In the history of great storytelling, Alice in Wonderland remains one of the most extraordinary and unique plots created and told to this day. The brainchild of Lewis Carroll that was even recreated by the Walt Disney Company in a 1951 animation and a 2010 live-action blockbuster. The world has learned to know and love this fable for its randomness, nonsensical at times storyline, and colorful characters. One of which, is indeed the Mad Hatter.
Today, we remember this iconic character with all of his important lessons about life… and content marketing.
In this article, you will:
- Learn how to think like a Mad Hatter
- See some examples of crazy but genius marketing campaigns
- Learn why using the help of a creative content writing agency is worth it
How to Think Like a Mad Hatter?
Finding a method to the madness
“Mad as a hatter” — an English proverbial phrase that literally means a crazy person, somebody who will act unpredictably and odd.
In all fairness, this saying dates back to the Middle Ages when the hat industry used to put toxic mercury nitrate around a hat’s rim. It was considered that the poisonous effect of the acid made them act in strange ways.
From what it seems like, Alice’s Mad Hatter is a character that completely resonates with the origin of his name. So, what?
The Link to Content Marketing
If you always apply a narrow-sighted approach to creating content, and by that I mean, producing only regular and expected types and pieces of content, you risk being seen as boring and stiff. But don’t take this just as an attempt to:
Stop trying to make sense.
Yes, it might seem that way, I agree. Remember the Hatter’s riddle? “Why is a raven like a writing desk?”, he asked Alice and when she eventually gave up trying to answer, he simply said, “I haven’t the slightest idea!”.
But, the main idea here is different.
Obviously, you can’t use thе Mad Hatter approach in all the copy you write. No, instead this should be in the special box of content writing strategies you only open on special occasions. Let’s see how others have done it.
What Do Mad Hatters & Guerrillas Have in Common?
“Screw the box, I think outside the straight-jacket.”
So, this concept of extremely unconventional and out-of-the-straight-jacket marketing isn’t something new. It’s actually been coined as a term: guerrilla marketing. The content writing for this type of advertising is found in ads, promotional campaigns, direct marketing, social media, and many other channels. The main idea: to spread the word like fire and engage people through sometimes insane but always clever means.
“Everyone wants some magical solution for their problem and everyone refuses to believe in magic.”
If you are working with a content writing agency and you want to investigate your guerrilla marketing options, share your vision with your team of writers. The problem with this type of marketing is that it requires a lot of creativity and innovative thinking. Yet, there are some brands that either have very talented teams or know just where to look for help. Here are some of my favorite examples…
Some Examples of Mad Hatter Marketing
“You’re entirely bonkers. But I’ll tell you a secret, all the best people are.”
- Poo~Pourri’s YouTube fame — these guys are phenomenal in their marketing strategy because they made something that’s very embarrassing to talk about into a fun and super relatable set of commercials.
- MoonPie’s tweets — another great example of using social media to post clever and very funny content that just hits all the right spots. MoonPie is a popular American delicacy. These fake ad scripts were hilarious, unexpected, and out-of-the-box and won it deserved attention during the Super Bowl.
- Ikea’s ‘Pee on this Ad’ campaign — Jeez, I included a lot of bodily functions related ads in this segment, I just realized. Oh well, this must simply demonstrate that people engage with these things because they are part of everyday life and nobody wants to talk about them. The premise of this campaign was simple: pregnant women were encouraged to pee on a pregnancy test-like paper ad by Ikea to discover a crib discount.
What Being a Mad Hatter Is Not…
- Thinking it’s just about the clicks
What’s important to remember is that we’re not talking here about just clickbaity campaigns with little to no value. We’re talking about thinking big and so much outside of the box that we don’t even see the box anymore. But, we’re still talking value.
- Thinking money matters the most
You truly don’t need a huge budget to attract a huge wave of attention. It could be a single email or a landing page that contains just the right words – a catchy opening, an easy-to-understand message and an idea that at first seems crazy and then it gets developed just in time for the punch line.
Yes, you may not need a content writing agency to come up with some great ideas like the ones mentioned above and many others but if you are stuck at a dead-end street with your marketing efforts and you want to shake people up with some extraordinary copy, don’t refrain from seeking help from the Mad Hatters in the industry. It will most definitely be worth it.
And always remember, some might call it preposterous, contrary to all reason, and bonkers.
That’s precisely why, whenever you can,
be as mad as a hatter and twice as twisted.
Vicky & the Mad Hatter Out
