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Newsletter #929: The “Make It a Reality” Issue

[Welcome back to the Damn, I Wish I’d Thought of That! newsletter. This is text of the great issue all of our email subscribers just received. Sign yourself up using the handy form on the right.]

Sometimes getting everyone’s attention means letting your imagination (or your fans’ imaginations) become a reality. People love to talk about when companies show off their creativity and sense of humor. Here are some ways you can do it:

1. Get involved in existing conversations
2. Make a kid’s dream come true
3. Make every detail count
4. Check it out: Responsive Typography

1. Get involved in existing conversations

How often do you tell your friends about your printer paper? Probably not that often — unless it’s Dunder Mifflin printer paper. The Office’s fictional paper products are no longer fictional since Quill picked up the name from the show for a line of their stuff. The real business is riding on the word of mouth the fake business already started, and now their logo is everywhere. When’s the last time you proudly displayed printer paper swag on your desk?

The lesson: Get a jumpstart on your word of mouth by joining existing buzz and trends.

Learn more: Mashable

2. Make a kid’s dream come true

Little kids are notorious for having pretty crazy imaginations. So when one four-year-old boy came up with a BMW concept car with his uncle, BMW was flattered. So flattered, they designed a rendering of his 42-wheel, 19-engine car with three driving positions and a trunk full of toys, and posted it to their Facebook page. BMW showed that they cared about what their fans were saying, no matter how small.

The lesson: Show (don’t just tell) your fans that you’re paying attention.

Learn more: Jalopnik

3. Make every detail count

The sitcom “Arrested Development” is famous for tiny, little-known details that make their fans laugh — whether everyone gets the joke or not. In one episode, the actor who played the local TV anchor was also a real-life local anchor in Southern California. When the show was over, the local programming switched to the news guy everyone had just seen on “Arrested Development,” which no doubt created some confusion, but more importantly, created conversations.

The lesson: They could have hired some random actor to play that role, but they made a small detail into a word of mouth opportunity instead.

4. Check it out: Responsive Typography

If you’re having a hard time reading the text on your computer, designer Marko Dugonjic has a solution for you. His font uses facial recognition to adjust its size based on how far away you are from your screen.

Check it out: Responsive Typography

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