Some time ago, I was reminiscing about some of my favorite commercials, and a number of them came to mind. As a former Xerox employee, I was always a fan of many of the Xerox commercials. There was the Brother Dominic “Monks” commercial series, and a long series of successful Super Bowl commercials. Those commercials were so good that if you left the room, you’d run back in the room to watch if one came on.
But Xerox wasn’t the only company putting together creative commercials. FedEx was right on their heels, and unlike Xerox, they have continued to produce creative commercials. One in particular comes to mind, and it’s referred to as “The Stolen Idea.”
The commercial takes place in a conference room, with a team of executives looking for ideas to cut costs. One person provides what appears to be a good idea. After a pause, and no reaction from the group, the boss presents the same exact idea. When the group celebrates the boss’s idea, the frustrated individual who initially came up with the idea says: “You just said the same thing I said – only you did this” and he gestures with his hands. The boss replies: “No, I did this,” and he gestures in a slightly different manner. Everyone at the table agrees with the boss and they congratulate him, and the commercial ends. (Click on the video above and take a look.)
When you Google “FedEx Ad Stolen Idea, ” you’ll see a lot written about this commercial, and most of it isn’t good. It’s not the commercial that gets blasted, but the fact that credit is often not given to those who deserve it. Many claim that the employees are blindly supporting their bosses. Look at the YouTube comments and it gets even nastier, and you’ll see a degree of bitterness probably coming from those who have had their ideas stolen in the past.
I believe there’s a completely different message that’s being missed within this commercial. Watch the commercial again. This time focus on the individual who initially presents his idea and be aware of his delivery. His idea is a good one, but it’s delivered in a dull and uninspired manner. There is no passion, and although his words carry meaning, those words are lost in his bland delivery.
On the other hand, watch the boss and you’ll see he does more than just repeat those words. The boss sells those words with his pitch, tone, facial expressions, gestures, and body language. When the boss corrects the underling and he points out how he gestured and spoke the same words in a different way, the first thing you’ll hear from those around him is this: “It makes all the difference.” And they happen to be right.
“This” happens to be a critical part of any message you deliver. The “7%-38%-55% Rule” by Albert Mehrabian presents factual proof that 7% of the actual emotional impact of our message comes from the words we use. That’s the part we hear delivered by the first individual. But words alone do not move others to action. 38% of the emotional impact of our message comes from our nonverbal cues, which you’ll see in the boss’s hand gestures, and posture. The remaining 55% of the impact comes from our facial expressions, which you’ll see front and center in the boss’s face.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a salesperson, a manager, a presenter, or a parent: If you want your words to carry weight and be heard, you need to learn how to do “this.” Once you learn how to do “this,” you’ll be well on your way to moving those around you to do “that!”
It’s not WHAT you say but “HOW” you say “THIS.” Reminds me of big ideas presented to venture capitalists looking to invest in the original idea of Starbucks. The owner Howard Schultz was not clear about his ideas of rapid expansion of the coffee chain but was so excited about where biz was potentially heading the venture capitalists said of the meeting. “We had no idea what Howard was talking about, but he was excited and we got excited because he was excited.” Great Blart Rob Jolles.
GREAT story Doug, and one I’ve never heard. The next question is, “Can THIS be taught?” I say it can, and have been adding various exercises to my programs for a year now. Thanks for posting Doug.
Rob, such a fantastic breakdown of a classic commerical as you get past the obvious and into a critical message for both presenters and leaders alike. I was with 100 attorneys this week and I went into the event with a little trepidation, but came out with more personal spirit than in a long time and it was all about the 7-38-55! You continue to be the man – great job and thanks for continuing to share!
Remember when we worked for Xerox and despite a week’s worth of training how to present we always ended up in the same place. If you don’t have energy and enthusiasm nothing else really matters. With you in the room, I’m guessing those lawyers never knew what hit them! Great hearing from you Brian.
Another terrific thought-provoking BLArticle, Rob! I recognize how much of this I have to put into play every day–and if I’m off my game or my energy is low, it’s clear that the message doesn’t get across anywhere near as well. Thanks for pulling this one up, showing it to us in a new light, and making us think a little differently.
I was hoping my readers could get past the obvious, which is pretty please don’t steal my ideas, and get to the subtle, which is doing more of, “this!” I’ve seen you speak before, and you are clearly a guy who knows how to do, “this!” Thanks for posting Nick!
Absolutely agree – it is “this”, not “that! Thanks for the insight!
You bet! Maybe we can replace, “I showed up with my A-game” with, “I showed up with my ‘this’ game!” Thanks for posting Karen.
Well said, Rob. But how do we learn to pursuade like the boss?
How do you learn to persuade like the boss? (Shameless plug time…) You work with a professional because contrary to popular belief, “this” can be a learned behavior. I happen to know a professional who coaches individuals, and he’s the writer of this response. First consultation is free! Thanks for posting Brad.
Spoken from a true professional….I have yet to hear you say anything that is not delivered without PASSION!!! For me when you speak, it reminds me of another great commercial: E.F. Hutton “When E.F. Hutton (Rob Jolles) speaks everyone listens” You own the “THIS”
That’s very kind to say, but having personally worked with you, I’ve had the pleasure of watching you find your voice, and flourish as a professional speaker. Yours is an amazing story, and one that everyone should know. Here’s a clip that will illustrate my point. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfzUinTGwog Thanks for posting Ron and keep on doing “this!”
Rob,
You nailed it again! Ditto everyone’s praise above!!
The praise goes to you. Thank you for taking the time to read my words, and reconnect in a different way with that video. Keep doing, “this” my friend, and thanks so much for posting!