Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Use words wisely in marketing communications

I've been hearing a radio advertisement for the American Stroke Association for some time now and it has bothered me since the first time I heard it.

A transcript of the ad follows:

{Struggling voice}: The First Amendment reads, “the people shall not be deprived or abridged of their right to speak”

Narrator #1: The odds are, the person you just heard is an African-American.

Narrator #2: Because African-Americans are twice as likely to suffer a stroke as white Americans.

Narrator #1: That’s twice as likely a stroke can rob you of your freedom to speak your mind.

Narrator #2: The freedom to shout from mountain tops.

Narrator #1: The freedom to tell your mother you love her.

Narrator #2: And it’s twice as likely a stroke could take your life.

Narrator #1: Therefore it’s twice as crucial for us to do something about preventing a stroke.

{Same struggling voice}: Learn how you can help beat the odds.

Narrator #1: Start by calling 1-888-4-stroke or go online to strokeassociation.org.

Narrator #2: Join the power to end stroke.

Narrator #3: A public service message brought to you by the American Stroke Association and the Ad Council.

Here’s what bothers me about the ad.

Strokes often rob people of their ability to speak, not their freedom of speech. To imply that the loss of the ability to speak due to stroke is somehow related to the loss of the American freedom of speech by referencing the U.S. Constitution is, well, misguided.

As marketing communication goes, the American Stroke Association and the Ad Council could have taken a better approach with an issue directed at a minority population rather than toying with the notion that a constitutional freedom is somehow being taken away.

I appreciate the message that those at higher risk for strokes should know they are at higher risk and inform themselves on the topic. I also applaud the strategy of informing all of us about the risks. I just wish they would have thought a little more about how they conveyed that message.

More information…

Amendment I to the U.S. Constitution

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

About the risk of strokes.

Top 100 Brandz

Millward Brown Optimor has compiled its list of the top 100 global brands as measured by their dollar value.

The top 10:

1. Google
2. GE
3. Microsoft
4. Coca Cola
5. China Mobile
6. Marlboro
7. Wal-Mart
8. Citi
9. IBM
10. Toyota

A direct link to the report with the complete list and description of methodology:
http://www.millwardbrown.com/Sites/optimor/Media/Pdfs/en/BrandZ/BrandZ-2007-RankingReport.pdf