I have a collection of favorite posters and analogies that I am drawn to. Here are a few of my favorites.
Porsche Ad: Honestly now, did you spend your youth dreaming about someday owning Nissan or a Mitsubishi?
Nike Ad: Yesterday you said tomorrow.
Apple Ad: 1,000 songs in your pocket.
These are all timeless and simple messages. No jargon. No fluff. Clear, concise and direct. I think about this communication style a lot and wonder about the pros and cons if I were to practice it in my work area.
I have to talk to a lot of people at work and different people receive different messages if it clicks. If I share too much context I would lose them. If I share less then they wonder whether I have thought through all the details before they can align themselves with my approach. Balancing context in communication is a never ending challenge. But if I use the right stroke on messaging, it can unblock several people to get the job done.
Let's take “1000 songs in your pocket” which was the slogan for the 1st iPod used by Steve Jobs in 2001. He could've gone into another direction of how the underlying architecture works and discussed the state-of-the-art technology. He knew technology was the means to an end, not the end. Instead he focused on an analogy that painted the core value prop while showing the product is the solution.
Being direct, succinct and kind in your messaging style will prevent energy drain for your listener or reader. Good communication requires empathy.
Let's remember we communicate to share ideas and influence others. It is all about connecting with people therefore simplicity always win.