360PR Blog

Why are some messages memorable while others go in one ear and out the other?  The 360PR team hoped to answer this question with a discussion of our most recent book club selection “Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive While Others Die” by brothers Chip and Dan Heath.

According to the Heaths, a “sticky” idea is one that is understood, remembered and has a lasting impact – like urban legends. Ever heard of the infamous ring of kidney thieves who steal people’s kidneys to sell in the black market? Now, that’s sticky.  Even though the kidney snatchers don’t exist, the story is memorable and people re-tell it, giving it that lasting impact. However, when company executives relay TRUE ideas to their employees or customers they, too often, say things like “We aim to maximize utility and unlock shareholder value” and people tune out – NOT sticky.

While poring over hundreds of naturally sticky ideas ranging from proverbs – “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”- to successful marketing campaigns, like Subway’s Jared campaign, the brothers found six common traits of sticky ideas. Naturally sticky ideas are simple, unexpected, credible, concrete, elicit emotion and/or tell a story.

These six traits make perfect sense in the context of PR. We are sometimes faced with the challenge of telling a story about a product or pitching a piece of news that isn’t, inherently, sticky. But, the Heaths offer hope to those of us facing this dilemma. After all, the book is not called “Born to Stick” it’s called “Made to Stick” and Chip and Dan argue that with a little love any idea can become sticky.

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Books |