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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
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