How many times have you boarded a plane and been forced to listen to the safety announcement from a crew member?

Chance are you didn’t play close attention.  After all, you’ve heard it so many times before.  It’s boring.  Your mind wanders.

But what if you heard something completely different?

“If I could have your attention for a few moments, we sure would love to point out these safety features.  If you haven’t been in an automobile since 1965, the proper way to fasten your seatbelt is to put the flat end in the buckle.To unfasten, lift up on the buckle and release.

And as the song goes, there may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but only six ways to leave this aircraft: two forward exit doors, two over-wing exits, and two aft doors.  The location of each exit is clearly marked with signs overhead, as well as red and white disco lights on the floor of the aisle.

Made ya look!”

These words, said by Karen Wood on a flight from Dallas to San Diego (and recounted on pages 63 and 64 of Made to Stick) were greeted with applause.  How can something as deadly dull as a safety announcement garner applause?

It was different.

The key point is that the most basic way to get someone’s attention is this: Break a pattern.  Our brains notice change.

What does this mean for marketers? Think outside the box and devise fresh and innovative ideas to get attention.  Don’t be gimmicky, but rather find creative and unusual ways to illustrate your ideas. You’ll get attention.

After all, isn’t that what we marketers want?

Jeff Ogden is President of Find New Customers, “Lead Generation Made Simple” Find New Customers helps businesses develop remarkable content and processes to attract prospective buyers to a company’s products and services.