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cottoncandyjester · 4 years

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Which of your ocs would go to therapy for or with their darling? How much effort would they actually put into it?

This is like tricking your dog into going to the vet.. y'all are evil

This story contains: them talking about their dark past, incest(twins), talk of sex

Theodore

Absolutely not.

He's a doctor so he would argue that he would know his own body pretty well

"i don't need therapy sweetie, I'm mentally healthy"

This is the same man who flinches at the sight of a butcher knife and has so much mental trauma he still gets scared touching you

If you beg he'll do it though..of course he'll be passive aggressive but he'll go.

Tries to out logic the damn therapist

"so theodore, describe your childhood"

Theodore pushed his glasses up and clears his throat, this was definitely not going to be good. "I'm well aware that a person's childhood shapes their mental state but I assure you this is a waste of time."

"theo, let them help y-" you shuddered at the sharp glance theodore gave you. You've never seen him so aggressive before but it was clear he wasnt having fun. He hated the thought of someone analyzing his every movements and play with his head since it's something he does to you so having it done to him is less fun. "I assure you, I'm mentally sound..nothing is wrong with me"

"alright well, how about we talk about your childhood anyways just chatting nothing serious?"

Theodore scowled before glancing your way, you were doing this cause you loved him..so he should go along with this right?

Hikaru

You have to trick him

You brought it up once and he lashed out at you so badly he actually hurt you pretty bad

You told him you wanted to shopping but when he saw you two were infront of a building that definitely wasn't a mall he was PISSED

He was about two seconds away from hitting you but he saw how much you wanted to help him so he gave it a shock

Aggressive as all hell

He couldn't believe he was here, a group therapy session for victims of sexual abuse. The male sat there in his expensive clothes with his diamond encrusted shades on a scowl on his face.

"so, would you like to introduce yourself and tell us why you're here?" You flinched lightly at the single question the therapist asked before glancing at hikaru who in his legs and pushed his shades up his blue eyes flickering with rage.

"I'm here cause my bitch of a soulmate decided to drag me here instead of a shopping trip like they promised, I could be at home getting my dick sucked but no in here surrounded by idiots" hikaru was definitely in a fiery mood.

"well hikaru, y/n brought you here bec-"

Hikaru huffed in anger cutting the doctor off his anger being never ending. "they brought me here cause they think they are so smart. Their job is to please me in anyway I see fit, in return I spoil them once in a while and I am NOT pleased." With that Hikaru got up before shooting you a dirty look.

"you have ten minutes to meet me in the car or you're walking home" he snapped before walking out the room. You apologized for hikaru before going to join him.

Axis

The first one willing to go

He thinks it will make a great date

Tells his therapist EVERYTHING

Honestly he sounds so chipper about it they look so worried for him

Like sir are you okay?!

Clams up when it comes to insecurities

Like nope.

He only goes once though cause in his eyes therapy is a going once event

"- then my brother salem poured bleach in my eyes! I know it was bad but I of course forgive him cause all siblings fight right? He's really great though! Like one time we were playing hide and seek and he couldn't find me for six hours haha!"

you nervously glanced at the horror stricken expression the therapist had, they were so shocked they werent even taking notes. "Your brother sounds extremely toxic and incredibly dangerous" they stated and axis paused with a light pout clearly offended.

"salem wouldn't hurt a fly!" He huffs out and you weren't sure this was helping too much..though you were glad he decided to go.

Salem

So his therapist had to see a therapist

The first three minutes he had to wear a muzzle cause he tried to eat his therapist and not in the fun way

He is so feral he just speaks in slurring words and barks

You have to put a collar and leash on him

He did leave with a mouth full of blood though cause he bit a huge chunk off his therapist.

"s-s-so, salem w-what do you think c-caused you to be this way?" The doctor spoke while standing on their desk as you tried to pull the leash hard to pull salem away. "Bad boy! Stop it!" You snapped out at salem who got his muzzle off and was attempting to devour the poor therapist. "I-im sorry he's usually much calmer than this, strangers make him hungry" you explained before seeing salem bite the therapist on the leg.

"salem! No! You don't bite people!" You scolded as you tried to pull the male off and once you did you decided it was time to go home now. "W-well thanks doctor this has been fun, let's go salem!" You dragged him away while shaking your head.

"y/nnnnnnn~"

"...yes salem?"

"I love you!"

You glanced at him seeing he was docile once more and you sighed "I love you too babe" you mumbled out not sure what to do.

Rin

His therapist quit.

He trolled them so hard they gave up

Spoke in meme quotes the whole time.

"rin, would you say you were a happy child?"

"yeet."

You face palmed at your boyfriend who was hellbent on annoying the therapist to death. This session has already been thirty minutes and while rin was holding back his laughter the doctor looked like they wanted to snap their clipboard.

"please rin, work with me here..."

Rin beckoned the therapist to come closer and when they leaned in feeling excited thay they made progress rin's eyes sparkled widely. "Big...chungus"

You and rin walked out the office after being kicked out since the therapist had an absolute mental breakdown. "You're an asshole.." you mumbled and rin wrapped an arm around your shoulder with a wicked grin. "I'm your asshole, babynow how about we dress you up then have clown sex? I say that's equal payment for this"

Yuki

He hated it

He was quiet the entire time

Like the entire time

He wouldn't answer a question or nothing

He legit fell asleep with his head in your lap and now sees therapy as a place to nap

He doesn't like strangers so there was no way in hell he's speaking to a stranger.

You sighed at the tense silence in the room as yuki buried his face into your stomach his head in your lap. The moment he got here he took a nap not really caring about the doctor or his questions..it's been this way for a full hour. Slowly yuki opened his eyes and sat up with a low hum, he leaned in to kiss you feeling really clingy until he heard the shuffling of another person.

yuki tensed up suddenly wrapping his arms around you his chin rested on your shoulder. "Y/n, home?" He questions with a grumpy pout. You ran your fingers through his hair with a loud sigh.

"yeah yuki, we can go home.."

prince

He sees himself too cool for that stuff

"I'm not going, therapy isn't my vision of a fun date. Foreplay and sex is a good date"

He doesn't like the idea of sitting in a room and talking about his feelings.

If you promise to let him finger you during the car ride he is totally In though

He doesn't take it seriously at all

Avoids all the questions

Ends up just boasting about his sex life for an hour

"y/n moaned louder that night than ever before, it was so fucking awesome" prince cheered out his eyes lit up. You were covering your face with your hands feeling nothing but embarrassment as prince went all and on.

"t-the question was what makes you happy" the doctor stated and prince gave a confused look. "Yeah, and I said sex I mean wasn't that clear?"

"prince could you perhaps be a nymphomaniac?"

"shit, maybe? If I don't bang at least twice a day I get all grumpy...speaking of bang on the car ride here it was fucking great y/n let me-" you covered his mouth not being able to handle anymore of this. "We'll be going now!" You snapped out now dragging prince away.

