BUSINESS WANTS STICKINESSis interpretation the glue they’re looking for?

Regan ForrestSchool of Tourism, University of Queensland – r.forrest1@uq.edu.au

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before . . .

What makes an idea ‘sticky’?

• Urban Legends• Conspiracy theories• Proverbs• Landmark oratory

Heath, C. and Heath, D. (2007) Made to Stick.

Random House, London.

Ingredients of stickiness

• Simple• Unexpected• Concrete• Credible• Emotional• Stories• S

SIMPLE:Can I say it in one sentence?

• The “curse of knowledge”• Distill to core ideas and

concepts• Simple

= Pithy + Profound• Power of analogy:

the “high concept pitch”

UNEXPECTED:Where’s the twist?

• Unexpected = Attention + interest + curiosity

• Mysteries and cliffhangers = intellectual itches that beg to be scratched!

CONCRETE:Can I picture it?

• Abstract language = stickiness solvent

• Concrete language = stickiness setter

• Sensory language and mental imagery

CREDIBLE:Can I believe it?

• The “Sinatra test” • Facts & figures on a human

scale• Testable credentials – see,

hear, feel, smell, taste for yourself

EMOTIONAL:Do I care?

• Heart, not head• Specifics, not

statistics• I’m talking to YOU

STORIES:Can I act on it?

• Stories = mental dress rehearsals

• Sticky storylines:• Challenge plots• Connection plots• Creativity plots

Stickiness in action

37g saturated fat< 37g saturated fat (!)

INTERPRETATIONThe art of the sticky?

• S-U-C-C-E-S-s as an interpretive checklist• Making our messages ‘sticky’ or memorable

• Selling our sticky skills• New markets and applications of interpretive knowledge

and skills

Are we up to the (future) challenge?