05/27/2026
I was going through a box of "junk" yesterday and came across one of these. I shake your hand and the vibrations from the unwinding in your device will 'shock' me. It made me smile to remember a time when I actually got caught by it! Bzzzzzz!
Then I started thinking about how there's very little "surprise" in advertising lately. I'm sure there is...somewhere, but is it really a surprise? Or just a visual non-sequitur of sorts, something that comes out of the blue, just some switch, an unexpected payoff.
Visually, it can be easier to do, but the effect/impact may be minimal or short-lived. But some surprises can be impactful by the very switcheroo that seems absurd or awkward or embarrassing, or just funny as hell, amplifying recall of the product's name, efficacy or a benefit that consumers need to be reminded of. "Oh, yeah, I forgot about that...!"
Surprise! Judiciously used, it could make a big difference in your marketing. BTW, my buzzer still works. That was surprising too.
