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DO WORDS MATTER?

March 26, 2014 Janet Barker-Evans & Curt Munk

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http://bit.ly/1h6KbRm

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“I wrote the same, but different words.”

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=+AUDIENCE ENVIROMENT context

IT’S ABOUT USING THE “RIGHT WORDS”

=+BRAND BENEFIT content

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“I don’t care what it says, it just has to have appetite appeal.”

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“Just use the headline from the print ad.”

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WORDS HAVE INCREDIBLE POWER

Hurt or Help Build Trust, Inspire or Promote

Focus on Commonality or Divisive Elements

Sell or Alienate Confuse or Clarify

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AS MARKETERS, WORDS ARE OUR BEST BET…

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In reality, people respond to emotion first, and reason last..

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DECADES OF COPY TESTING…

Perception

Experience

Memory

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It’s: Feel, Think, Do Not: Think, Do, Feel

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5 THINGS THAT MATTER

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#1: NOSTALGIA WORKS!

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NOSTALGIA

• Thoughts evoked by nostalgia are not always positive

• However, "yearning for yesterday" as a message is more effective than not connecting with nostalgic thoughts

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#2: CONTEXT MATTERS, A LOT!

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CONTEXT MATTERS!

"MESSAGES ARE NEVER THE SAME FOR ALL RECIPIENTS BUT FILTERED BY NEEDS, CONDITIONS, SUBCULTURE, AND USAGE"

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=+AUDIENCE ENVIROMENT context

=+BRAND BENEFIT content

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POWER WORDS REALLY WORK, PROVIDED THEY AREN'T WALLPAPER IN YOUR CATEGORY

• New• Improved• Free• Time-tested• Doctor

Recommended• Scientific•Miracle• Now…

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ChildMother

DaughterFamily

HusbandMarry

FriendFeelDateLove

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ManGuySex

MarryRomantic

Love"Real Man"

CancerAnxiety

EatFreckles

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The words Judges use in opinion reflect their hierarchy in the appellate system…

Cautious WordsHedging

Seem TendSuggestAssumeProbabilityUsually

• It could be the case that…• It might be suggested that…

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“Just use the headline from the print ad.”

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#3 - INTERESTING OFTEN BEATS SAFE

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THE NEW "INTERESTING" ADVERTISING WORDS

• Luxurious• Decadent• Sugary• Sexy• Exquisite• Bitchin'• "I"

• Solid• Nourishing• Brown• Well-molded• Sustainable• Post-consumer• "We"

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#4 - LANGUAGE EVOLVES

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CREESECRANCH

PROBANGPORLAN

OCTANDRIOUSCOMPLEMENT-FIXATION

SNOLLYGOSTER

WORDS YOU'LL NO LONGER NEED, APPARENTLY

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“Incubus”

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SOME WORDS ARE BANISHED BECAUSE THEY ARE OVERUSED…

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SelfieTwerk/Twerking

Hashtag

TwittersphereObamacare

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WORDS & EXPRESSIONS WE LIKELY DON'T MISS…

Fiscal Cliff (2013)

Occupy (2012)

Mama Grizzlies (2011)

"Friend" as verb (2010)

Bailout (2009)

Perfect Storm (2008)

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http://bit.ly/1ixGxje

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"amazeballs"

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#5 – WE HAVE GREAT NEW TOOLS TO GET OUR WORDS RIGHT…

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FUNCTION WORDS MATTER

• Personal Pronouns - You and My• Impersonal pronouns - It and That• Contractions - Can't and They'll• Articles - The and An

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LIWC: LINGUISTIC INQUIRY AND WORD COUNT

Liwc.net

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FUNCTION WORDS

Provide a window to the mind because they are connected to our social behavior at a neural level

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SO WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN FOR US?

Audience understandingMatching benefits and language

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5 KEY TAKEAWAYS

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1. use nostalgia

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2. know context

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3. be interesting

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4. have fun

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5. use tools

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CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION WITH US

THANK YOU!@CurtMunk @webjanet

Share your examples of great words on our Tumblr http://WordsInAction.tumblr.com

Find this presentation at: http://bit.ly/dowordsmatter