obama and the new yorker, a lesson in communication 101

this is not advertising, it goes with the general heading of communication, but this new yorker magazine cover featuring the obamas is a an excellent lesson in communication 101 which we can easily apply to advertising 101.



it has created a fenzy where one side says it's insulting and degrading to the obamas and creates fear while the other says people should ligthen up becuase it's satire. the new yorker as a magazine has been doing this kind of covers and articles for decades.



obama has downplayed it. both the democratic and republican parties have denounced it. media, comentators and analysts are divided.



one of the very early lessons one learns in advertising is this term "polarizing", it means the same communication material may be interpreted in two different and opposite meanings. more importantly, these different or opposite meaning may turn off one group of the audience and may turn on another separate group. that results to one group not liking the ad and the other liking the ad.



when you see a storyboard or layout like that, the immediate action should be to junk it and not use it in advertising. advertising is an investment and a costly one. it's meant to not just build a brand equity but more importantly build business. a large part of its ability to build equity and business is its likeability. airing advertising that polarizes the audience let's say 50% of them liking the ad and 50% not like the ad mean the investment you have put into into your business is yielding only half of the benefits you want to get out of it.



this is not being conservative or being ho-hum, it's being a smart investor of your brand's money. advertising is a business tool and like every business tool, you want to make sure it works well for your business.









the lesson here is this -- when you're into the business of communication and that includes advertising, make sure you use a form of communication and message that everyone will clearly understand and never one that risks being misunderstood or misinterpreted. the primary goal of communication is not just to communicate, but more importantly, to communicate very well.







It's satire, folks ... lighten up --> http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/15/EDSS11P0IR.DTL&type=politics



It's only a cartoon! But Obama adds that New Yorker cover insults Muslims --> http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2008/07/16/2008-07-16_untitled__cover16m-1.html