Keep It Simple, Stupid*

*Of course, you're not stupid

The above photo, imperfectly framed though it is (give me a break, I'm a writer) illustrates my point perfectly. Look at Ringo's kit--one snare drum, one tom-tom, one floor tom, one crash cymbal, one ride cymbal, one hi-hat. Oh yeah, one bass drum with the most famous logo in the history of music on it. Could he have used more stuff? Sure. Did he need it? Definitely not.

Marketing is sacrifice. I've heard that since Day One. The problem isn't coming up with ideas. The problem is throwing them out. Some of them perfectly good. They're just not right. Usually because they're too complex. Too busy. There's too much stuff going on.

You know how you make a good idea great? Take away everything that gets in the way. If you've got an image that conveys the whole idea, don't write anything. Give it room to breathe. Let the reader write their own headline. Let them own the idea.

When you do write a headline, keep it short. People are busy. They've got better things to do than read ads. Brevity is the soul of wit. Sayeth Shakespeare. And he should know.

The Beatles had the best songwriters in the world. The best singers, too. They didn't need some John Bonham guy playing AMAZINGLY behind them. They needed someone with reserve, with restraint, with dare I say, taste. Sure, he'd throw in a few little fills now and then. A little cymbal crash here and there. When he finally did play a drum solo, on the last album they ever recorded, we were BEGGING him to do it. Even then, he kept it short and to the point.

Go and do likewise.