Finding your voice: How to take a stand and stand out

Bit of an unusual one this month as I’m choosing copy spotted in Spain. But don’t worry, this isn’t turning into a translation blog. I’ve got you.

Red background, white upper case writing at the top , SARDINAS two men stand underneath the text, one holding a plate of fresh bread, a woman stands next to him holding a bottle of olive oil

The ad is by an olive oil company called Aceites Abril which is defending the gastronomic heritage of Galicia, a region in north-west Spain. It roughly translates as: “We’re not about sushi, we’re about sardines”. The people in the advert aren’t models, they’re real people from the region.

 

So, am I telling you to grab some random old Spanish people for your next ad campaign or Facebook post? Not quite.

 

You see, the thing I love about this is that they’re taking a stand. A bold one. They’re going against the rising cultural norm (a love of international cuisine) and saying: “Nope. We’re not about it”.

Why does it work?

  • They come down hard, there’s no fence-sitting going on. Either you’re in or you’re out. (They’re not saying “Don’t forget about sardines, guys!” or “Have a day off from sushi, try sardines!”)

  • They don’t care if you don’t like it. If you prefer sushi, you’re not in their gang.

  • There’s no emotion, it’s a statement not a feeling. (Think about how different this would have been if it said “We hate sushi” or “Show sardines some love”.)

  • The language is simple and bold. It’s easy to get behind, a rallying cry.

Make it work for you

  • This makes great inspiration for a LinkedIn post: think about something in your industry you absolutely can’t abide. Now, write about it. How much can you emulate this line in your post’s heading or hook?

  • Have an opinion that divides people. The people who disagree? They’re not your people.

  • Use straightforward, unemotional language so that the message can shine. No caveats or concessions.

  • Keep your core statement as short as possible. Of course, if you’re writing on LinkedIn you might want to expand. Then again, maybe you don’t.

  • Note: while your stance is decisive, your subject matter doesn’t have to be. The sardines vs sushi debate is hardly going to change the world, so don’t feel you have to take a stand on anything too heavy.

If you’d like to chat more about writing for your business, I’d love to hear from you.

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