Once we know something, it becomes hard to imagine what it feels like not to know it.
More quotesTruth buried in sludge is private knowledge. Clarity nobody notices is a road sign facing the hedge. Attention built around a false claim is fraud with better rhythm.
Bernbach’s chain annoys every department in turn because nobody gets to declare their own bit sufficient. The lawyer can make a sentence accurate and unreadable. The writer can make it vivid and wrong. The art director can win a prize for an image attached to the rival’s product. Each craft succeeds locally while the communication fails as a whole.
Cautious businesses usually sacrifice interest first. Surprise looks risky. Personality invites argument. Every edge is sanded until the approved line says “quality solutions for changing needs”. The claim survives. The audience leaves.
Creative businesses sacrifice the truth more flamboyantly. A dancing animal, grief-stricken family or exploding vegetable earns attention while the product waits offstage holding a logo. People remember the entertainment and attach it to whichever brand already owns the category.
The sequence is merciless. Is the claim true? Can a person understand it? Will they stay long enough to receive it? What remains tomorrow? Failure at any point makes success elsewhere ornamental.
One execution is adored and attributed to a competitor. Another is understood and forgotten. A third leaves the right proposition with fewer smiles.
The verdict says “less exciting, but clearer”. Nobody has yet written what boring clarity is worth.