Message in a Bottle

I recently came across a story about an eccentric Canadian man named Harold Hackett who, since 1996, has been throwing message-stuffed bottles into the Atlantic Ocean. The neon-colored juice bottles each contain Harold’s address, a handwritten note and a request that anyone who finds a bottle responds with their own handwritten note.

Harold has so far sent nearly 4,800 bottles out to sea, but what makes the story so astonishing is that he’s received over 3,100 replies from bottle finders ranging from Africa to Ireland. And each has replied — just like Harold asks — with a handwritten note.

Sure, Harold is felonious polluter, but with his 63% response rate, I couldn’t help but wonder, is there is a marketing lesson to be learned here? Then it occurred to me: A great ad is a lot like one of Harold’s bottles. Adrift in a vast ocean of sameness, it sticks out; it floats to the top; it inspires consumers (or in Harold’s case, beachgoers) to investigate, engage and respond.

Sounds easy enough, but the challenge lies in making one’s advertising feel like a message in a bottle. But how does one do that, aside from actually bottling it and tossing it into the Pond?

I believe that Harold’s story shows that connecting with an audience while floating in vast sea of banality requires three ingredients: surprise, mystery and sincerity. To explain, I’ve outlined what I’m officially deeming the Unauthorized Harold Hackett Guide to Direct-Response Marketing (UHHGDRM). Have a look.

Rule #1. Surprise the consumer with the delivery.

This doesn’t necessarily mean a fancy package (or bottle). It could be as simple as a great visual or a clever headline (or both). But whatever it is, it must get the consumer’s attention.

Rule #2. Stoke curiosity.

Like Sarah McLachlan, one must build a mystery to arouse the consumer’s curiosity. It needn’t be heavy or convoluted, just something intriguing enough to get the lid off the bottle.

Rule #3. Deliver the message with sincerity.

This is absolutely vital. Once the consumer has the message in their hands, it’s game time, and an honest, candid tone always scores more points than trite, salesy crap.

And there you have it. Sort of.

While I admit the UHHGDRM is a bit vague and underdeveloped, it’s meant to be more of a compass than a roadmap. Just a basic set of guidelines by which to judge an advert before casting it into the sea. And though the formula isn’t perfect, surely it has some merit, right? Eh? You there?

Regardless, I think Harold Hackett’s story sends an S.O.S. to the ad world, proving that everyone loves a surprise, a mystery and a sincere appeal. When we marketing professionals include these elements into every breath we take and every ad we make, only then will we walk in fields of gold.