Last week, I bought a bag of Kenya AA coffee beans. I usually go for French Roast or Kona, but hey, it was almost summer and I wanted something different. For those of you who drink coffee, I need not explain the immediate “high” – the sensory explosion — of inhaling the scent of fresh-ground beans – but for those of you who don’t, just imagine.
Much like Jumanji – that weird film caught between being too scary for kids and too juvenile for adults — no sooner had I broken the vacuum seal and let the aroma escape, out came thundering herds of zebra, wildebeests, and gazelle. There in my kitchen, I was transported to the Serengeti Plain on a cerebral safari. I felt the dry heat of the grasslands, heard the buzz of flies, and in the distance, the occasional grunt, snuffle, and moan of creatures far bigger than myself.
Drinking the savory liquid, I felt the warm adrenaline rush of caffeine, but more than that, the words on the packaging took me there. Phrases like “high plateaus and lofty slopes,” “sparkling brightness,” and “equatorial sun” put pictures in my head. (Kudos to the unknown copywriter who creates for Berkeley & Jensen ® .) The subtle graphics of giraffes and elephants offered subliminal reinforcement.
For a moment I escaped from the routine of housework, a 9-to-5, and the chores that awaited. “Complex flavors hinting of blackberry” made my morning routine so much more intriguing than it deserved. I’m not sure I ever detected the blackberry undertones, but the thought of plump, sweet berries raced through my mind – and into my veins.
Similarly, I remember reading something about the woman who created Banana Nut Crunch cereal for Post. In selling the idea, she conjured up visions of Grandma’s banana bread, coming warm out of the oven. Who could resist?
That’s why words as descriptors are so essential, but it takes some good instinct to know how much is enough – and when to stop. Just like there’s little room for “purple prose” in strong creative writing, it doesn’t belong in copywriting either. Too much description, and reader tunes out. It’s overkill. So maybe the key here is to plant the seed but let the reader harvest the crop – and crave a second cup.
Tags: Add new tag, descriptions, imagination, Kenya AA coffee, packaging, Serengeti Plain
Categories: Advertising, Colorful phrases, Creativity, Language