"you're sexy when embarrassed"

"shut the hell up"

Rocket

He is literally the least dangerous yandere

He thinks he's fine

But he goes and actually speaks about his life

Everything about his life seems so cheerful and good...until..it isnt

Like axis he speaks as if it's okay

He's a dumbass so therapy doesn't really help him

He just uses it as a way to spend time with you

"so what was your childhood like?"

"well, I grew up in a small village we owned a pretty big farm. My mother and father kinda liked to spoil me.."

You've never heard about his childhood so you were very engaged in this story..it sounded pretty nice. Rocket paused to think when suddenly his eyes lit up

"I ended up being chosen to be the village pet! It was such an honor!" He cheers out with a happy hum. Instantly you knew this wasn't going to be good but you let him explain.

"the village pet is like...hmm a handyman, they do basically anything the villagers don't wanna do it's hard work but it's good work." He explained

"what were some of the things you had to do?"

"well...solves disputes, help out on there people's farms, help procreate, honestly anything! Only way to leave the village as a pet is to choose a new pet. It was hard to pick someone..but I'm glad I did"

The room got very very silent...very fast.

Rocket gazed at the time before getting up. "Hey y/n we should go yeah? You promised we could go get ice cream if I do this with you"

Yuuji& yuuta

Lord...these two got so much fucking baggage

They go, but they see it as entertainment

A fun little joke

Until it's not

The therapist manages to make them fight

And that NEVER happens

Like never.

It gets super damn intense

You're over there like "damn okay."

You watched the two boys argue clearly upset with each other. The question was that if yuuta found yuuji attractive..and yuuta hesitated.

"so you don't think I'm cute or anything?"

"I never said that! I just think, you're not my type."

"how the hell could I be not your type?! I know exactly what you like and don't like! I please you all the damn time!"

You cleared your throat awkwardly, not sure if going to couples therapy was a good idea anymore.

"I'm just saying! You sometimes..don't hit it quite right I mean..it's fine everyone has their ups and downs"

"OH so I'm bad at sex now?! You're such a liar cause on the drive here you were screaming like a little whore!"

"anyone can fucking scream yuuji! Doesn't take damn rocket science! Y'know I'm starting to see why ushio fucking hates you! You think you're so damn high and mighty! This is why we can't have normal relationships with our siblings!"

The room got silent as the two panted softly the screaming working them up and yuuji turned his head away eyes glimmering with tears. You honestly..felt like you were watching a drama show and was totally into it. "I-i didn't mean that- I'm sorry I just-"yuuta mumbled out and yuuji sniffled.

"do you..hate me?"

"wha-"

"ever since we came out when we were younger, you've been trying to be such a tough guy..you don't even say you love me as much. So, do you hate me?" Yuuji explained and you watched as the two hugged.

"of course not! I-i just didn't want anyone to still see me as that girl who was scared of her own shadow" yuuta whimpers out and yuuji smiled at him "you're not her, you're a strong guy.. our strong guy and we love you so much me and y/n" yuuji whispers out planting a kiss on the boy's cheek.

As the three of you left you suddenly felt an arm link with yours on either side. "Enjoy the show dollface?" Yuuta chimed before yuuji giggled "it was very fun!"

"you two were faking it?!" You huffed out seeing them both nod. They were totally lying but they didn't want you to know that, after all they were twins..fighting was basically illegal to them.

Scarlett

Another person who isn't happy with therapy

Straight out refuses

Like nope.

Never.

It takes A LOT of convincing til she agrees

Another member of the "has a bad childhood but sees it as normal" group

Hers is downright horrifying

But she giggles it off

"my childhood? Hmm..well my father was a doctor, I was his little nurse" she said softly in thought and you immediately didn't like this.

"he taught me all about plants, poisons and human biology. He was studying human mutations he wanted to know if it was possible to have humans evolve animal like traits, by replacing their body parts for animal ones of course" she cheers out and interlaced her fingers together.

"such an interesting study, some of them works in some ways..though it seems the human body can't handle some things..we are such fragile creatures are we not?"

Scarlett had this creepy dangerous vibe about her and the session was instantly cut short due to your therapist feeling unsafe. As you two walked out you couldn't help but gaze her way.

"who were his victims?" You asked out softly before feeling her hold your hand with a smile. "Well, children from my school. Then..me" she stated softly causing the haira on the back of your neck to stand.

"what animal part did he give you? Did it work?"

"it worked.."

That was all she stated and you didn't hear anything about it ever again so you were left to wonder about it.

#yandere imagines #yandere #yandere ocs

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girlofmanyfandoms · 4 years

Text

Forbidden Spicy Gatorade Chronicles Chapter One

A/n: Ok, so the cult is getting stronger by the minute so if you haven’t been introduced yet, don’t be offended! I’ll try to go through everyone and introduce you in the next chapter. Erica (@the-never-ending-void) has asked not to be included in this fic.

Key:

Tater - @a-lonely-tatertot

Lynn - @lesbilynnette

Gray - @silver-snow

Lilah - @tribblemakingalicorn

Cadence - me

Ivy - @imaramennoodle

Molly - @molly-sencen

Farris - @everyonehasthoughts

Speens - @an-absolute-travesty

Holes - @holesinmyfalseconfidence

Connor - @linhammon-roll-bromance101

Panda - @worldwidepandamonium

Meg - @ultralazycreatorfan

Word count: 2,382

Warnings: If you’re reading this, you already know what’s about to pop off

Lilah poked Cadence’s shoulder who promptly rolled over. Lilah poked her several more times, a bit more aggressively. Grumbling Cadence sat up quickly and smacked her head on the top of the bunk bed. She sighed, rubbing her forehead. Her eyes slowly adjusted to her surroundings, taking in the strangely black, purple, and gold aesthetic room.

“Why’d you wake me up?”

“You got a notification,” Lilah said, eyes wide open, handing her the phone, slowly walking out of their shared room.

Cadence furrowed her brows, unlocking the phone before calling out to her roommate. “Wait, how long have you been up?”

“OREOS!” she called back. “Where are the keys?”

“On the kitchen counter,” Cadence replied, checking her emails. 1 unread message from Gray, the AI developer who she made small talk with during lunch breaks.

Dear Cadence,

Good evening! There’s a new play coming out on Mainstreet, called The Facade, and I was approached by the team to create a promotional piece. I was hoping you could help, and we would split the rewards 50/50. The play is about a murder crime, which is plotted out in a series of intricate riddles. The plot twist: the lead detective was the murderer, and had been delaying her trial while she was pretending to gather evidence, and stealing from a suspect to gain enough money to flee. And her second in command was funding the plots without knowing that her boss was the mastermind behind it all.

Ok, now that my boss has read above the cut we can talk freely. The offer is real, and I WOULD like to split it 50/50, I just can’t stand talking all formal, y’know? Anyway, since you said you do animations and stuff as a side gig, I thought maybe you could make the animations, and I’ll edit and do the social networking? Idk, I’m just spitballing here, let me know what you think.

Also, Lilah directed me towards this email, she’s really good at tracking people down.

