Writing for each audience. A megaphone and whisper matter.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. There was so much to build and create, it was because the team had forgotten they had to do it. There was a whole lot of co-creating, it was in a rush because the client suddenly suspected there was no content team.

We were revising copy with a colleague for the brand concept of what is now our client. They had built a very pretty, aesthetic, very versatile design, but there was no concept to it. So that’s what we were working around.

The name was solid though, they had based the design on an idea. They just never put words to it, nor clearly defined how it related to the target audience and didn’t think it would be necessary to do so. It was.

So there we were, commenting asynchronically on a gdoc, sometimes sharing screen on a meet. They had seen my first approach, given some feedback, and we were amidst a debate of what should stay and what could be lost.

At some point, they highlighted one of the main taglines and asked: “Do you think people will get this?”

Well, I don’t know, are we talking into a megaphone or whispering to someone close by? — notice I said talking into a megaphone, never ever shout. Never use exclamation marks. Moving on…- let’s go over it again, who are we aiming for?

Megaphones and whispers

If you’re talking to everyone, you’re not talking to anyone. That’s advertising bachelor degree level 101. Yes.

But you can be speaking to a wider audience or to a niche. You can go for a very specific industry and talk in terms and jargon that leave people out because you don’t care for others’ understanding. You can aim for a niche but in a way it will be intelligible for any passerby. Or you can sell something intelligible directed to a more standard and ample audience.

Picking an audience is not optional, it’s a key part of the work. But if you’ll be speaking into a megaphone that reaches more people or whisper into the ear of a few, is completely up to you (though I’d suggest you base the decision on your buyer persona — which is based on data- and not whim).

In this way, design and business are tied together from the very beginning. You design a concept based on business strategy, not (only) personal preferences. We were very early on the brand identity process here, but with these minor adjustments the links between identity, concept, and commercial strategy had already begun.

Understandable to all, meaningful to a few

Imagine you’re one of those people with the spinning signs. Or, well, I hope there’s a similar analogy for you reading this, but in Argentina we have the churro guy at the beach yelling “Churros!” and that’s as close to happiness as one gets. Just one arm raised away from fried baton shaped pastry filled with caramel.

These people are selling to a wide audience. Not everyone likes churros. Not everyone needs whatever product you’re advertising. But we all get what you’re selling. We understand and get to decide if we care or not. No codewords are needed. No fancy jargon. Just straightforward messaging that provides me with the information I need.

I don’t need to be a part of a certain group to get in. Or if I do, it’s a group I can easily join.

That’s a megaphone audience/message. It’s usually a well known, more standard solution, that meets the needs of a big crowd.

Obscure to most, genius to a handful

“If you can solve this puzzle, apply for a position in our company”.

Not a big fan of that recruiting approach. It’s usually lame for the profile you wan’t to attract and cool for the wrong crowd. But it’s a good example of a whisper.

It’s a message that is understandable to few. And if poorly done, that you at least understand it was meant for a specific portion of the population. This happens when technical jargon appears. Or when there are hints and quotes to specific cultural references that are more obscure. If you need a certain degree of education to understand. Or if you need to be neck deep in the universe at stake to even start talking, like it happens with gaming.

Which is why whispering is something you can do if you’re actually involved. To know the behavior of these audiences you need to do your homework properly. A tiny mistake can blow up in your face. Like adults when they imitate teens. Or like not caring. It’s not something you can fake.

Sidenote: don’t confuse this with funnels

There will always be layers to what you say. As people grow in interest, the message becomes more and more specific and directed. That’s a sales funnel: the whole attraction, interaction, engagement, and conversion shenanigans.

In that sense, you always speak into a wider audience at first (the click bait) and get your user more and more involved until there’s a complicity between you both. That is real and something to build and pay attention to. But it’s not a megaphone or whisper matter. Both should have a funnel in mind.

End of sidenote.

A layered strategy

Going back to where it all began: our deceived client who was expecting a brand concept.

We decided to go for a mixed strategy. Which is of course an option.

The persona we had in mind for the brand is someone open. Someone who is very worldly and knowledgeable. You’d probably want to play charades and trivial pursuit with them. And even though at a glance you know they handle a super wide range of conversation, as an outsider to what they do you don’t feel excluded if you happen to be around. What you’d call a real nice bunch of people.

But when the brand is not talking about general matters, or more simple concepts, and it starts talking about their service which is built upon +20 years of expertise….well. They start whispering and luring in those who are moving in that same frequency. Because they can’t help it. They are good at what they do. And that’s where they really want to position themselves.

Therefore the company at a glance has somewhat of a megaphone matter. It’s not for everyone, you can tell, but we all get it. Yet, as you dive into sections of their web or social media posts of projects they’ve done, they get all nerdy. ’Cause they know who’s reading, or at least what reader they want to attract. And they don’t mind if some people are left out.

There are myriad ways to go around this. Mainly because this is a resource, a tool, not a model. The important thing is that it makes sense with what you do, who you are and, above all, for whom you’re doing it.

Get that right and it will translate consistently into your KPIs.