“Genghis Khan’s secret for infinite boners”!
That’s a BIG IDEA!
It’s how you get attention.
It’s what sticks in your mind after you’ve already forgotten the content of a sales letter.
It’s that “Holy f*ck, what is this, I gotta check it out” YouTube video title.
It’s what the movie “Inception” displayed very visually, locking it in a safe deep down inside your subconscious, never to be released again.
The BIG IDEA is what creates larger-than-life movements…
It motivates action…
And it’s one of the most powerful elements to persuade people to act in your desired way.
Examples of BIG IDEAS in everyday life:
- “The world will seize to exist as we know it if we don’t act now” (Fridays for Future/Extinction Rebellion movement)
- “The world is a dangerous and infectious place and you better limit your contact with the world and other humans to stay alive” (guess what I’m talking about here lol?)
- “I spent my life savings on an abandoned ghost town” (awesome YT channel)
- “This election was rigged”
- “The 7 Hidden Dangers of Your Morning shower” (Agora promo from a couple of years ago)
- Any video title by “MrBeast” and “Yes Theory” (e.g. “96 Hours Inside Afghanistan in 2020”)
BIG IDEAS (always capitalized) go beyond copywriting.
They shape our worldview.
They motivate us to act.
They’re memorable and stick deep inside our brains.
And they move any piece of copy from “OK” to “I gotta check this out”.
So whenever you create a promo, refine your Instagram or Tinder bio, or write your book – don’t forget the great David Ogilvy’s words:
“Unless your advertising campaign contains a big idea, it will pass like a ship in the night.”