Sorry if I made any spelling mistakes, I haven’t slept in weeks,

Gray

“Huh,” Cadence huffed, glancing at the clock. 3 AM. She had time. So, grabbing her IPad, she opened Procreate and got to work. The Facade. Sounds interesting enough. But what to draw? A lock perhaps? A silhouette of the main character? Before she could decide, her phone buzzed again, a voice recording this time, from Lilah.

“Hey, so I just ran into two of the actresses from The Facade and they said they want to talk to you about it so you can create a better promotional vid, meet me at the local library, k bye.”

Cadence wished on a shooting star that at least an hour had passed by so the buses would be running. But how wrong she was. It was 3 AM. It was raining. And the library was at least a mile away.

“This should be fun,” she mumbled, grabbing her set of keys, her IPad, and a raincoat before jogging the mile it took to get to the library.

_______

By the time Cadence arrived her hair was drenched and she was so out of breath and tired she thought she was going to pass out. She looked for any sign of her roommate, but she was nowhere to be found. Instead, she saw three people sitting at a table chatting freely and crying laughing. The librarian wasn’t fazed in the slightest. On the contrary, they seemed to be enjoying it, leaning over the library’s registry system, talking with them. Quickly Googling “The Facade,” Cadence confirmed that the two ladies were the actresses from the play. The other one offered occasional comments, mostly just watching the occurrences that went on. Social anxiety kicked in and told her to run in the other direction, but she really needed the money. She forced herself to approach them.

“Hey, I’m Cadence,” I introduce myself nervously. “Lilah said you wanted to speak to me about promoting your play?”

“Cadence! Lilah mentioned your animations, and we thought it’d be a new, eye-catching way to get our work out there,” the first one chirped. “I’m Molly, by the way. I play the detective’s second in command.”

“And I’m Ivy,” the other one greeted. “I play the lead.”

Cadence expected the third person to introduce themself next, but the librarian took the initiative. “Hello, fellow human, you may address me as SPEENS, I accept liver sacrifices.”

“They do that all the time,” the third person assured her. “Tater, by the way. I’m not in the play, I’m just working on a novel with Molly. We met up here to talk to good ‘ol Speens when these bit-”

“Language,” Molly warned.

“When these lovely individuals,” Tater corrected, “decided to make this a research sesh for the book. As if we needed more work. I’m free to fly wherever the wind takes me.”

“Amen to that, sibling,” Speens responded solemnly, pulling five wine glasses and vodka out from under the desk like a bartender. Cadence looked confused, but not against it. “Say, where’s the rest of the crew? Lynn, Gray, Farris, and the lot of them?”

“Farris doesn’t work on the set,” Ivy reminded her. “They’re an archaeologist. Holes makes the sets for us.”

Speens wrinkled their nose, seemingly in disgust. “And the others?”

“Well, if you can take a break, we can meet up with them at the theatre. Even Farris, since I heard their last trip was a bust,” Molly offered.

Without a second thought, Speens put up a sign that read “The Librarian is Out.”

“Do they-”

“All the time,” Ivy nodded. “It’s kinda their thing.”

“But, yeah, Farris and Connor tend to hang around the set,” Molly explained. “They don’t bother anyone, no one bothers them. They’re a bit older, kinda like the authority figures of the group.”

“If authority figures would let you make a dumba-”

“Tater,” Ivy nudged.

Tater changed their wording. “-unwise move in order to see what would happen.”

“They’re responsible for us without being responsible for us, if that makes sense,” Ivy commented. “Let’s get going though, before someone blows something up.” She shot a sideways glance at Speens, who put a hand up in surrender.

________

Ivy swung open the doors to the theatre and immediately had to duck for cover. “What the HELL, Connor?”

They were holding onto some theatre seats, zooming back and forth the row on rollerblades, occasionally losing balance and having to sit down. After a particularly messy turn-around, they decided to crawl over to the red carpeted steps and laid there for a moment. Farris was perched in a seat a row down, calming watching as Connor seemed to be having an existential crisis. Upon seeing Tater and Cadence, Farris got up, carefully stepping around Connor. “New kids?”

“Farris, this is Tater, and that’s Cadence,” Ivy helped. “They’re helping us promote the play.”

“Congratulations, you’re adopted,” they vowed, though Tater looked confused. “What? I don’t make the rules. Oh, wait, I’m supposed to be the responsible one…. Ok, so I make the rules, but they can be bent if the alternative’s interesting enough. Right, Connor?”

“Uh huh,” he called from the floor tiredly. If he hadn’t spoken, he would have been deemed dead.

“Lynn and the rest of the gang are in the back,” Farris informed them, pulling a skateboard from under their seat and helping Connor stand. Connor’s rollerblades flailed a bit as he struggled to get up, but his arm was slung around Farris’s shoulder, supporting him.

“DO A KICKFLIP,” Connor prompted, his words slurred.

“Are you kidding, I haven’t skateboarded since I was six, I need an actual skate park to practice that,” Farris recounted. “And how drunk are you?”

“Yes,” he responded, giggling in a hiccupy way. “Does anyone have more vodka?”

“I got you fam,” Speens said, pulling out a suitcase of alcohol from thin air.

“Anyways,” Ivy interjected, trying to get the conversation back on track. “I’ll go get the others, wait here.”

Ivy returned with Gray, Lynn, Holes, Panda, and Meg, and introduced them accordingly. “Gray works on the special effects, Lynn designed everyone’s costumes, Holes makes the set, Panda is a theatre critic, and Meg is our concept artist.”

“So, other than animation, is there anything else you bring to the table?” Molly asked.

“Well, I do glass art,” Cadence supplied. “It’s probably not relevant, but when it’s still really hot and glowy, which is when you can shape it, it looks like it would make a good snack. Hell, it almost looks like Gatorade. I can show a picture if you’d like.”

Cadence took her phone out and everyone crowded around to see.

“More like Powerade, Gatorade doesn’t come in that kind of blue,” Speens added.

“F O R B I D D E N S P I C Y G A T O R A D E,” Connor yelled, startling Farris.

“NO,” Holes countered, clearly distressed. “Do NOT drink molten glass. You’d die!”

“You call it death, I call it adventure,” Molly smirked. “I’m here for it. C’mon Holes, live a little.”

“Sis, how have you made it to adulthood thinking like that?” Lynn questioned, looking a bit scared.

“And I know how to live, I’m living right now!” Holes countered.

“Sure you are, nerd.” Molly rolled her eyes. “And how many near death experiences have you had, huh?”

“Near death- okay, first of all, I am not a nerd-”

“You kinda are,” Tater mumbled. Holes gasped, putting a hand over her heart as if they were betrayed. “What? You are. You make a living off of reading books.”

“Used to, friend,” Holes clarified. “I’m a freelance artist now. I picked up this gig because of these fools. And good thing too, because now you’re about to poison yourselves! Second of all, um, none?! How many have you had?”

Molly clicked her tongue in disappointment. “Five. Blended corn, acorns, eating soap, eating paper, and an intense game of dodgeball. I haven’t even peaked with these experiences yet.”

“Immortal until proven mortal,” Connor finished for her.

