🤩6 examples of showing vs. telling for brands

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Bet you’re mailing it in this week, if you’re even working. I applaud both.

I’m still in the saddle, obviously. And the Main Thing today is six examples of “showing vs. telling” marketing. A couple of the upcoming examples extend that concept beyond what you might be thinking. 

After that story, poke around the Monday Marketing News section.

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The Main Thing

Show, Don’t Tell

Let me break this concept down in a few different ways before I show you slick examples of showing vs. telling.

To me, this first piece of the puzzle means the most. When you show someone what you want them to understand or believe, you are not spoon-feeding them. 

That means they have to GET IT themselves. You’re only showing them the way. Not walking the path for them.

Study after study reveals people latch on to their own beliefs with a death-grip. Letting them come to believe something on their own, makes it easier to gain them as a new customer. 

It’s like Jerry Seinfeld describes a good joke. “There’s a “leap” the audience has to make to get the joke. You can’t make the leap too obvious, or it falls flat. Make the leap too difficult, and the audience won’t get it - regardless of the brilliance. 

Another way to use this concept…

…is to make it easier and risk-free for people to try your products or services. Give them the chance to see for themselves if you’ve “got the goods.” 

Don’t tell them a hundred times or beg them to buy from you. Show them it’s worth a test by removing any friction between them and your offers. Can’t only be risk-free financially.

Consumers don’t want their time wasted on crappy products, either. Make sure your stuff is 100% risk-free (time and money).

One more piece of the puzzle. 

User generated content (UGC). Positive reviews from a fellow consumer shows other consumers that what your brands’ ad said is true. Show > tell, again.

Now. Those 6 examples so you can swipe ideas for showing vs. telling about your brands’ offers.

Show vs. Tell: 6 Examples

1. Big Mac. Even someone with a concussion would get this McDonald’s billboard message. That message is… the Big Mac is too large for one billboard. Brilliant. 

2. Next is LEGOS. Don’t tell the kid or parent that you can make anything with LEGO Bricks. Show them a dinosaur shadow created from the LEGOS. 

3. Want strong, healthy teeth and a great smile? Drink what? Show milk glasses as a smile. Smart. But simple enough for anyone to get it. Even someone who’s been drinking shots instead of milk.

4. No words needed in this Nike ad. Running shoes mean healthy lungs. Simple. Instantly obvious messaging. 

5. Showing a heart monitor theme using a seat belt. Just to be sure the last few Neanderthals understood, VW did add some telling in this case. “Save your life!” was part of the ad. 

6. User reviews pack more punch when the user adds a photo. A picture is worth a thousand words for a busy shopper. Plus, a photo from a customer feels more realistic (size, color, etc.) than a shined-up photo in an ad.

The first five examples above reveal the thing you need for showing vs. telling success. Creativity. 

Number six gives you the chance to let your customers show off your products / services however they want. Encourage them to do so.

Moving on. Let's rip open Monday Marketing News.

Please share Inbox Hacking with a fellow marketing go-getter or business owner. I appreciate you reading & sharing.

Shane McLendon - Copy Kingpin

America isn’t perfect. But I’ve been all over the world. And this place is the best place I’ve seen. ~Randy McElwee, Green Beret