The Drama of Copywriting: Theme
The next exciting installment in my look at the Six Elements of Drama takes us deep into the meaning of it all: Theme.
Theme is the “why” of your story — the statement you’re trying to make, or the question you’re trying to ask, about life, the universe and everything. It’s what your story has to do with the everyday life and experience of audience. The message, the moral, the point.
That’s why marketing exists — to convey a message. Your marketing must go beyond lists of features and benefits and communicate what that all these goodies add up to for the customer. It must go beyond a company’s profile, track record or mission statement to deliver a corporate philosophy in a few compelling words. Your marketing must deliver the bottom line: “Here’s the why of our business.”
You see themes presented all the time in marketing and advertising. The most common theme delivery method is a headline, tagline, or other such slogan that says it all in a single bold statement. “Like a Good Neighbor…” or “Let Your Fingers Do the Walking…” aren’t just clever sayings. They are distillations of their representative business’s entire sales pitch, boiled down into the most powerful message possible. A great slogan is easy to remember, packs an emotional punch, and tickles a specific desire in the reader (convenience, security, joy, wealth, et cetera).
So when you’re constructing your own marketing campaign, pay attention to whether you have a memorable slogan to cap it off with. That slogan is the theme that runs through your business. It’s the “because” to your customer’s “why,” and until you can state it clearly, succinctly and powerfully, you’ll be leaving money on the table.