Meg stood next to Molly and held her shoulders. “This girl, she’s going places.”

“Meg, not you, too, I swear to god-”

“sLuRp,” Ivy joined in, grinning from ear to ear.

Holes was getting hysterical. “What the actual hell is going on? Lynn, help me out here.”

“The Gatorade is Forbidden for a reason, kids,” Lynn tried to reason.

Gray stood up with a mischievous glint in their eyes. “Where can we get it?”

“From the crunchy forbidden chocolate powder, of course,” Connor chimed in. Panda gave him a high-five while Holes became paler and paler from the cult forming in front of their eyes.

“This one speaks the truth,” Panda shrugged.

“Ok, what even is crunchy forbidden chocolate powder?”

“Sand, duh,” Connor said matter of factly. “Add some vodka, a martini, and some olives, and you got one heck of a slushie.”

“So that means there must be Forbidden Chewy Lettuce and Flavoured Forbidden Chewy Lettuce,” Tater went on. “Grass and flower petals. Cursed, but not wrong.”

“Ooh, and crackle air can be limestones and sodium carbonate, pies are dirt, bread is wood, and hard candy is metal,” Panda proclaimed.

“Fidget spinners are Forbidden Bagels, too,” Connor helped. “I should know, I tried the other day and cut my lip.”

Farris ignored the last part of Connor’s rant. “The variety pack, I like the sound of that.”

“Farris you’re supposed to look after us and you’re condoning this?!” Holes shouted.

Farris mounted his skateboard. “I’m not condoning anything. I’m enabling and hyping them up without joining in. That’s some big brain stuff.”

“This is why they control the brain cell,” Ivy nodded. “WAIT, ARE MY CHICKEN NUGGETS BURNING?!”

“Ives, you literally set a timer on the microwave backstage, you’re fine,” Tater reassured Ivy, holding her from running to check on her meal.

“Oh, like you know anything about microwaves,” Ivy argued. “You microwave ice cream.”

“It takes too long to soften, and I’m impatient,” Tater defended, turning to address Holes. “And it is eaten with a spoon.”

“Do not start this debate again- you know what, Panda, get ice cream from the mini-fridge, we’re settling this here and now,” Holes demanded.

“I think the real question is why is ice cream so hard,” Speens mentioned as Panda brought a tub of Haagen Daz ice cream. Holes used a fork to attempt to chisel out part of the snack. It wasn’t very successful.

“I think that’s just how Haagen Daz works,” Cadence observed.

Holes saw this as an opportunity to gain some momentum in the argument. “Not just this brand! All ice cream works like that!!!”

“No,” Panda objected. “Not Breyer’s. That stuff is always just right when you need it. Hashtag not sponsored.”

“Did you just break the fourth wall?” Lynn asked. “You know what, I don’t wanna know, just for the love of all that is good in this world please don’t drink the Forbidden Spicy Gatorade.”

“Too late,” Cadence said. “It’s easily accessible. Also, I’m calling E so we can recruit her.”

“Holes, I know you’re hiding it from us,” Molly speculated.

“What are you talking-”

“You’re keeping the Forbidden Spicy Gatorade all to yourself because you know of its power and you want it all to yourself.”

“I don’t HAVE the Gatorade, and I’m explicitly telling you it’s going to kill you if you drink it!”

As the bickering went on, Lynn slipped off to the vacant staff lounge to pull out her phone. There had to be a supplier somewhere who would give them this. She searched for a few minutes, and, after a few dead ends, she finally found an investor. “Cha-ching. Forbidden Incorporated is in business,” Lynn smiled to herself.

“Forbidden Incorporated, eh?” Farris asked from the doorway. Lynn froze and cursed herself for forgetting to lock the door. Now Farris knew of her plans. “Tell you what, I’ll keep your secret under one condition: We split the money 50/50, and get equal control over the decisions. So, deal?”

Lynn hesitated. She wasn’t sure she could trust Farris, but seeing as this was the only way to stop Holes from knowing just yet, she had no other choice. “Deal.”

_______

A/n: So that was fun and took entirely too long to write. I hope you enjoyed it and if you’re in the cult and I didn’t include you, reblog this and I’ll make a list. The next chapter might focus on a smaller group bc there are like thirteen characters here and I’m tired. Peace out!

#forbidden spicy gatorade

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drimmolo · 6 years

Text

2000AD Drawing method, actions and art style

I'm having a hard time thinking about what i could arite about in these posts since almost everything i talked about in my journals last semester was about all the harships i came across from draiwng a comic seriously for the first fime. This time, i already knew what i had to do so it's more about trying to note down my process on how i came to conclusions and decisions about designs and other such things but they happen so subocnsciously that i have to keep track on what i have to talk about ahah..anyway here's a journal on something very imporant: what i'm gonna use to make this comic!

So when Monty came around to see what our ideas and concepts were for this comic a few weeks ago, i showed him what i had thought about until now (mostly designs, concept art, themes and art style) and altough he liked everything, he made one remark that stuck with me: "this is an action comic so i would suggest that you focus less on details and more on dynamism. Make use of thicker lines and don't be afraid to use more black". At first i thought "well i mean sure" but then i realized that i do often tend to go a lot in details and create nice compositions almost unconsciously by using thin lines and very little black spots, and then end up with quite motionless bodies where only expressions change and the background engages the eye.

I re-read my best comics and i realize that altough i play around with the camera angle at times, bodies don’t move that much...it kinda hurts to say but i’ve got a bit of a “talking heads syndrome” going on. I only make my readers engage with the text and with the details and not with what is actually happening.The only action that really moved the body in my last comic “Among Tales” is in page 4 where i am running...and that’s it. I guess it’s to be expected since most of my comics are about...pondering and talking and wondering rather than actual ...actiony stuff. I myself am quite the motionless person so I guess this realization should not come as a surprise.

I looked at the few action-y webcomics and mangas I love and i noticed that when it comes to the action itself, what really makes the reader engage with whats happening is actually perspective! I mean of course the main thing is having intense action with lots of dynamic poses and i get that, but I feel like a pose really becomes powerful when you see it from a point of view that enhances the action that is happening! Shounen mangas especially do that and i definetely can feel the impact of their actions because of it. If we take for example Boku No Hero Academia by Horikoshi, even fairly simple actions like the one in this page gain much more depth and impact simply because the angle is slightly tilted and the perspective is from below Jiro’s point of view (girl being saved).

So yeah, perspective was really something I tried for the first time to play with in terms of focusing on the people rather on the buildings! In Among tales I used perspective to show how big the library but in this case it was about enhancing movement and making the reader feel as if they are seeing the action right there as it is happening!

(insert images here)

I feel like i could have pushed the perspective even more but in that case it would have become a bit excessive and since I’m not that great with it I feel like i would have wasted too much time on it. I think i found a good balance... also i really love the panel with axel slicing the throat...i feel like the arm just slightly being foreshortened gives much more strengh to the move!

