Don’t Forget the Details

I recently heard an advertisement which said "Midnight movies are back starting this Friday with Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark." When I visited the theatre's website for the complete list of movies, I found out that Indiana Jones was shown a few weeks earlier. But there was some doubt in my mind since the website didn't list the year (see Figure 1); maybe I was looking at old information. However my confusion was cleared up when I heard the exact same advertisement over the next few weeks.

Figure 1. Midnight Movies Poster

When posting information on a website, developing a radio advertisement, etc.; it's important to step back and think like your audience. Keep in mind that they will likely to be less familiar with your organization, website, event, etc. If you were in their shoes, what questions would you need answered. Of course, you'll want to keep the message concise. If you feel like you might overwhelm your customers with too many details, you can always provide a method for them to ask questions.

So how could the message from the radio advertisement have been improved? First off, they could have mentioned the start date; "Midnight movies are back starting Friday, Sept. 17 with Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark." I would also recommend adding the year to the poster advertising the movie lineup.