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Hey, it's Bobby.

On Saturday I turn 34. It also happens to be the weekend that separates the end of Q3 from the start of Q4.

I'm taking this natural mile marker as an opportunity to reflect.

After many weeks spent on the ground running among the trees, it's a good time to fly above and see the whole forest.

1 Marketing Upgrade

Own a Feeling

In 10 words:

Capture your audience’s ideal emotion with a simple, powerful message

Dilemma: You’ve created a logical, feature-rich product or service.

But potential customers don’t buy facts (even if they say they do). They buy feelings.

After all, there are countless “logical” people who:

Buy BMWs when there are plenty of cheaper, more reliable cars that handle the daily work commute just fine.
Buy Burberry purses, when there are far cheaper ways to carry items around.
Buy the latest gear for their favorite hobby, despite barely using what they already have.

Ultimately, even buttoned-up, left-brained B2B professionals want to feel something. Whether that’s feeling capable. Powerful. Hip. At the cutting edge.

And they’re willing to buy that feeling.

Solution: Develop a "Big Idea" that owns a feeling related to your brand or product.

This is key to creating marketing that resonates. That connects the logical with the emotional. And creates a powerful connection with your audience.

3 Ideas to Implement

Own a feeling that motivates action

If your offer helps people achieve their ambitions, create marketing that conveys those feelings of overcoming the odds and achieving their dreams.

Real-world Example: This spec ad for Nike (created by George Mack) does an excellent job at owning the feeling of determination.

It uses text in a simple, powerful way to motivate action and combat procrastination.

Own a feeling that unlocks possibility

If your offer enables your customers to think bigger and do more, create marketing that conveys those feelings of dreaming bigger and reaching for more.

Real-world Example: LEGO's "The Shadow Knows" campaign owns the feeling of creativity and wonder.

Simple LEGO builds cast complex shadows and communicate the emotional journey that their products provide to their builders.

They’re not just small, precisely manufactured plastic building blocks (logic). They’re a way to unlock your limitless imagination (emotion).

Own a feeling of abundance

If there’s one thing that drives the human race, it’s our yearning for “more”. Your customers likely want more from an area of their life, whether that’s their career, relationships, or health. Tap into that by creating marketing that conveys those feelings of having more than enough.

Real-world Example: In this billboard ad, Innocent uses humor to tap into the basic human desire to feel healthy.

The large headline and pile of fruit communicates that their smoothies will give them that feeling of abundance in regards to their health.