The other thing that Monty talked about, about the inking and the lines and the details, I just agree. I use a very thin line because it allows me to add many details but in this comic the point is not details but AAACCCTION so i’m going to go for a much ticker and rougher inking style!

I’d like to say that i want to imitate the manga style a bit...but that’s not style y’know? I never tried go for a rougher inking style but I know for certain that I want to not focus on details i can’t complete this comic on my Cintiq. When I work on my cintiq, I simply can’t help but focus on the details, and since I work on Pain Tool Sai, the lines and brushes are just smoother. If i were to ink this comic on my cintiq, I would end up with simply...thicker black lines sadly. My other classmates who often work digitally like me have decided to work on this comic tradionally to have that traditional 2000AD look...and i’d lie if i said i didn’t think about it too but i sadly fear that would be a bit too much of a long shot...I’d have to learn about traditional inking and learn to draw on A3 papers....which is jjust too much. I already decided that for this project what i was gonna really focus on is the sci-fi feel, the actions and the emotions (cause that’s just a must for my comics...i don’t enhance their emotions there’ just 0 for me)...so i think that i will let my traditional skills shine another time.

No for this project, I decided i will make the entire comic on my ipad using Procreate, which i think is a nice compromise between traditional and full digital. It may not sound like that ot someone who is full traditional, but Procreate is actually not that fancy of a digital program, and was mostly designed for people who work traditionally and want to have fun with some digital art. The app and the brushes it offers are much more “life-like”, and since the ipad is acting as paper, it just feels a lot more like i’m just drawing on paper. My hand too is more relaxed, and the pen even has a tilt sensibility....so yeah...i think this is a fair compromise!

0 notes

kelpiemomma · 7 years

Text

wonder woman spoilers ahoy

so i saw wonder woman last night and it was p good. a few things about it i didn’t quite agree with, just on general principles, but it was enjoyable. i kept turning to my mom a couple times and making comparisons- it reminded me in a way of a female captain america story. i never actually saw captain america, but it’s essentially one huge flashback. it’s set during world war 1, and i know captain america was ww2, but, you know. set in the past. but the things that bothered me:

this got longer than i expected so it’s under a read more

on the island of amazons, the two people in charge are two white women. thats kinda eh to me. the greatest general and their queen- two white women, but they obviously have women of color in power as well.

the story hippolyta tells her, that the amazons were meant to calm men, and they did, and then they were enslaved like... how tf do you enslave women who are apparently 10x your strength? even if they’re not trained.

on this island all of women- they are 100% covered. now, in a respect, i understand it. but also, why? the fighters have shorter outfits which makes sense, but their ‘armor’ doesn’t really look like armor, in a way. it looks like an outfit with boob cups. it looks uncomfortable on the titties. why don’t the fighters just wrap the titties? why are the titties hidden, anyway, in common area? there are literally no men here. ever. why you people hiding your boobs?

how the fuck did no one find the island before steve wandered onto it by accident? seriously. 20+ years and you’re telling me it was never found until some random ass fuckwad flew a plane into it, and then it was like “lmao k everyone come to party” like ???

how old is fucking diana at the beginning of the movie i fucking mean it bc apparently in like 100 years she has not aged so how fucking old is this chick and why does she not age

really “doctor poison”

british man in london without british accent, as compared to all other british men, who all have british accents. nobody thinks twice

german man with a british accent. ??? really????

the love scene are you fucking serious there was absolutely positively 0 need for that fuck you

instead of knocking out the pilots and removing the timer the plane is flown high into the air and blown up. and all the gas.... stays up there. because it was... blown up.... right. okay.

chief was kinda confusing for me? like- call it stereotyping, but his words were like... half the way you’d expect them to sound, and the other half was seriously straight no accent and i was confused.

i want more on charlie’s nightmares. seriously. why the fuck do you leave us hanging like that. we get one glimpse of it and then... nothing else apart from a scene that reminded me of the magnificent 7 where he has someone lined up in his sights, is told to shoot, and can’t. come on, people, extrapolate on that a little.

what the fuck was with the bombing?? were they planning to bomb the village the whole time? what happened with the gas? did it ever go down, or is it still there? why was diana not affected by it? bc she’s a ‘god’?

the love card really are you fucking serious it couldn’t have been friend love or platonic love it was “hey i’ve known you four days and i love you” and suddenly she has power over 9000????

really the ‘above average male’ joke???? really??? ya nah.

bruce wayne is literally like “lmao hey i found this picture of you” and all diana does is smile. are they friends or sommin already?

how does she keep her armor in such good shape? how did it never get dirty? HOW WELL IN SHAPE WERE THOSE FUCKING HORSES THAT SHE COULD GALLOP IT LITERALLY FUCKIN MILES DOWN THE ROAD AND IT WAS STILL GOING STRONG AND COULD JUMP SOMETHING THAT WAS LIKE 2 OR 3 FEET OFF THE GROUND???? WHY DID THOSE VILLAGERS HAVE FUCKING FRIESIANS LAYING AROUND??? COME ON, PLEASE.

10/10 sammy was brilliant tho.

charlie and chief could definitely have had more background done of them. fuck, they all could have. but they went with steve instead. eugh.

the twist with areis at the end tho- also, iron man. i fucking laughed. elbowed my mom and said “female captain america and iron man.”

stealing the journal! ???

THE FUCKING CRUMPLED UP PAPER LIKE WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK? YOU WROTE IT DOWN, DISCARDED IT, AND THEN A WIND BLOWS IT BACK TO YOU AND YOU PICK IT UP AND SUDDENLY YOU’RE LIKE “IT’S FUCKING GENIUS I’VE GOT IT” REALLY

also seriously what the hell happened to the doctor’s face i wanna know that story.

why has diana not aged a single fucking day in like 100 years what the hell? why do we get no explanation for that?

why could she not go back to the island? was it “you literally can’t come back” bc that seems like utter bullshit considering some dude in a fucking plane and then like 20 german boats made their way in or was it “you won’t want to come back” or “you won’t come back bc we will kill you” like why the hell was diana told she may not come back? please clarify.

how did they get from (likely) the middle of bumfuck middle of nowhere in the ocean to london in one night? what the everliving fuck?

the discussion on the boat about sleeping. interesting. on one hand, the twelve volumes of pleasure is fucking hilarious. on the other, i wanted to see some goddamn amazon lesbians. it’s an island entirely of women. there have to be gal pals somewhere, especially if someone wrote twelve volumes on pleasure enough to decide that man was needed for procreation only. does this mean they make dildos and stuff? seriously. what are in those twelve volumes? where did they even find a man to decide that sex with men was for pleasure only?

why were hippolyta and antiope like the only two who looked old? how do amazons age?

how was the shield bulletproof but the armor wasn’t? seriously. if you can make bulletproof shields, you can make bulletproof armor.

why did the boats sink as soon as they entered the island’s field? did they crash into rocks that you couldn’t see? seriously, wtf.

holy hell they played at having their fun with the greek gods tho, like damn.

there’s prolly more but that’s all i got for now

#wonder woman spoilers

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samiam03x · 8 years

Text

Why Clickbait Works (And Why You Should Do More of It)

Fake news is squarely in the spotlight.

