Simply put, imaging is advertising one’s self. Ad’s suck. Just ask Gen X (photo may bear no resemblence.) So why do we consistently provide boring, antiquated, overwritten, detail driven slop we call ‘promos and imaging’ to listeners? Cos we all suck too.
If Al Gore was me, then I’d have a bunch of flow charts, a movie and an almost presidential campaign success to prove myself with. Thank god I’m not. But, take the cue from that movie of his, and see how that little ‘Simpson-esque cartoon’ sequence in the first 30 minutes is funny, and kinda informative. I like that. That is what imaging should be. Twisted, skewed yet still brings me to the communicated point.
Hmm, point. Nipples. Twisting them… and back to the point. My point is the title: Speaking AROUND Gen X. Why around? Cos Gen X KNOW when you talk to them, so they don’t listen. And you lose that chance to communicate to them.
Here’s how I approach it… We know Gen X don’t give an EFF because they’ve heard it all before in their super hyped up media consuming lives. They’re immune to the standard stuff, cos they’ve got their wall’s up to protect them from it. So, to engage them, you gotta think around their wall.
Around, as in take then on a ride to one place, then slap ‘em in the face with the actual message you need to communicate. The ol’ one-two. The more creative, and different the idea is (you’re ‘one’) the more likely you are to get around that wall, then once around, you hit ‘em with the ‘two.’ The sell.
Here’s a couple of my favourite pieces as examples:
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Both show how you can really use an idea to grab the attention of your Gen X’er, then hit ‘em with the actual details.
There are a crapload of other (incredible) examples and ideas from some of the best producers in the world… Eric Chase, John Frost, Jeff Thomas, Arden Hanley… if you look you’ll find ‘em. These guys can do it with grace, and style, and sometimes an amount of weirdness (read creativity) that you can only dream of achieving…
But it is possible to achieve, with a bit of time, and a bit of perserverance. You might not be able to make every production number get AROUND the listener, but then that’s the constant battle you’re gonna face… Good luck.
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