People make decisions about new things in exactly the same way they make any decision – quickly, intuitively, and emotionally. So why make your concepts long, discursive and full of rational benefits? Force of habit, mainly. But get your concepts right, and your concept testing becomes a whole lot more accurate and useful. Mark Johnson, our Europe MD, has put together a booklet with our best tips on how – and here it is!

2. OBITUARY
The Traditional Concept
c.1960 - 2015
The traditional Concept with its Insight-Benefit-RTB,
passed away earlier this year after
a brief illness.
It will be fondly remembered by the many
researchers and marketers who spent time with it.
What the traditional Concept failed to take into
account was that people make decisions – including
ones about new products – unconsciously, quickly
and based on first impressions and feelings.
Today’s concept needs to be much more visual
and less verbal.
In the end, the traditional concept with its rigid,
over-rational structure and often flat visuals couldn’t
adapt or predict success. It passed away quietly in
its sleep (and often ours).
Here are 10 tips to help you write
5-Star concepts for the 21st century.

3. 1COPY, COPY, COPY
It’s not only OK, it’s smart
The best ideas aren’t always
“breakthrough” – they’re often better
versions of what already exists.
So don’t just seek originality – you’re
on a wild goose chase. Instead look for
solutions to existing problems and give
them a twist.
Copying from the best will put you
on the right path.
Read Mark Earls’ book
‘Copy Copy Copy’ for
copying inspiration

4. 2MAKE IT FUN,
FAST AND EASY
People probably won’t spend precious
time thinking about a new concept.
They’ll trust how they feel about it.
So make new things
simple and enjoyable.
Make new ideas feel easy to
choose – sounds simple, but
makes a big difference

5. 3INVISIBLE INSIGHTS
Insights are vital – build your concept
around them, but don’t show them.
Concepts without insight statements are
just more realistic as insights
don’t sit on shelves.
Get started by typing the insight at
the top of the concept – then
delete it before testing!

6. 4SHOW MORE,
TELL LESS
The right visuals explain concepts
quickly and emotionally.
Nothing complex – no collages
or diagrams.
Try a sketch of someone using it,
or of a crucial ingredient.
Concepts without packs work fine –
but if you’ve got a pack shot,
maximise realism and include it

7. 525 WORDS
Long concepts make consumers work
unrealistically hard.
Be clear, focused and concise, but not
so short that you lose the meaning.
25 words is the sweet spot.
Try deleting every superfluous word
in a concept – there will be more than
you think!

8. 6BRAND
IF YOU CAN
Branded concepts are more
realistic, so include the brand if you
can.
The closer you are to a final
concept, the more difference a
brand
can make.
If you don’t know the brand yet, that’s
OK. Just test branded and unbranded
concepts separately

9. 7FRAME IT RIGHT
Everything is relative.
Always show prices, weights, etc.
in context, and only show
variables like ingredient lists if
they’re absolutely crucial.
Use number of servings instead of
weight, or use a reference point for
price: “the same price as [x]”

10. 8DON’T TRY TO PLEASE
EVERYONE
If something in the concept might
polarise opinion, don’t make the idea
blander by hiding it.
Better to find out how
people really feel.
Test extremes by making different
concept variants – eg spicy and non-
spicy

11. 9MAKE
A SACRIFICE
People know new products can’t
work miracles.
Quality isn’t cheap and better taste
might mean higher calories.
Acknowledging trade-offs makes ideas
more credible and appealing.
Overtly sacrifice some benefits in order to
boost the idea’s central claim and make it
feel more emotive and honest

12. 10BE PROUD TO READ IT
OUT LOUD
Read your finished concept aloud to
someone unfamiliar with it.
If they feel good, go with it.
Otherwise, re-write leaving out jargon,
slang and repetition.
Leave details like product variants, price,
etc. to the end – and use bullet points for
detail, not scattered text boxes

13. ?WHAT’S NEXT?
To test your concepts
(at any stage of development)
or for help to make them GREAT [5-Star]
please contact us at:
enquiries@brainjuicer.com
brainjuicer.com