The Deadly Allure of Stuntvertising

It’s harder and harder to make an impression these days.
“LOOK AT ME!”

We live in an ever-present culture of bombastic messaging.
“HEY, LOOK AT ME!!!”

You can’t escape it. Not in home, at work, or, sequestered in the bathroom. Someone’s always got something to say, and they’re going to say it.
“WOULD YOU LOOK AT ME ALREADY?!!!”

Because it’s so hard to get attention, it’s natural for marketers to get desperate, allowing their flop sweat to fuel their insatiable desire to get noticed.
“LOOK OVER HERE, I’M NAKED!”

So, you get seduced by pranks and stunts and gimmicks to grab attention, mistaking attention for persuasion and brand-building.
“I’M NOT ONLY NAKED, I’M DANCING, TOO!!!”

Silly marketer. Attention isn’t enough. In fact, grabbing attention only for the sake of getting attention could be detrimental to your brand’s health.
“I’M NAKED, DANCING AND LIGHTING MYSELF ON FIRE. WATCH!!!!!”

Mean-spirited pranks, phony gags and stunts, shrill blasts into the pop culture abyss–– they’re all desperation in search of direction and meaning.
“OUCH, FIRE HURTS LIKE HELL–– HELP!!!!!!!!!!”

A friendly reminder: before you use your voice, use your brains.

As Bill Bernbach said: “Be provocative. But be sure your provocativeness stems from your product. You are NOT right if in your ad you stand a man on his head JUST to get attention. You ARE right if you have him on his head to show how your product keeps things from falling out of his pockets.”