Today I was in a local food court and innocently wandered into a cookie store after enjoying a very healthy lunch. I was overwhelmed by the number of choices: chocolate chip, M&M, sugar, iced, glazed, snickerdoodle, cookie pies, cookie cakes and the list goes on. I stood there staring at the case of high-caloric treats unable to make a decision, and soon was ready to walk away rather than deal with the chaos of choosing a cookie.
We all have been in a situation where we inundated by so many options that we are ready to give up. This is all to common in marketing. How many times have you seen an advertisement, video promo, or other piece trying to portray so many messages that it leaves you exhausted and frustrated? Now, I jokingly call this the “cookie store syndrome”.
Perfect example:
Just the other day I was driving past a high-traffic billboard that was trying to communicate over four messages about a new business! In the few seconds I had to look at it, I could barely read the text or understand the multiple messages. Despite its obviously expensive billboard placement, I gave up and you can bet I won’t be visiting their location anytime soon. In other words, I walked away from the cookie store.
Beware of slipping into the cookie store syndrome!
People are bombarded with marketing messages constantly, so work hard to know what “cookie” or message you are trying to communicate and do not overcomplicate it! Otherwise, despite your best efforts, your marketing may backfire and send your customers running!
