Say Nothing to Say Everything dsfsd

No one would argue that an ad’s first job is to get noticed. But to do that, does it need to drown the viewer in a torrent of words? Some smart fella said “less is more”, and I can’t help but think we need to pay heed to this a bit more.

This is truer than ever before. There are an estimated 5.3 trillion online display ads a year trying to make an “impression” in people’s minds. We “see” about 5000 ads a day which works out to around 1,825,000 annually. With the proliferation of in-your-face content, non-stop instant messaging, full-on homepage takeovers, wouldn’t it be refreshing to be see something that isn’t literally screaming for your attention?

The easiest way to make your ad stand out, taking onboard the less-equals-more principle, is by removing one element in your ad. Do it and chances are you’ve already made it more memorable. Because we’re talking about making work that’s literally less shouty, let’s take a look at some ad spots with very few or no spoken words whatsoever.

There is no dialogue. We follow a day in a life of a kid - he’s walking around his neighbourhood, passing the time. You know something’s not quite right, but you don’t know why you feel that. Then you get to the end, and your heart breaks.

Your eyes wonder why the colour is off registration. The music is mesmerising. Your ears tune in. You start to wonder why there isn’t an MVO going “the all new bla bla bla." It builds and builds then you read the endline and Aha!

What the fish is going on here?! Seafood on a slide. An old-skool synth providing a whimsical soundtrack. You’re hooked. You smile when, almost 30 seconds later, you hear the two words that helps the viewer makes sense of everything.

Next up, an ad with four spoken words (unless you’re counting grunts). The timing of its debut – the presidential debate – was genius. Speaking of perfect timing, the choreography is super tight. And its quick cuts and fast pacing makes a 90-seconder feel like a 30.

OK. Who hasn’t seen this one? Is it a J-pop music video? I thought it was when I first watched it. Eyes are saying, ‘What? They’re boys?’ Brain is asking, ‘Are you sure?’ Had to replay the clip a few times. Oh and did you notice how they used words in a book to ask a question instead of supers in the original Japanese spot? Nice touch.

Blast-from-the-past alert! This spot is a classic and one of my favourite ads of all time. Two men in a boat, adrift at sea, day after day, and then…(no spoilers!)

Why are these ads so powerful? It’s because they’ve pulled people into the spot with minimal spoken words. Think of it this way: communication is a dialogue involving two parties, right? The viewer of the ad is arguably the more important half of a communication loop. As they watch these ads, they’re subconsciously adding their own inner VO to the well-shot story. They’re part of the action. They are trying to resolve the plot in their heads as they watch. And this makes the ad incredibly memorable.

Saint Francis of Assisi once said “Always preach the gospel. Use words if you have to.” With ads literally shouting for our attention, the text time you’re planning to spread the good news about your brand, ask yourself if you need to say anything at all. Use body language, sound design and intriguing visual storytelling to make your work speak louder than words. Nuff said.