It rode to prominence on the back of an absurd 2016 election (wait… that was a dream, right?!).

Since then, a slew of companies including Google and Facebook have publicly declared it Enemy #1. Any whiff of fake news, especially any salacious titles, and you can expect extra scrutiny.

But here’s the thing.

Clickbait gets a bad rap. When done correctly, it’s one of the best ways to get people to take notice and give you their most precious asset: attention.

Here’s why, despite your hesitancy or bold proclamations from companies, you should be using more of it.

This Unbelievable Copywriting Hack Will Save Your Job (Details Below)

We could talk stats all day.

We could talk about how consumers are bombarded by hundreds or thousands of advertisements and sales messages today. That it’s never been higher in the history of humanity. Shock! Awe! Blah blah blah. You’ve heard it all before.

But you already see it. Daily.

You see it in your ad campaigns. Banner blindness + ad blocking technology + declining CTRs = $22 billion loss.

You see it in your email campaigns. Exponentially increasing volume + declining deliverability + tabbed inboxes = declining click rates.

And you see it each time a new piece of content goes live to obscurity and crickets. Basic Economics 101. Competition continues to increase. Which means it’s harder to breakthrough than ever before.

If only there were a solution – a hack! – that could help you cut through the clutter. To breakthrough the noise and get your stuff read. To increase the amount of people whose lives you can directly improve by solving their problems (it does help people, doesn’t it?).

Turns out, there might be one.

But only if you’re willing to look….

We humans are simple creatures at the end of the day. Sure, we try to act smart. We look the part. However even the smallest inkling of danger or terror and we squeal like school kids.

At the end of the day, we just want to be loved, eat, sleep, not die, and get a little lucky procreate to further the human race.

Image Source

Clickbait knows this. Acknowledges it. Understands it intimately.

It tickles our curiosity while dumbing down concepts into a common language we can all understand. Like: fear, greed, jealousy, envy, lust, and more.

A completely-legitimate research study of 69,907 showed that the most powerful headlines are polarizing.

The stuff at the extremes, whether overly positive or overly negative, generated the most interest. Pattern interruption shocks us out of dazed and confused routine. It presents an “information-gap” that we want, no NEED, to fill.

In a world faced with endless choices and options, we freeze. Clickbait is the way out. For both consumers (by simplifying their lives) and us marketers (‘cause it gets results).

Look:

We like what we do. It’s fun. Exciting even on some days (like Food Truck day!).

But we’re not curing cancer here. We’re not sending people to Mars or building sexy, luxury, electric vehicles that will one-day wean society off of declining fossil fuels.

So let’s get real. Lighten up. Have a little fun.

You gotta problem. We all do. There’s a clear way out of this mess. For now anyway.

Take the red pill and let’s get this party started.

Besides. It’s not like clickbait is new. Hardly.

In fact, it’s been happening for decades.

You Won’t Believe This is Where Clickbait Comes From (Until You Read It)

Does this ring any bells?

Image Source

It should. It’s only been ripped off and repurposed thousands of times since it was originally published.

In 1927!

It used storytelling. To build interest. Connect with an audience. And get them to send in their information for a free product.

I.e. a lead magnet!

It was written by a dude named John Caples. A successful copywriter who also wrote Tested Advertising Methods. Which is like a sequel to Scientific Advertising, widely considered one of the best books on the topic. (Except unlike most other sequels, this one didn’t suck).

Here he is again:

Image Source

Sure looks and sounds and tastes like some good clickbait to me. A mirror image of what you might see today on info-pedaling sites across the interwebs.

And yet once again, this little ditty comes from the Roaring 20’s (or more accurately, the latter half during the Great Depression).

See. That’s what good clickbait does. It provides hope. For people experiencing the worst economic meltdown of all time.

It doesn’t lie or swindle or fool. The people behind the clickbait do that when their stuff sucks and can’t back up their claims.

Valueless work that owes more to sensationalism than research and investigation even has a name: yellow journalism.

The name comes from yellow cartoon strips that were inserted into newspapers, who were worried about increasing circulation in a time of massive competition and waning consumer preferences.

But we’re not talking this decade. Or the last. But waaaaaaaaaaay back in the 1800s.

So don’t shoot the messenger.

Because it wasn’t invented by Buzzstream to net pageviews. They may have perfected the art form. (Despite laughable claims otherwise.)

Seriously. Want to write better headlines? Want to stand out? Get attention? Drive more people into your products or services?

Study BuzzFeed’s headlines. Blasphemous, I know.

But you’ll thank me later. When your blog posts start getting shared. When emails start getting clicked. When ads actually drive some revenue to hit your goals, please your boss or client, and you can finally take a vacation one of these days.

Here. I’ll show you.

3 BuzzFeed Headline Tricks to Steal

BuzzFeed didn’t invent any of this. They just do it better than anyone else.

Their specific examples are absurd, of course. You’d never want to use them word-for-word on your buttoned-up website that caters to insurance agents.

But. You can look at what they’re doing, understand the basic fundamentals of why it works, and adapt accordingly.

Here’s a few examples.

#1. The Ultimate Newsjack

Image Source

Newsjacking’s been around forever. A classic PR technique even, to piggyback on successful brands in the news.

But you can also use it to unexpectedly ‘bridge the gap’ between your [boring] topic and something people care about deeply that’s top-of-mind.

Okay. This one’s kinda easy.

Literally anything related to Mr. President is sure to drive attention these days. Which mean anything he says or does or executive order’s. And c’mon, that’s almost an endless supply these days… do I have to do all the work here?

Look at the other stuff going on in this headline though. [Someone Important] “Secretly Told” [Someone/Something] “What He Really Thinks About” [Important Topic]. Adapt the wording in quotes and play some mad libs with a competitor or even a trend you’re against. Remember: polarizing sticks out.

Just ask fake news hustler John Egan from Vancouver, Canada, who told The New York Times that his pro-Clinton site didn’t take off as expected during the election. But when he switched to anti-Clinton, things hit a fever pitch:

“It’s all Trump. People go nuts for it.”

#2. The Hot Topic

Image Source

The Hot Topic (you know, kinda like that lame goth store in second-rate malls that probably sells Korn shirts… are they still around?) is similar to the last in that it’s ‘newsworthy’.

That’s a good thing. It means it gets attention. People care about it (one way or another). And it you can leverage that to gain eyeballs to your boring thing.

Check out this sensitive topic:

Okay. Pushing the envelope a bit. You might want to dial it back. But still. It perfectly appeals to a specific audience and plays against the fears, stereotypes, realities, and challenges they face.

What else might get people to “treat you differently”? There’s your hook.

#3 The Cliffhanger

Image Source

The best for last. My favorite. The Cliffhanger is pattern interruption at it finest. It teases just enough that there’s no way you can’t click to see more.

See. This one is so easy. “Things Nobody Tells You About” [Problem Your Customers Face].

