All You Need is a Good Idea!: How to Create Marketing Messages that Actually Get Results

Chapter 17. WHEN IS A GOOD IDEA NOT A GOOD IDEA?

Everyone knows the joke about the secret of the proper timing of a punch line for a comedian. For the two of you who may not, here is how it goes: Person One says, "Ask me what the secret of telling a good joke is. "Person Two replies, "What is the sec ..." Person One interrupts, "Timing!"

Improper timing is one reason why a good idea suddenly can become a not-so-good idea. Here is an example of an idea I had a while ago that I thought would make a good idea if we ever pitched an airline. The campaign was designed for business travelers, not leisure market vacation tourists. Since it was never actually produced, I had the advantage of an unlimited budget. The commercial could be as many minutes long as my imagination required it to be. Visually, we see a business traveler in a comfortable business class environment. The cabin is half empty, and our hero has a comfy aisle seat. He is offered food and beverages by an exceedingly attentive and glamorous stewardess whose only job, it seems, was taking care of our passenger. He ate, drank, reclined, watched a movie, and in brief, had a truly wonderful experience. We then see him after landing, with quick cuts of the hassle of getting his luggage, then finding a taxi, the dense traffic on the way to the hotel, the lost room reservation, and the many employees with hands out for gratuities. When he finally enters his room we notice the accommodations are not particularly inviting: A small ...