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Information Overload and Two Ways to Improve Marketing in the Noise
Memory Games
Comedian Jimmy Carr hosts a UK game show called I Literally Just Told You, where most of the questions are based on what has already happened in the show itself. It’s a simple idea, and one which can at times collapse into near chaos (see this episode as a prime example).
As funny as it can be, the cognitive carnage is also a great working example of how our brains take in information – and more importantly, how they don’t.
Contestants on the show surely go in ready to listen intently and take in visual cues to the absolute maximum, so they can answer as many questions as possible. It’s win-win: more money in the prize pot – and less character assassination from Carr, who doesn’t hold back.
The Real World
While it’s just a TV show, we can look at I Literally Just Told You as a handy illustration of how our marketing communications work. If people on the show with a heightened sense of attention routinely miss information presented to them, what can we do better when our brands are competing for consumer’s attention?
The media, channel or stream doesn’t matter – people are constantly being hit by information from every angle. Radio and TV bunch ads together (and TV suffers further from second screening), while print and out-of-home both face obstacles in the form of visual clutter on the page, or in real life. Stimulation and new information comes at all of us hard and fast these days.
Avoid the Chaos
Given the challenges, here’s two ways to give your marketing the best chance of success:
- Keep it simple
Strong, clear messaging aids recall. There’s lots going on all the time, if you can stand apart from it all you’ll be in a better position than most others.
- Try to think like a consumer.
Consider how receptive you would be to your own messaging. A breathless radio ad, a cheap looking TVC that screams at the audience, a billboard or bus ad with too many words for a driver to read will all fail to secure attention.
Ignoring the real world context – or trying to be like those around you – is ultimately just adding to the noise. You’re not making it easy for consumers, and not doing your marketing efforts (or budget) any favours.
If I Literally Just Told You has literally told us anything at all, it’s that humans are not great at retaining information when there’s lots of it. Even when they’re alert and looking for it. It may just be a comedy game show, but it’s also a reminder to think about the way we roll out marketing communications, and what we can realistically expect the results to be.