Big Picture - October 2017 - 2

insight

Elaborate and Listen

t seems every month I talk about creativity and innovation. How are you improving your print

shop? How are you adapting your processes? How is your shop changing with the times?
Does this storyline get old? Maybe. But, my job (and I love it) is to bring you the latest in this
evolving industry. Simply put, I've constantly got my "eyes peeled" and my "head on a swivel" so I
can share new ideas that benefit you and your clients. My sensitivity to this environment has led me
to a dry, academic concept that you need to consider: mental elaboration.
Most of us know the term "sandwich board": an advertisement composed of two boards, each
displaying a message, typically carried by a sign holder. These advertisements have been around since
the mid-19th century, when advertising posters in London were no longer subject to tax, and wall space
became limited. Charles Dickens once poetically described these advertisements as "a piece of human
flesh between two slices of pasteboard."
This past weekend I saw the 21st-century sandwich board: a man on a hoverboard, riding down one
of Cincinnati's main streets, wearing an advertisement promoting his new, local business. And, the ad
was digital. If that's not literally mobile advertising, I'm not sure what is. This modern-day sandwich
board is not something I see every day. And, because of that, I slowed down, stared at him and his
dynamic sign, and even took a video while we both waited at a red light.
As I reflected on this form of advertising, I wondered how effective, how persuasive it was. Did it
motivate me to act, to remember the business, to engage emotionally? Did the stimulus elicit a response?
This led me to do some research. The result? The aforementioned mental elaboration.
Mental elaboration is a psychological concept that evaluates the length of time that a message causes
a person to think, reflect, or elaborate upon the message and the message's purpose. The longer a person
elaborates on an idea, the more likely he or she is to act. Your printed message, followed by longer mental
elaboration, equals better chances of engagement from the consumer. Think of vehicle wraps, for
instance (see our feature on six eye-catching wraps on page 28). Individual vehicle advertising generates
30,000 to 70,000 daily vehicle impressions, according to the Outdoor Advertising Association of America.
Are you using this type of data when selling your shop's offerings?
As technology advances, and I continue to keep you abreast of new innovations, I encourage you to
remember the end goal: help your client's message drive their intended audience to act. How are you
showing your clients just how effective your print work is at causing a person to stop, stare, elaborate,
and engage?

EDITORIAL
Adrienne Palmer
Editor-in-Chief
adrienne.palmer@stmediagroup.com
Kiersten Feuchter
Associate Editor
kiersten.feuchter@stmediagroup.com
Kelsey Johnson
Assistant Editor
kelsey.johnson@stmediagroup.com
Kathleen DeZarn
Art Director
kathy.dezarn@stmediagroup.com
Marty McGhie, Craig Miller,
Beth Osborne, Sino Tour
Columnists
Ryan Clark, Terry Corman,
Scott Crosby, Kirk Green,
Kerry King, Robert Kissel,
Craig Miller, Carmen Rad,
Jared Smith, James Swanson,
Mark Taylor
Editorial Advisory Board
SALES
Murray Kasmenn
Senior VP/Group Publisher
770/578-2577
murray.kasmenn@stmediagroup.com
Lou Arneberg
Senior Market Strategist
East and Midwest US, E Canada
800/654-5169
lou.arneberg@stmediagroup.com
Jim Karwowski
Senior Market Strategist
West and South US, W Canada, Europe, Asia
630/474-4038
jim.karwowski@stmediagroup.com
Karen Jones
Senior Market Strategist
GA, NC, SC, Classiﬁeds
843/697-3802
karen.jones@stmediagroup.com
Linda Volz
Production Supervisor
linda.volz@stmediagroup.com

BY ADRIENNE PALMER

Tedd Swormstedt
President
Steve Duccilli
Senior VP of Content
Christine Baloga
Audience Development Director
Kari Freudenberger
Director, Online Media

Editor-in-Chief

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Big Picture - October 2017