Book Review: Impossible to Ignore Creating Memorable Content to Influence Decisions
- Tim Pulliam
- Mar 7, 2017
- 3 min read
Recently, I had the opportunity to read Dr. Carmen Simon’s book, “Impossible to Ignore, Creating Memorable Content to Influence Decisions." The book analyzes the theory and science behind producing unforgettable pieces of work. Chapter one sets the tone for how the rest of the book will flow. People rely on their memory to make decisions or take action, so it’s imperative for visual communicators to find ways to tap into that space.
The notion that people take their cues from memory is believable, because we often use cues to remind us of tasks. A successful cue will move us from thought to action. Simon lays out an example of recycle bins in front of the grocery store for plastic bags. Normally we see the cue at the grocery store, but the goal is for us to remember at point A, to bring the plastic bags from home to the store, which is point B. So in order to get people to arrive at point B, A person’s memory at point A has to be stimulated.
Strong memory cues can leave an impression on one’s memory and bring attention to a message in various ways. Some of the cues Dr. Simon highlights are: size and color. I saw two examples of this recently during the inaugural ceremonies of President Donald Trump. His daughter, Ivanka, wore a vibrant green coat and matching dress during a solemn ceremony at the Arlington Cemetery. The outfit stood out in my memory because of its color compared to her family, who were neutral-colored clothing. On Inauguration Day, the president’s senior advisor, Kellyanne Conway, wore a round-shaped red hat and a matching red and blue outfit that made her look patriotic. Dr. Carmen says using size and color is a simple way to make a cue reflexive and hard to ignore.
Another cue is words used in messaging. Words are memorable if they are aspirational or reinforces what we desire to believe about
ourselves. This is why we remember famous movie quotes and. Dr. Carmen points out a few movie quotes that are catchy, and may jog your memory about a time period in your life. For instance, Walmart’s “Save Money, Live Better” or Actor Cuba Gooding, Jr.’s quote in the movie Jerry Maguire, “Show me the money.” Both phrases can jog back nostalgia or affinity for the message. There was a time in my life where I lived paycheck to paycheck, so my goal was to make more money, so that I could remove this burden. So for me, these quotes remind me of that time. This concept was expanded upon in the book “Contagious: Why Things Catch On.” Jonah Berger, the author talks about how certain triggers, like songs and quotes, can jog a person’s memory emotionally and physically.
Overall, I think "Impossible to Ignore" is a book that does a good job of explaining the science of signals and its relationship with processing our intentions and actions. However, the book wasn’t an easy read like Berger’s. I see opportunities to use these theories on creating a social media campaign with my client, Melanie Casey Jewelry. My team, AbovePARR could develop messages and images that trigger people’s memory about the feeling they felt when receiving a gift. The message can be something to the effect of: “Make the moment memorable with a gift from Melanie Casey Jewelry.” These messages could live on MCJ’s Instagram and Facebook with a call to action to her website. On the website, users would see the concept repeated again through a mini-commercial showing awe-inspiring moments of someone receiving a gift from MCJ. According to Dr. Carmen, repeated messages that are clear and concise make it easier for people to understand and remember.
I recommend this book to anyone who is curious about how and why people rely on memory to influence decision making.