Poetry has disappeared from mainstream America. Liberal artists and intellectuals around the nation may still enjoy it, but the common person has abandoned it for other forms of expression and entertainment. The public doesn’t hold it in the same light as it once did. Now, only a small subculture specializes in it. Poetry has become a wayside art, but that position will give it power in branding. It’s very cliché, yet poetic, that poetry would share the same fate as the legend of the phoenix.
The Unspoken Similarities Of Poetry And Advertising
Ad-smiths and brands face larger obstacles today, than in the 1970s. The tools have made aspects of advertising and marketing easier, but with ease comes oversaturation. In the ‘70s, the average consumer saw roughly 500 ads a day. Thanks to smartphones, they can see nearly 10,000 today. Consumers have always been intelligent, but when overexposed to one thing, the human brain can subconsciously tune it out.
To combat that, some advertisements use literary devices to break through. From a young age, we’ve been surrounded by the core principles of poetry and advertising in children’s books. Repetition, alliteration, meter, rhythm, and rhyme are all found in children books and often found in good advertising.
Another place we see these same elements is in music, specifically lyrics. All three share similar core principles to keep the audience engaged. Take for instance the long running jingle used in Alka-Seltzar’s 1960s campaign. It was a huge success and is considered to be one of the most memorable jingles. Sure, we remember it for it’s huge success; we bet you (or your parents) remember it for the poetic lines.
How Can Poetry Help Advertising
Poetry is able to bypass the subconscious tune-out since it use in advertising is rare. It’s tricking the target’s mind to actually pay attention because it’s different. It can be that needed one-two punch that keeps the audience engaged for an entire ad.
These easily recognizable devices are already being used in your advertising to some degree. The distinguishable traits of poetry can grab the consumer’s attention and resonate a feeling of nostalgia for a new product, hopefully producing a buy. Or as a poet would say, these melodic devices take hold and give your soul feet to dance with.