a problem with the written word. And paintings. The trouble was, he told his student Plato, when you ask them a question, all you get in return is ...silence. And it's the same problem when a written brief plops on a creative's desk. You can't ask it a question.

b2b thinking

I'm guessing that to have the best chance of extracting a clear proposition or two from a b2b brief, Socrates would advocate some good old face time. Client, accounts, and creatives - asking questions of it. Exploring. Debating. Challenging it, to arrive at an agreed, shared vision of objective and proposition. And so no-one's toes are trodden upon, whoever is giving the brief needs to understand that the questioning is there to check the validity and strength of the conclusion - and not a threat or a challenge to them personally.

And once everyone's bought into it, I reckon Socrates would advocate another tenet of Socratic Method: if you think it's right, you should do it - no matter the consequences.

So take a long look at the next brief you have to work on and ask yourself: what would Socrates think?

Care to philosophise?

In an effort to instil even more rigour into our briefing process, we're planning on introducing some good old Socratic Method here at Base One. If there's any tips or tried and tested techniques you'd like to share with everyone on how to get the most from the briefing process, we'd be interested to hear what you're thinking.

Social media brands: don't speak for me!

2011-01-18T14:02:08Z

I have a bone to pick with the people at BranchOut, the new Facebook-centred business network. But then I realised this is all part of a wider problem, which happens at different levels in different places on the social web.

What am I talking about?

Someone has stolen my voice.

That maybe sounds more sinister than it really it. But it's still bloody annoying when social media networks automatically post information 'as if' it is coming from you.

Can you imagine a company doing this in real life? This is how it would work. You go into a shop and express an interest in what they do. Usually, you might expect the proprietor to engage you, talk to you, maybe even remember you next time. But would you really expect himm to steal your mobile phone, impersonate your voice and ring all of your contacts in order to persuade them to also visit his shop?

This is what happened to me when I joined BranchOut. I joined because I saw that a couple of people I know and like had become members. So I signed up, but was unaware that it would automatically post a message on my Facebook wall saying how thrilled I was to be a new member.

I'm sorry, but you can't speak for me.

I might be happy about the prospect of connecting with thousands of people via their network, but you can't assume that. Moreover, you can't assume that I like it so much I want to 'auto-boast' about it.

But they did, by putting out the message below without telling me.

Maybe I didn't read the small print. And yes, yes - I understand that these messages are the way that BranchOut will, well, branch out. But if they annoy everyone as soon as they join, BranchOut won't go far. Social media networks enable people to connect - when and where they want them to. They don't force them to connect, and certainly not with words of their choosing! They may as well tie you down and stick pins in you until you agree to recommend them.

I could always open a new Twitter account called @BranchedOut and tell everyone that BranchOut is rubbish. If they can speak for me, why can't I speak for them?

OK - this is just one example. And I am sure the nice people behind BranchOut are not as rude as I am suggesting. But please, be more careful with the auto-posts. If you want people on your network, you've got to let them speak for themselves.

I want to spend money with you, don't make me think

2011-01-05T11:28:27Z

I love a bit of web surfing. I love booking holidays online and I’m quite partial to a virtual shoe and handbag shop. But what I can’t abide is having to think about how I should navigate my way around a site, particularly an e-commerce one. It’s enough to make me come away from the site, never to return again. And more worryingly for the brands involved, leaves a bad taste in my mouth with regard to my future purchases.

]]> My main frustration is that there is no need for it to be difficult to navigate around any site. I know that, not only because it’s part of my job to be aware of that, but because I use sites every day that make my online life much easier. I could go on and on about Amazon…most people would agree that it sets a precedent for other sites. I buy so many things on Amazon, because, basically I can, with two clicks: find item, click on relevant card detail. It’s all there, saved and waiting for my return. With the festive season having just passed, and with my Christmas shopping skills being, shall we say, last minute, who else did I turn to but a site that is going to make my life as easy as possible. They don’t make me think.

