Wanna stand out? Take a lesson from retail history…

The following passage is from Natasha Vargas-Cooper’s book, Mad Men Unbuttoned: A Romp Through 1960s America.

Nineteenth-century markets and general stores were overstuffed with merchandise. Products poured out of barrels or were haphazardly piled on top of one another in crates. Consumer goods were shelved rather than displayed. In the mid-century, space became luxury because it implied scarcity. When a void is created around an object it commands a single focus and creates a dialogue with the customer. One dress elevated on display speaks to women more forcefully than twenty on a rack.”

 

She’s talking about the evolution of retail merchandising, but the lessons could just as easily be applied to copy writing or any number of marketing activities. Try it!