I recently went to see Art Chantry speak. Chantry claimed that sometimes advertising is done to keep people away. On the surface level this sounds contradictory, but actually proves to be true in nearly every case. Chantry designed gig posters for punk rock shows. Many are almost unreadable. To decipher what the poster was about or the show details, the viewer needs to engage with the poster and truly study it. The poster serves as a filter. If the viewer is offended, annoyed, or simply not willing to invest the time in reading it, most likely they would not enjoy the show. Punk music is not easy listening.
The concept can be the difference between good advertising and great advertising. Exclusion can give the campaign a sharper edge. Exclusion becomes a way of relating to the true target, a knowing wink. It effectively communicates to the target that the advertiser truly understands them. Hence the target perceives the advertiser as a trusted and credentialed advisor rather than being driven by money.
I often write creative briefs. Among other things, the brief identifies the target audience and what’s relevant to them. I’m going to start considering The anti-target. Who do I want to exclude? Then I will determine how to introduce an element into the campaign that will turn them away. Seriously.
The images above are gig posters designed by Art Chantry.
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