Sports Illustrated recently interviewed Tony Romo, former Cowboys quarterback turned NFL game analyst.
Romo talked about his transition from player to on air personality and shared a story of watching sports broadcaster Jim Nantz call the 1986 Masters.
Jack Nicklaus.
Down on Sunday.
16th green.
Sinks a putt as he comes back to win.
Nantz delivered the line …
“The Bear has come out of hibernation.”
Then again in 1998.
Back at the Masters.
Back with Jack Nicklaus on that final Sunday.
Nicklaus in contention again.
Nantz opens the broadcast for viewers unaware of what had happened so far that morning …
“Hold on, folks, you are not going to believe this.”
Those words and the delivery of them made an impression in Romo’s and undoubtedly countless viewers’ minds.
Was it the words, or the delivery, or both?
“That line encapsulates the moments we remember and if you can hit the line and nail it, which he does so often, I think that is really cool. That’s what I want to do with some of these moments. You can make people feel the moment.” – Tony Romo, Sports Illustrated
People may or may not remember what you said, but they will remember how you made them feel.
“One small step for man. One giant leap for mankind.”
“I have a dream.”
“I can hear you, the rest of the world can hear you, and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon.”
Make people feel the moment.
That sounds so easy, right? But how many times have you struggled to find the right words?
The right moment to say them?
The right way to say them?
Messaging is part art, part science, and all emotion.
You’ll see those emotions in our work. Print ads that target disenfranchised voters may draw on frustration. Digital ads that target a sympathetic advocacy audience may draw on empathy. Mobile ads that target new customers may draw on excitement.
Delivering the right message to the right people at the right time to take a specific action by a date certain only works if those people are made to feel that they have to.
You have to make them feel the moment.