In 1960 America everyone's in love with those big, gas-guzzling, stylish Detroit cars and every Automobile ad looks the same - glossy artwork glamorizing the brand, the car's perfect features, and performance.
American consumers were skeptical of the Volkswagon unconventional design, particularly its unique shape and rear-engine placement despite the car's reliability and affordability.
Carl Hahn, head of Volkswagen hated the same, boring campaign pitches showing families admiring the Beetle in their driveways. He wanted something different.
The "Think Small" campaign, created by Bill Bernbach of Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB) was a radical departure from conventional car ads and has became synonymous with changing how brands used humour to flip the audience's perception. It highlighted the car's perceived flaws —it's size.
One of my favourite songs is the debut single, Creep by the English alt-rock group Radiohead. It has one of the most memorable transitions as it progresses from verse to chorus.
The story goes - Lead guitarist Jonny Greenwood stated that he hated the song so much that in the recording session, he purposely slammed the opening chords excessively hard.
However, his efforts to sabotage only made the song more memorable becoming one of the band’s most recognizable hits due to its unexpected bridge.
So what does an iconic car Ad and a popular Guitar Riff have in common when it comes to Stealing Your Audience's Attention?
If you've ever driven on a highway by yourself at night, with no interesting scenery to break your attention you may have felt your thoughts drifting away.
We call this highway hypnosis.
And dull, predictable copy has the same effect. Where every line reads like the hundreds of similar articles before. A symphony of monotony that sends your reader to sleep.
We’ve all done it: ignored an electricity bill, liked a LinkedIn post without reading (Yeah, I'm looking at you, Sarah!)
Our brain is hardwired to recognize patterns and familiarity. A function that makes our brain more efficient by allowing our thoughts to recede into the background.
Pattern interrupt refers to a method of disrupting the predictable, monotonous flow of information in a way that grabs the reader's attention and re-engages them.
The aim is to spark curiosity and re-ingite your audience's attention and create an opportunity to deliver your message in a memorable manner.
Here's what you can do:
Go against the norm:
Look at what your competitors are doing and then do the complete opposite.
Use Visual Elements: Incorporate contrasting visuals. Not every law firm has to be black.
If your sales promotion looks like every other sales promotion your customers will slide on by.
Patagonia zigged when everyone zagged with its anti-Black-Friday ad calling out "frenzy of deep discounts, limited-time offers, and last-ditch efforts urging you to “save” by spending more"
Break conventional formatting rules:
Visually interrupt patterns by playing with formatting, such as using bullet points, bolded text, or even emojis to make your copy stand out.
Experiment with font styles, sizes, and colors to emphasize key points or introduce a change in the reading experience. Breaking the visual monotony can re-engage your reader.
Start with a Bang: Open your copy with a surprising fact, a provocative question, or a bold statement they wouldn't expect.
Find the Familiar and give it a Twist
What's something your customers associate with you or your industry . Show them something familiar and give it a twist
Mailchimps ads by Sacred Egg were inspired by the playful mispronunciation of the company name.
Experiment and Test:
While it’s good to break up patterns, you don't want to distract or subtract from your message. Don’t keep shifting their attention too often.
Not every pattern interrupt technique will work for every audience or message. Continuously experiment and A/B test different approaches to see what resonates best with your target audience.
By incorporating surprise, curiosity, and engagement into your copy that interrupts your Audience's Autopilot, you can create a lasting impact and drive the results you desire. So, the next time you sit down to craft persuasive copy, ask how you can interrupt your reader's pattern.
If you want your team to find their own A-ha moments — Just forward this edition of Why Our Words Work! with an invitation to subscribe