Comments on: EWWW - It’s so Sticky!

By: Karin

Karin — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 23:59:59 +0000

Hi Bob

Re your ’sticky’interprestations: for days I was waiting to see this particular tv-commercial again, which IMHO has that powerful message unrelated with the brand name (like your example of Nike) and it was finaly aired again (or I finaly watched commercials again) last night

“Let it Out”
(kleenex: http://www.letitout.com)
wonderful ad also

By: Bob

Bob — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 23:59:59 +0000

You’re welcome, Hi Kooky (love that name!)

By: Hi Kooky

Hi Kooky — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 23:59:59 +0000

Hi Bob-
Got your comment - thanks for the nod to “chili dinners” here too! I find the notion of “sticky ideas” very interesting. Good post.

By: Karin

Karin — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 23:59:59 +0000

“Will the reader/hearer “get” what you intended to say?”

Get wrapped, you mean

By: Bob

Bob — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 23:59:59 +0000

Hey, no problem! Actually, between us we just illustrated another issue, and that’s how the message is interpreted. Will the reader/hearer “get” what you intended to say?

Here’s something else (as if that wasn’t enough!) Are there other interpretations that make it just as powerful? (Nike’s “Just do it” comes to mind.) How many OTHER places have you seen that message that had nothing to do with athletic shoes? Definitely “sticky”!

Gee, it’s as hard as (cue the groans) writing six-word stories!

By: Karin

Karin — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 23:59:59 +0000

Ouch Bob! Mis-aligned the order of the words, stupid me!
Thought about WARPing the message, but to me that’s too ST related (but does indicate speed of course) or for the flooring trade (our trade) too negative - solid wood that warps is a big problem for us, so I think I ’stick’ with WRAP
Worthwile, Relevant, Anticipated, Personal.

Can’t believe I made that mistake!

By: Bob

Bob — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 23:59:59 +0000

Roger, it really did make my week! I’m looking forward to reading the book and finding out more details (the check’s in the mail). One of the things that made it click for me was to help me analyze why something as silly and inconsequential as a six-word story contest would generate so much interest! Knowing what makes things “stick” would be pretty useful for most bloggers, I think.

And speaking of titles, surely “Made to stick” rolls more easily off the tongue than “Messages That Stick”? But how much influence do writers have over the titles of their books, especially first books? Don’t some publishers do that? I always wondered…

Karin, I see what you mean. Of course, to someone as weird as I am, your acronym spells WARP, not WRAP. Actually, it sticks better in my mind as WARP, because it’s unexpected - the Heath brothers’ SECOND principle. (Sounds like a good future post for you - “Is your message WARPed?”)

I’ll have a post on that second principle soon, I hope.

See ya!

By: Karin

Karin — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 23:59:59 +0000

Hi Bob

Not sure if this one counts as a ‘proverb’ but recently I blogged about WRAPping your message: make it Worthwhile, Anticipated, Relevant and Personal.
You think this ‘acronym’ is sticky enough?
See:
http://www.thekissbusiness.co.uk/2006/11/shall_i_wrap_it.html

By: Roger von Oech

Roger von Oech — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 23:59:59 +0000

Seeing the Heath brothers’ six word acronym had to have made your day (week?).

I saw Chip Heath speak in early December, and he is a very good presenter. I got a copy of “Made to Stick” from him and found it useful and entertaining. I’m sure the book will be a big success. My only quibble is with the book’s title. Both in his lecture and his book, Chip talks about why certain “messages” stick and why other “messages” don’t. And so when I think about the book’s title, I always think “Messages that Stick” rather than the one he used.

Have fun!