i got .99 problems

Posted on | October 24, 2007 | View Comments

I was in a gas station driving up to Pennsylvania last week and I saw the sign below.

My first thought was, “wow what horrible presentation, don’t they know that if they did, X, Y, and Z it could be so much better” However, as I thought about it I realized how wrong I was on multiple fronts. First, I was wrong because it’s fully functional. Now of course it could have a bit more appeal, but the sign does what it needs to do. It tells me that Gold Peak tea is .99. Before I walked in I did not know that the tea was .99 and because it’s clearly stated and easily seen, 3 steps in the door and I’m fully aware of that pricing.

Secondly, this made me think about the marketing/communication we do in a larger context. How often do we create a mountain, when a mole-hill would have worked? I know I often create relatively layered messaging, or features for Abunga because I want to show prowess rather than creating a simple design that communicates the message clearly, quickly and easily. In the end, it’s not about me, it’s about the user, the customer and if I give them what works for them best, they’ll probably come back.

How can you simplify what you are doing today? What features can you remove? What words can you cut?

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