The Power of Anger in Marketing Copy
Anger—rational or not—is such an incredibly strong human emotion. And that’s what makes it a powerful marketing copy driver, regardless of channel. Of course, like dynamite, a campaign created to touch an angry nerve has to be handled carefully. Such an effort positioned incorrectly or sent to the wrong target audiences, can really blow up in one’s face. If you think you’re above being driven to a response made in anger, think again!
· You’ve never voted for a political candidate who succeeded in getting you worked up about an opponent’s poor record through direct mail, TV or radio?
· You’ve never purchased a piece of exercise equipment, a self-help book, or a trendy medical supplement because you were fed up with the way you looked, acted or felt?
· You’ve never switched service providers after receiving a mailing from a competitor…at a moment when you were upset with yours?
· And be honest, just after 9/11, when you sent a check off to one of the relief organizations, you’re telling me your sole motivation was generosity? Deep down inside, weren’t you fighting mad about what had been done to our country? It’s nothing to be ashamed of, we all see red from time to time, and react. Certain marketers, particularly non-profit organizations, and especially those with controversial points of view, will do their best to light the fires of fury. And loosen the billfolds of their angry databases.
Before the election, strictly out of curiosity, I visited the Web site of the Republican National Committee and at the top of home page, just above the “donate” link, discovered that the “Democrats are arranging press conferences and bus trips to Canada with senior citizens and using empty pill bottles as props for baseless attacks…”
Naturally, I got angry.
Then I went to the site of the Democratic National Committee and immediately to the right of the “contribute” link, was urged to “Visit the Republican Broken Promises site to see how when Republicans are faced with a tough choice on the issues that matter most to American families, they side with the special interests every time…”
Did that ever burn me up!
At the site of the Libertarian Party, the “Party of Principle,” I was invited to part with a few dollars because, according to “America’s largest and most successful third party,” both of the others are completely out of step with the course this nation needs to follow.
Now I was fit to be tied!
These copy examples delivered a heart-pumping reaction from me—and many others.
Would anger be an effective copy driver in your next marketing effort, either online, offline or both?
Possibly. Before employing it, however, I would urge you to be absolutely sure that you know the prospects, customers or donors you’ll be addressing. Be factual, be fair and be very, very careful. You want to predict exactly how your angry people are going to react to your message.
Remember this one?
Randy Newman unintentionally stirred people to anger when he poked fun at “Short People.”
They got little hands
Little eyes
They walk around tellin’ great big lies
They got little noses
And tiny little teeth
They wear platform shoes on their nasty little feet…
To this day Newman shakes his head over the countless and furious calls that were made to radio stations whenever his song aired. A certain segment of the American listening audience could not be convinced that his kicker, “… don’t want no short people ’round here” was nothing more than a creative parody of prejudice itself. No matter how many times the songwriter explained and defended himself as a sensitive, open-minded lover of mankind, there were those who considered him a cold and heartless bigot with a disturbing prejudice against the vertically challenged of the world. Despite the outrage, Short People peaked at #2 on the FM play lists in December of 1977.
Anger can be a powerful copy driver and should be tested. Just proceed cautiously.
Grant A. Johnson is the founder and CEO of Johnson Direct. Visit his blog “A Measured Approach” at the Big Fat Marketing Blog.