I’ve been on sites many times, more than eager to spend my hard earned cash with said company without even being able to find the shopping cart symbol - or any other symbol that may represent the indication that I can purchase - I have been forced to dig through several pages and read plenty of unnecessary text, totally unrelated or needed. By which time I’ll be so frustrated, I’ll, well, go back to Amazon.

Another real bug bear is even finding the product I am after in the first place. I don’t know if the particular dress I am after is classified as ‘new’, ‘summer’, ‘occasion’, ‘day’ - make my life easy, just put it in a section marked ‘dresses’. Then put a shopping cart symbol beside it (in an obvious place, please) and save my card details from last time (if I so wish), then please, quickly and efficiently process my payment and send me on my way. But please, don’t make me think.

5 hazards to avoid with links, buttons and titles

2010-11-29T09:00:00Z

I'm in the middle of reviewing some usability testing footage and have been prompted by sheer frustration to writing a quick post about labelling on websites.

Why must we make things so difficult for our users? I can't tell you how many websites I look at that seem to be going out of their way to obfuscate what will happen when the user clicks on a link, button or navigational item. That moment of hesitation could be the trigger that makes your user leave your site for a competitor - and if they do that from your homepage then you've essentially prevented them from seeing what you have to offer.
]]> Taking the time to consider the copy on your titles, labels and buttons could reduce exit rates or increase conversions. So why not take 30 minutes out of you day take a look at your site and see if the labelling on your site suffers from any of the following:

Business terminology

You may know exactly what that industry term means but do all your users? Use the terminology that they're familiar with NOT what you use in internal meetings. Even in industries littered with terminology there are new users - imagine the brand loyalty you could get if you're the one site that they understood when they were starting out?

If there really is no alternative to the jargon then at least offer an easy way for the uninitiated to find out what terminology means. You don't even have to have an FAQ of your own - provide a link to a recognised trade body or Wikipedia. If you don't do it then the site they visit after yours might...
Needless formality
Just because we're B2B doesn't mean we have to adopt an overly formal tone - we don't talk like that in meetings so there is no need to do it on our site. If users are finding your meeting venue site by typing in "book meeting room" into Google then why does your call to action button say "Make a reservation"? All copy on your site should be consistent , from your intro to your buttons. Once you've set a tone - and the tone starts on the search engine - stick to it.
Confusing personification
Sites are all about personalisation these days, but don't get the user and the site mixed up. Have your dropdown menu ask your user to "Select your options..." rather than "I would like to choose...". It can be disconcerting for the user to have to work out who "I" is - the less they have to think before making any decision on your site the better.
Muddled signposting
Users are on a journey: titles and labels should guide them through the site. This means you acknowledge where the user has come from and where they're going to next. If your user is clicking to views detail of a service say "view more details of xxxxx" and save the "book xxxx" for when they actually start the booking process: if they feel that button or link is going to take them too far down the path to commitment then they won't click and they may miss out on the piece of information that convinces them to sign up.
Jumbled hierarchy
The priority of information on your website is set by you. You don't have superfluous information in prime position on your homepage, so why do so many websites have subheadings bigger than headings? Users naturally scan websites and larger copy is taken as being more important, so if you have a list make sure the list title is clearer than the items in the list otherwise users don't know what they're clicking on. If there is a hierarchy then show it.

Naturally each site is individual but the key objective here is clarity. Go to any page on your site and pick a random label - can you see what it means, where it links to or how important it is on the page? If not, then why should your user? Labels are copy so give them just as much attention as you do the rest of your written content and you'll improve the usability of your site.

If you want more practical information on website usability then join me at B2B Marketing's Website Usability and Customer Experience half-day seminar on January 20th 2011. Visit b2bm.biz/events for more details.

Three: copywriting's magic number

2010-11-17T16:10:09Z

Now you may try to subtract it
But it just won’t go away
Three times one (what is it? One, two, three)
And that’s the magic number

De La Soul knew all about the power of the number three. In all walks of life, three is king.

