If you think a headline doesn’t change anything, consider this pair. After some Hells Angels, hired as security for a free Rolling Stones concert, stabbed a concertgoer to death at Altamont, Honda (then selling mostly motorcycles) saw an opportunity. Figuring that Hells Angels = Harleys for many consumers, Honda rolled out this headline: “You meet the nicest people on a Honda.” Honda’s sales surged, while Harley’s shrank. Years later, with Altamont a much dimmer memory, Harley rolled one of its own. Accompanied by a picture of a bicep adorned with a Harley tattoo, it read, “When is the last time you felt this passionately about anything?” And the sales curves traded places. Never underestimate the power of language. How’s yours?
