One Strike, You’re Out

Imagine it, the late nineties, The Eight Ball bar. It sounds as elegant as it was. Four Ad Creatives sit around a table after hours staring into space hoping to come up with an idea worth a hill of beans.Young Tidal Wave President Michael Aars, then a bright-eyed intern at The Richards Group, breaks the silence with a desperate attempt at a brilliant idea.

It is not worth the pintos.

Fortunately help is nearby in mentors Mike Gustafson, Mike Fisher and Matt Everitt. (Apparently, one’s first name must begin with M to work on The Home Depot account.) The pregnant pause is finally broken.

“You know, advertising is like baseball,” Matt begins, mercifully ignoring the failed attempt. “If you throw six balls at someone, the likelihood of them catching any isn’t good. But if you lob just one ball slow and easy, they’ll probably catch it – and may even leave there holding it.”

Light bulb. Fireworks. Eureka.

You mean advertising doesn’t have to say everything? Think about the last grocery circular you saw. Remember the price of bananas? The special buy-one-get-one deal? The name of the store?

Didn’t think so.

Now imagine the last Apple ad you saw. White space. Maybe a hand holding the product. Maybe a headline. Coincidence Apple has more money than our country?

Let’s let this picture be worth a thousand words:

When you get it right – really get it right – not only does a potential customer catch the baseball…they may even show their friends.