In photography, the rule of thirds dictates that objects are more engaging when placed on two equally-spaced horizontal and vertical lines, stand-up comedians will tell you that things in threes are funnier, and in Chinese culture three is viewed positively because it sounds similar to the word “alive.”

And in copywriting, it’s no different.

Visit websites or read company brochures and you’ll see that things often come in threes. Three bullet points, three steps, three sub-headings - you name it. And it’s no coincidence.

Why? Well, it’s all to do with the way our brains process information. Scientists say that, although we can process up to seven pieces of information at one time, three is the number we find easiest to process and most engaging. Perhaps it’s because three is also the smallest number of elements required to create a pattern. Whatever the scientific reason, when it comes to writing, three certainly feels right.

That’s why it makes great sense to divide your content into three manageable chunks wherever possible. Using three lists, bullet points or sub-headings makes your content more digestible. Not only does it capture your readers’ interest, but also increases the likelihood that they’ll remember what you have to say.

So, when you get the chance, embrace the power of three - it truly is the magic number.

Amazing possibilities of Coke Zero

2010-10-01T08:28:44Z

It's incredible but true, folks. According to their latest campaign, the technical guys at Coke have done it. A soft drink without ANY SUGAR IN IT AT ALL.

Well you could have knocked me down with a feather. I thought every can of drink had to contain at least a bag of sugar. And that's really bad for you. But unbelievably, these guys have finally cracked it. I take my hat off to you.

Actually, I don't. At the risk of sounding like a retired major from Surrey with nothing better to do with his day than write in complaining about the bad language on TV, I was outraged.

Is this entire campaign really based on the line "It's possible?" We already know about Diet Coke, a drink with absolutely no sugar in it. So we know it's possible. And we don't need telling, especially with the self-satisfied tone that Coke have adopted in this campaign.

OK - I'm being a little disingenuous here. I understand they are targeting the male demographic with Coke Zero, because Diet Coke is a bit of a girl's drink [apparently]. That's all fine and good, and I wish them luck. But does this positioning really warrant such a bold proclamation that it's now "possible" to produce a Coke without sugar? Male drinkers may not be the principal target of Diet Coke, but they know about it.

In fact, they have known since 1982, when it first came out, and therefore may resent - as I did - being told in such a patronising way that they have done it. Again.

In fact, if they think sugar-free Coke it is such a big thing, I'm considering getting in touch with their marketing department and letting them in on a few more amazing developments. For example, we can now record TV programmes and watch them later. Amazing but true. We have electric cars and portable phones. We can store an entire record collection on something no bigger than a matchbox.

These things were amazing, but aren't now. And that's why we don't need Coke to tell us. Could they have found a better way to advertise the benefits of Coke Zero to their target audience? Now that really is possible...

DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed in this blog post are those of the author alone and do not represent the views of Base One. But if Base One could talk, I have a feeling it would agree.

A lesson in interactivity from Tipp-Ex

2010-09-02T15:12:12Z

These days web users are savvier than ever. Chances are that when you're surfing, you'll ignore banners and other online advertising so much that you hadn't even realised what they were trying to communicate - or possibly that they were even there. This, of course, makes the role of the online advertiser a lot more challenging.

Interactive banners are an attempt to stop this happening and catch the user's attention. They're capable of expanding, containing input fields or even interacting with the content within the page. And they're becoming more and more elaborate as their capabilities extend much further than an animated gif within a letterbox banner.

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But in terms of interactivity in online and banner advertising, Tipp-Ex has gone one further. Upon landing on their YouTube page, you may suspect you're about to see a viral video about a hunter and a bear. There is, however, much more than meets the eye.

The ad immerses itself within the well-known YouTube page layout, and the video title even becomes editable. Users can also discuss the content via the page's comments section.

I don't want to say too much about it because it will stop you from enjoying discovering it for yourself. But, be warned, if you're anything like me, you'll probably spend a good seeing what it can do2.

Click here to see the Tipp-Ex ad for yourself.

NB: there is a little bit of swearing in the video so you might want to wait until you're out of the office before you watch it.