Things Nobody Tells You About Term Life Insurance

Things Nobody Tells You About Email Open Rates

Things Nobody Tells You About Your Roth IRA

And on and on and on. You can even spice things up a bit and throw a number in front of “Things”.

Cliffhangers + Listicles? Now we’re talking clickbait.

5 Completely Random Outbrain Examples to Prove Clickbait Works Once and For All

I can already hear it now.

The objections. The excuses.

“But clickbait won’t work in MY industry.” “Those examples wouldn’t work with MY customers.”

B.S.

So. I pulled up ESPNFC. Clicked on a random article. Scrolled to the bottom of it. And started taking screenshots of the Outbrain syndicated articles that popped up.

(Think these ads are a waste of time? Go read this. Different channel, same principles. You gotta get eyeballs and attention before you can convert it into new customers.)

Example #1. Retail/Fashion

This ad could work for just about any retail site, product, or service that caters to women.

Celebrity in the picture? Check.

Mystery & intrigue (“The World Was Not Ready”)? Check.

Topical award show (“Emmy”)? Check.

Specific item of clothing (“Dress”)? Check.

Exclusivity (“After Party”)? Check.

Looks like it checks out to me.

Example #2. Finance

Interest rates are about as boring and mundane as it gets. Important, sure. Boring, nonetheless. Trust me. I have a (worthless) degree in Finance to show for it.

And yet something about this title makes makes you want to click to find out more. It’s the cliffhanger from above (as evidenced by the phrase “this will affect”). It hints at future problems or issues that you should know about (but don’t currently). It creates an information gap that you now have to search out to close.

Just toned down a bit.

Speaking of toning…

Example #3. Fitness Product

‘Member the whole dad bod thing?

C’mon. Nobody likes that. Not even the people with dad bods. You know, old dudes with kids and a desk job.

Guess where those power lunches and happy hours and food trucks go?

That stubborn, hard-to-rid belly.

This ad names that problem, for that audience, specifically. Which is key.

The odd (prefered to even) numbered list and “simple steps” speaks to a zen-like simplicity in the solution.

While “shed” is a classic power word.

Example #4. Business

This ad is good.

A photo of a realistic woman looking directly at you. (People like eyes.)

Piggybacking on a brand like “Apple” and incorporating a power word like “Disrupting”.

Once again, doesn’t get anymore basic and boring than American manufacturing. From a content and advertising point-of-view.

And yet this ad manages to somehow leap off the page. Thanks in large part to emphasizing what’s interesting or unique, FIRST, before going into detail about their own offering.

Example #5. Dental Procedure

Let’s be honest with each other.

Nobody likes the dentist. We delay visiting as long as humanly possible.

It’s awkward and uncomfortable. So dentists, like it not, gotta sell.

Insurance doesn’t force us to specific dentists like other medical professions. We shop around. So it’s no different than looking for an auto-body shop to fix your car. (Okay, maybe a little different.)

Dental implants can also be expensive. It’s not a decision to take lightly.

Which means the same content and information-assisted selling technique not only apply, but are required.

Conclusion

Clickbait has a negative connotation associated with it.

Because we’re on high alert for the bad kind of clickbait: the empty hyperbole and salacious claims sold by swindlers and tricksters.

Those people give a bad name to clickbait. Because it’s not all bad.

If you believe in what you’re selling and that it can truly help people, it’s your obligation to do whatever it takes to get it in their hands.

In that vein, there’s nothing wrong with clickbait. There’s a reason it’s been in use, successfully, for decades (and almost centuries).

It’s because it works.

It uses well-worn, psychological patterns that people are already looking for. It gives them what they need, when they need it.

About the Author: Brad Smith is a marketing writer, agency partner, and creator of Copy Weekly, a free weekly copywriting newsletter for marketers & founders.

http://ift.tt/2mUguNk from MarketingRSS http://ift.tt/2nmypdl via Youtube

#MarketingRSS

0 notes

marie85marketing · 8 years

Text

Why Clickbait Works (And Why You Should Do More of It)

Fake news is squarely in the spotlight.

It rode to prominence on the back of an absurd 2016 election (wait… that was a dream, right?!).

Since then, a slew of companies including Google and Facebook have publicly declared it Enemy #1. Any whiff of fake news, especially any salacious titles, and you can expect extra scrutiny.

But here’s the thing.

Clickbait gets a bad rap. When done correctly, it’s one of the best ways to get people to take notice and give you their most precious asset: attention.

Here’s why, despite your hesitancy or bold proclamations from companies, you should be using more of it.

This Unbelievable Copywriting Hack Will Save Your Job (Details Below)

We could talk stats all day.

But you already see it. Daily.

You see it in your ad campaigns. Banner blindness + ad blocking technology + declining CTRs = $22 billion loss.

You see it in your email campaigns. Exponentially increasing volume + declining deliverability + tabbed inboxes = declining click rates.

Turns out, there might be one.

But only if you’re willing to look….

We humans are simple creatures at the end of the day. Sure, we try to act smart. We look the part. However even the smallest inkling of danger or terror and we squeal like school kids.

At the end of the day, we just want to be loved, eat, sleep, not die, and get a little lucky procreate to further the human race.

Image Source

Clickbait knows this. Acknowledges it. Understands it intimately.

It tickles our curiosity while dumbing down concepts into a common language we can all understand. Like: fear, greed, jealousy, envy, lust, and more.

A completely-legitimate research study of 69,907 showed that the most powerful headlines are polarizing.

In a world faced with endless choices and options, we freeze. Clickbait is the way out. For both consumers (by simplifying their lives) and us marketers (‘cause it gets results).

Look:

We like what we do. It’s fun. Exciting even on some days (like Food Truck day!).

But we’re not curing cancer here. We’re not sending people to Mars or building sexy, luxury, electric vehicles that will one-day wean society off of declining fossil fuels.

So let’s get real. Lighten up. Have a little fun.

You gotta problem. We all do. There’s a clear way out of this mess. For now anyway.

Take the red pill and let’s get this party started.

Besides. It’s not like clickbait is new. Hardly.

In fact, it’s been happening for decades.

You Won’t Believe This is Where Clickbait Comes From (Until You Read It)

Does this ring any bells?

Image Source

It should. It’s only been ripped off and repurposed thousands of times since it was originally published.

In 1927!

It used storytelling. To build interest. Connect with an audience. And get them to send in their information for a free product.

I.e. a lead magnet!

Here he is again:

Image Source

Sure looks and sounds and tastes like some good clickbait to me. A mirror image of what you might see today on info-pedaling sites across the interwebs.

And yet once again, this little ditty comes from the Roaring 20’s (or more accurately, the latter half during the Great Depression).

See. That’s what good clickbait does. It provides hope. For people experiencing the worst economic meltdown of all time.

It doesn’t lie or swindle or fool. The people behind the clickbait do that when their stuff sucks and can’t back up their claims.

Valueless work that owes more to sensationalism than research and investigation even has a name: yellow journalism.

The name comes from yellow cartoon strips that were inserted into newspapers, who were worried about increasing circulation in a time of massive competition and waning consumer preferences.

