TIP OF THE MONTH: How to be cool...in advertising.

December 2008 | Posted by Carolyn Pikoulas
Advertisements are a lot like high school cliques -- there are the nerds (who are clever, but not high on the "good-looking" scale); the jocks (who are loud, but with nothing important to say); the goody-two-shoes (who are very busy joining multiple clubs, but not getting any attention); and the "cool" kids (witty, good-looking, and able to stand out from the crowd). Achieving "cool" status in advertising can be elusive, but if we can learn how to become one of the "cool" kids, maybe we can apply that knowledge to create a super cool ad campaign.

1. Step out of your comfort zone. If you're not cool, it's because you're not comfortable trying new ways to engage people. To be cool, you'll need to take a few chances that normally feel uncomfortable. Be prepared to be bold. (Don't always stick to the same kind of advertising -- find new ways to reach customers in new venues & media.)
2. Be original. Whoever started the acid wash jeans trend in the 80's had to be cool. How else could something so ugly become the must-have of the decade? Cool kids start trends and stay ahead of the curve. Everyone else wants to be like the cool kids, so they emulate everything the cool kids do. They're the ones who break against the mainstream and make people question the status quo. (Just because everyone else has a blue logo doesn't mean yours has to be blue.)
3. Have confidence. Cool kids are mellow, and they walk tall. They don't try to be something they're not. Realize that ultimately, you'll never be able to please everyone. (Understand your target market. If you try to advertise to all, you end up advertising to none.)
4. Be aware of how people perceive you. This might seem to contradict the previous step, but there's a difference in letting people's judgments affect your self esteem, and being aware of how you come off to others. Are you really hip and cool or just a weirdo? In terms of physical appearance, beware of food getting stuck in your teeth, bad breath, body odor, toilet paper stuck to your shoe, etc. (What do the images and copy in your ads say about your company/services/product?)
5. Chill out. Everyone loves someone who is outgoing, but nobody likes someone who is overly excited. Being overeager can be annoying. Cool people don't chatter rapidly, pause, or mumble. They say what they mean, and mean what they say. (Too many details, pictures and text make a print ad look busy and nerdy, so keep it clean and simple. Just get to the point.)
6. Be yourself. You might think that in order to be cool, you need to be attractive and talented, but there are extremely cool people who are otherwise quite average, and there are extremely good-looking and talented people who are anything BUT cool. Remember, the only thing you need in order to be cool is a good set of people skills. (If you can relate to your audience on a personal, emotional level, they will feel a connection to your company or product.)
7. Just be cool. What essentially makes you cool is your identity. Find your talent whether it be sports, music, art, making smart comments... People will notice your passion and respect you for it. (Brand whatever makes your company/product different from your competitors. Get to know your brand and what your company stands for.)

Other Tips

• Don't base your coolness on making others seem uncool. You'll make more enemies than friends that way.
• Don't lose sight of yourself or your goals. The power of coolness comes from within.
• A lot of people you hang out with aren't cool, and they can slow your path to coolness.
• Don't become too cool for your own good. There's a thin line between cool and arrogant.
• Wearing sunglasses at night = instant coolness.