Metaphorically speaking

BY DREW MCLELLAN
The New York Times reported on research demonstrating that when doctors used a metaphor to explain how a new medicine worked, the drug actually worked better. There's nothing magical in that. It's just that we are hard-wired to learn via stories.

In fact, think back to your school days. We were literally taught to learn using tales from the past. Weren't your best (and favorite) teachers great storytellers?

We marketers can harness the power of metaphors as well. They're among the most potent tools at our disposal. Take a fresh look at the product or service you sell. How can you equate it with words that draw a picture or conjure up an emotional response?

Some slogans or ad theme music haunt us because they have sneaked past our intellect and grabbed hold of our imagination. Think of tag lines that just stick, like "takes a licking and keeps on ticking." Those tag lines tell or at least hint at a story.

At the very least, they create a visual picture that we can use to illustrate the story we want to tell. To be good storytellers, we need to be mindful of the language we use.

Several years ago, when we were working on the McLellan Marketing Group's brand, we wanted to convey the passion and energy we bring to our work. Our final result: Where strategy and passion collide! Imagine if we had said instead, "We blend strategy and passion." Hardly the same effect.

Read through your marketing pieces and look for opportunities to use a metaphor to bring your message to life. You'll be amazed at how people respond to emotionally charged words that paint a picture they can latch onto.

Drew McLellan is Top Dog at McLellan Marketing Group and blogs at www.drewsmarketingminute.com. He can be reached at Drew@MclellanMarketing.com. © 2008 Drew McLellan

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