wings.

the olympics kick off tomorrow and i’ve been reminiscing about nagano, nike, and my little 15 minutes of fame back in ’98. here’s a flash back to 16-year-old piper, reading “wings.”

and here’s a post on a random website i forgot about until RN sent the link this afternoon. pretty wild…

Think Symbolically

Symbolic thought bridges left-brain and right, the literal to the figurative, concrete realities to abstract concepts; it communicates ideas in such a way that massive, right-brain concepts can be glimpsed on the left-brain’s little black & white screen. Symbolic thought is rich and exciting, satisfying both hemispheres of the brain. It is extremely useful when you try to communicate difficult concepts, and encourages the reader to consider things from different perspectives. Some examples of symbolic thought are similes, metaphors, double-entendre, parables, and music. “Born in the U.S.A.”, I was born in the U.S.A. The most patriotic song in recent times, right? Read the lyrics talk about symbolic thought!

The key to all this is to use your imagination in an appealing, different way – a way that jogs the reader from their complacency and brings them to attention. You’re not just hawking your wares, you are communicating magic.

So, before I bid you adieu, I’d like to leave you with this little piece of magic. It’s one of the most memorable things I’ve ever encountered when it comes to persuasion:

Wings

Some only dream of flying
They say you need wings to fly
I say, I have wings
But they can’t hear me
I am already there
And the wind is screaming words with me
But I am not dreaming
They say I wish I had wings
I say, you do have wings
The question is:
Where are you hiding them?

A young girl named Piper Loyd wrote that and Nike used it in a TV ad for shoes. SHOES (ho-hum)!! Lots of nice images, sure (you’d hope as much for a visual presentation), yet I can’t recall a single one. But I’ve remembered the words, ever since I first heard that simple voice over, the only “copy” for that ad. Emotional, provocative, audacious, symbolic! I ran right out and got me a pair of Nikes! I also framed the poem, and it’s still hanging on my wall.

Think this stuff doesn’t make a difference? Then think again. And dare to think outside the box, color outside the lines. Dare to be memorable. Oh, and remember to come back, ‘cause next time, I’ll have five more suggestions to help you flesh out your developing style!