The MAGIC i

You know what?

All brand communication starts with A for Attention.

Doesn’t matter what it is - ad, pack design, search, social, email, in-store, event, forum - if they don’t notice you, you aren’t in the game.

But then there’s B for Branding.

When you catch their eye, they have to know it’s you.

That means using your assets. The ones you’ve been using for as long as they can remember, because you’ve been smart enough to stick with the same ones.

Then what? Have you got anything relevant or interesting to say?

C is Communication, of course.

George Bernard Shaw said: “The problem with communication is the illusion that it has been accomplished.”

So you’re talking but they aren’t listening.

And is what you have to say any Different?

I know, I know. The other D, Distinctiveness, matters more. So the data says.

But your brand promise has at least to feel different. It can’t be the same. Because then it’ll come down to price.

Which just leaves E.

(Pause for effect)

Emotion.

Because “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Maya Angelou.

It’s what brings a person and a brand closer together, what makes a moment of closeness.

They need this, deep down. And that’s what you’re offering, deep down.

So there it is. That’s your ABCDE.

Attention.

Branding.

Communication.

Different.

Emotion.

It’s nothing new. In fact, it’s always been true.

And it’s always been hard to do it well, because five is a lot of jobs to do at once.

That’s why experts always focus on their favourite letter of the five.

But those experts aren’t generally the ones creating stuff. They’re like me, bloggers dreaming of being writers.

But the ones who do - the copywriters and designers and content creators - they know it all comes down to one thing.

Having an Idea. Five small steps in one giant leap.

The magic i.

So hang on, what do F, G and H stand for?