Advertisers are constantly looking for new ways to capture our attention and compel us to take action. Marketers employ engagement techniques to entice people to participate in their promotions, with the hope that greater involvement would result in increased reaction.
These techniques are often effective, however, I have never seen somebody react to any of those methods in the same way that they do to a cartoon.
It’s important to remember that editorial readership polls attest to the fact that cartoons are the ultimate participation mechanism, because nothing else in magazines and newspapers captures our attention as thoroughly as a cartoon does. It’s a crucial place to begin. If you’re planning a marketing campaign, a job bid, a business deal, or anything else that requires convincing someone to do something for you, the first step is to capture their attention. If you don’t take the crucial first step, nothing else will happen.
They used to say in direct marketing that you only have five seconds to grab someone’s attention and persuade them to open the piece rather than throw it away. With the expansion of our fast-paced, mobile tech-laden lives, it’s even less now. At most, I’d say you have a second. If you don’t get someone’s attention and if you can’t persuade them that there’s more to the interior than a button click or a screen tap, your campaign is doomed. If you’re trying to reach out to a key contact or sway a potential employer, you’re out of luck.
It is an unmatched advantage to carry into any event or campaign when you can command people’s attention. Ability, I would argue, raises your employment value by a factor of a hundred. Getting important people to participate in your deals, hire you, respond to your marketing campaigns, watch your presentations, and accept you socially is the key to moving forward in life. And cartoons can frequently be of great assistance.
The fundamentals of a cartoon
I’ve seen many attempts to employ cartoons in advertising. Sometimes they might be humorous, but not in the way they should be. When putting together a campaign, it’s understandable that marketers may aim for the cheapest option. It’s not strange, though, that they cut corners on the cartoon. Often times someone in the company will say, “Bill in the design department creates hilarious pictures, let’s have him do it.”
The problem is that cartooning entails far more than simply drawing amusing images. As a result, when Bill puts pen to paper, the product will most likely reflect his status as a cartoonist. It will not only make him look inexperienced, but it will also make you appear inexperienced.
So, what are the fundamental components that make a cartoon work?
- Style that stands out
Is the cartoon you’ve picked dated when you look at it? Does it have a distinct appearance to it, as though it could have appeared in The New Yorker? Is it the work of a well-known cartoonist? Is it possible that “Bill in design” did it on his own time? Whatever it appears to be reflects back on you and your company. Does it make you appear dated and silly, as well as lacking in taste, or does it demonstrate a sense of purpose, as well as the fact that you won’t settle for anything less than the best? More than just what’s mentioned in the description, the style of the cartoon you use says a lot.
- A solid framework
When done well, composition pulls the focus to important plot aspects. As I’m sure you’ve seen when you’ve taken a photograph, there are some strategies to creating a picture. The way a table sits, then directs the eye to the person at the head of the table; the way those sat at the table are looking toward the central figure in the drawing all contribute to the cartoon’s concept of coherence. The cartoon will not make sense without it. It will appear unorganized, leaving the reader unsure of what the comic was attempting to convey. And it will give the reader a poor opinion of you.
- Characters who interact well
There is a pleasant friction when characters interact. In a cartoon, that interaction must support the gag; otherwise, the cartoon will not be successful. If you have an angry caption and all of the characters are smiling, the reader will be confused.
- Organic friction
Conflict appears to be at the heart of the majority of viable humor. The most effective gags put one character against another or against a background circumstance. If “Designer Bill” creates a cartoon for your campaign that is devoid of tension, the cartoon most certainly lacks humor. Bill may have drawn it that way in the hope that you wouldn’t take offense, but a cartoon without conflict is likely to fall flat.
- It’s got to be funny
It’s self-evident, but if your cartoon isn’t amusing, you’re wasting your audience’s time. The reason people go toward cartoons is that they anticipate being amused by something amusing and intelligent. If the cartoon isn’t amusing, it’s a letdown. And you’re not going to go through all of this bother to disappoint your audience.
- Solid direction
The cartoon’s comedy must be properly directed to avoid insulting the audience. This is more difficult than it appears, because everyday humor — the way we joke with our friends — is much different from the type of humor required for a campaign. Additionally, you do not want to cast a negative light on the recipient of your advertising piece.
Are you getting the impression that cartooning is much more difficult than it appears? Indeed, it is!
Let me do the hard work for you in creating your next marketing campaign cartoon, and let Bill in Design do what he does best!
