Photo by Randen Pederson

Have you stopped to think what marketing you stop and pay attention to? Was it a series of words, a color, an image, a testimonial, or a recommendation by someone you know? That’s why there’s a hierarchy of advertising imagery that you should be aware of (and use for the right reason for your target market).

Hierarchy of Marketing Imagery

Words Only. It’s ultimately the offer that’s in your marketing that sells your product or services. But people are unlikely to read something that’s strictly text unless someone else has told them to read it. Newspapers and magazines make sure to break up long text passages with graphics to draw the eye in. Words alone answer the question, “What’s in it for me?”.

Words and Images of Things. If you want to see a widget, it makes sense to show the widget and tell about it. That’s what you’ll see in a catalog listing and it answers the question, “What does it look like?”.

Words and Images of People. Having people use your widget gives your product “social proof”. If these people are enjoying it, then it would seem that you would as well. This type of marketing message answers the question, “How will it make me feel?”.

Words and Images of People Looking at the Reader. Psychologically, when we see groups of people, we think “pack”. If they are attractive, enjoying themselves, or being rewarded – we want to be like them. But we often think of “us” and “them”. “They” are “the cool crowd”. By having people look at the reader, it allows us to be “seen” and gives us a permission to be part of the crowd. This type of marketing message answers the question, “How can I invite myself into this lifestyle?”

When planning your next marketing effort, pick the right marketing message tool to get the business results you desire.