DIARY OF AN ADMAN

What Scott Pilgrim Teaches About Creative.

Sacramento Ad & PR Guru David Ligon

David Ligon, Creative Principal, Sacramento

August 03, 2011

Iwatched “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” the other night on DVD, and I was struck by how much I enjoyed it. It’s a comedy I’m sure I’ll remember for years to come.  And I got to thinking, why?  What is so special about movies like “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World,” “Kick-Ass,” and “500 Days of Summer” that really make them stand out for me? And the answer is: they are not formulaic.

Most comedies, dare I say movies, are a dime a dozen. That’s interesting to me, because if there is one thing I preach to my clients it is to be different than their competitors.  Are you different? If you do the same style ads, the same kind of marketing, the same sounding messaging, then you will never stand out from your competition. Without sounding too cliched: “dare to be different.” But of course, be smart about it. So if your videos, advertising, radio commercials, brochures and other creative endeavors look and sound like everyone else’s, guess what? — they won’t be remembered. And furthermore, they won’t help you reach your marketing goals.

“If you do the same style ads, the same kind of marketing, the same sounding messaging, then you will never stand out from your competition.”

Take a lesson from movies like Scott Pilgrim, or even Kick-Ass, and tell your story differently than your competitors. That’s the best way I can think of to Identify Yourself. And if you have trouble, that’s what I’m for. Please contact me for some “Kick-Ass” creative. (well, a little more creative than that last sentence for sure).

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