How to apply the "Dominating Attribute" visual principle

How to apply the “Dominating Attribute” visual principle

How to apply the “Dominating Attribute” visual principle 368 217 Shlomi Ron

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Profile

  • Client: Swedish bank and one-click payment system Klarna.
  • Agency: Nord DDB and directed by The Perlorian Brothers.
  • Platform: Instagram.
  • Backstory: As part of a larger campaign that started last year, and in support of Klarna’s new Website launch, Nord DDB repurposed this video clip on Instagram last month, and created a viral sensation (31k views, and 300 comments).

Why does it work?

  • Brand attribute: The clip works because it takes one dominating feature and taking it to the extreme to demo the key value benefit of the product. In this case, how smooth payments can be using the service – and blow it up to the extreme by using a swimming “mermaid” Afghan dog. The same principle was successfully used in the famed Blendtec’s Will it Blend YouTube campaign.
  • Emotion: The target emotion is a sheer surprise, coupled with pet always-high likability factor.
  • Repurposing: Great illustration of how to recycle content from a longer commercial that was syndicated on TV to Instagram.
  • Trigger caption: The Instagram caption is: When you’re swimming into the weekend like… #noworries is a great example of how to prime your audience to respond. And indeed, their audience completed the story in their heads with a ton of interpretative comments.
  • Business objective: Speaking about the customer’s “Road of Trials,” this clip demonstrates how you can stage wow moments for your audience, at the top funnel to drive positive brand awareness leveraging Instagram.
  • Relevancy to VSI Framework: Transform your meta-story into a mini visual story that matches your buyer’s stage in the journey and platform culture (Story Making > Story Visualizing > Story Telling in our framework). Klarna’s meta-story commitment to SMOOTH payments is effectively visualized to trigger emotional resonance and then story-told leveraging Instagram’s visual grammar.

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Shlomi Ron

Shlomi Ron is the founder and CEO of the Visual Storytelling Institute, a Miami-based think tank with a mission to bring the gospel of visual storytelling from the world of art to more human-centric and purpose-driven marketing. A digital marketing veteran with over 20 years of experience working both on the agency and brand sides for Fortune 100/500 brands such as Nokia, IBM, and American Express. He started VSI to combine his marketing expertise with his passion for visual stories stemming from his interests in classic Italian cinema and managing the estate of video art pioneer, Buky Schwartz. At VSI, he helps brands rise above the communication noise through visual storytelling consulting, training, and thought leadership. Select clients include Estée Lauder, Microsoft, and Cable & Wireless – to name a few. He currently teaches Brand Storytelling at the University of Miami’s Business School. Thought leader and speaker at key marketing conferences. He is also the host of the Visual Storytelling Today podcast, which ranks in the top 10 best business storytelling podcasts on the Web. His book: Total Acuity: Tales with Marketing Morals to Help You Create Richer Visual Brand Stories. Outside work, he is a nascent bread baker, The Moth fan, and longtime fedora wearer likely to jive with his classic Italian cinema interest.

All stories by: Shlomi Ron

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