But we’re not talking this decade. Or the last. But waaaaaaaaaaay back in the 1800s.

So don’t shoot the messenger.

Because it wasn’t invented by Buzzstream to net pageviews. They may have perfected the art form. (Despite laughable claims otherwise.)

Seriously. Want to write better headlines? Want to stand out? Get attention? Drive more people into your products or services?

Study BuzzFeed’s headlines. Blasphemous, I know.

Here. I’ll show you.

3 BuzzFeed Headline Tricks to Steal

BuzzFeed didn’t invent any of this. They just do it better than anyone else.

Their specific examples are absurd, of course. You’d never want to use them word-for-word on your buttoned-up website that caters to insurance agents.

But. You can look at what they’re doing, understand the basic fundamentals of why it works, and adapt accordingly.

Here’s a few examples.

#1. The Ultimate Newsjack

Image Source

Newsjacking’s been around forever. A classic PR technique even, to piggyback on successful brands in the news.

But you can also use it to unexpectedly ‘bridge the gap’ between your [boring] topic and something people care about deeply that’s top-of-mind.

Okay. This one’s kinda easy.

“It’s all Trump. People go nuts for it.”

#2. The Hot Topic

Image Source

The Hot Topic (you know, kinda like that lame goth store in second-rate malls that probably sells Korn shirts… are they still around?) is similar to the last in that it’s ‘newsworthy’.

That’s a good thing. It means it gets attention. People care about it (one way or another). And it you can leverage that to gain eyeballs to your boring thing.

Check out this sensitive topic:

Okay. Pushing the envelope a bit. You might want to dial it back. But still. It perfectly appeals to a specific audience and plays against the fears, stereotypes, realities, and challenges they face.

What else might get people to “treat you differently”? There’s your hook.

#3 The Cliffhanger

Image Source

The best for last. My favorite. The Cliffhanger is pattern interruption at it finest. It teases just enough that there’s no way you can’t click to see more.

See. This one is so easy. “Things Nobody Tells You About” [Problem Your Customers Face].

Things Nobody Tells You About Term Life Insurance

Things Nobody Tells You About Email Open Rates

Things Nobody Tells You About Your Roth IRA

And on and on and on. You can even spice things up a bit and throw a number in front of “Things”.

Cliffhangers + Listicles? Now we’re talking clickbait.

5 Completely Random Outbrain Examples to Prove Clickbait Works Once and For All

I can already hear it now.

The objections. The excuses.

“But clickbait won’t work in MY industry.” “Those examples wouldn’t work with MY customers.”

B.S.

So. I pulled up ESPNFC. Clicked on a random article. Scrolled to the bottom of it. And started taking screenshots of the Outbrain syndicated articles that popped up.

(Think these ads are a waste of time? Go read this. Different channel, same principles. You gotta get eyeballs and attention before you can convert it into new customers.)

Example #1. Retail/Fashion

This ad could work for just about any retail site, product, or service that caters to women.

Celebrity in the picture? Check.

Mystery & intrigue (“The World Was Not Ready”)? Check.

Topical award show (“Emmy”)? Check.

Specific item of clothing (“Dress”)? Check.

Exclusivity (“After Party”)? Check.

Looks like it checks out to me.

Example #2. Finance

Interest rates are about as boring and mundane as it gets. Important, sure. Boring, nonetheless. Trust me. I have a (worthless) degree in Finance to show for it.

Just toned down a bit.

Speaking of toning…

Example #3. Fitness Product

‘Member the whole dad bod thing?

C’mon. Nobody likes that. Not even the people with dad bods. You know, old dudes with kids and a desk job.

Guess where those power lunches and happy hours and food trucks go?

That stubborn, hard-to-rid belly.

This ad names that problem, for that audience, specifically. Which is key.

The odd (prefered to even) numbered list and “simple steps” speaks to a zen-like simplicity in the solution.

While “shed” is a classic power word.

Example #4. Business

This ad is good.

A photo of a realistic woman looking directly at you. (People like eyes.)

Piggybacking on a brand like “Apple” and incorporating a power word like “Disrupting”.

Once again, doesn’t get anymore basic and boring than American manufacturing. From a content and advertising point-of-view.

And yet this ad manages to somehow leap off the page. Thanks in large part to emphasizing what’s interesting or unique, FIRST, before going into detail about their own offering.

Example #5. Dental Procedure

Let’s be honest with each other.

Nobody likes the dentist. We delay visiting as long as humanly possible.

It’s awkward and uncomfortable. So dentists, like it not, gotta sell.

Dental implants can also be expensive. It’s not a decision to take lightly.

Which means the same content and information-assisted selling technique not only apply, but are required.

Conclusion

Clickbait has a negative connotation associated with it.

Because we’re on high alert for the bad kind of clickbait: the empty hyperbole and salacious claims sold by swindlers and tricksters.

Those people give a bad name to clickbait. Because it’s not all bad.

If you believe in what you’re selling and that it can truly help people, it’s your obligation to do whatever it takes to get it in their hands.

In that vein, there’s nothing wrong with clickbait. There’s a reason it’s been in use, successfully, for decades (and almost centuries).

It’s because it works.

It uses well-worn, psychological patterns that people are already looking for. It gives them what they need, when they need it.

About the Author: Brad Smith is a marketing writer, agency partner, and creator of Copy Weekly, a free weekly copywriting newsletter for marketers & founders.

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ericsburden-blog · 8 years

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Why Clickbait Works (And Why You Should Do More of It)

Fake news is squarely in the spotlight.

It rode to prominence on the back of an absurd 2016 election (wait… that was a dream, right?!).

Since then, a slew of companies including Google and Facebook have publicly declared it Enemy #1. Any whiff of fake news, especially any salacious titles, and you can expect extra scrutiny.

But here’s the thing.

Clickbait gets a bad rap. When done correctly, it’s one of the best ways to get people to take notice and give you their most precious asset: attention.

Here’s why, despite your hesitancy or bold proclamations from companies, you should be using more of it.

This Unbelievable Copywriting Hack Will Save Your Job (Details Below)

We could talk stats all day.

But you already see it. Daily.

You see it in your ad campaigns. Banner blindness + ad blocking technology + declining CTRs = $22 billion loss.

You see it in your email campaigns. Exponentially increasing volume + declining deliverability + tabbed inboxes = declining click rates.

Turns out, there might be one.

But only if you’re willing to look….

We humans are simple creatures at the end of the day. Sure, we try to act smart. We look the part. However even the smallest inkling of danger or terror and we squeal like school kids.

At the end of the day, we just want to be loved, eat, sleep, not die, and get a little lucky procreate to further the human race.

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Clickbait knows this. Acknowledges it. Understands it intimately.

It tickles our curiosity while dumbing down concepts into a common language we can all understand. Like: fear, greed, jealousy, envy, lust, and more.

A completely-legitimate research study of 69,907 showed that the most powerful headlines are polarizing.

In a world faced with endless choices and options, we freeze. Clickbait is the way out. For both consumers (by simplifying their lives) and us marketers (‘cause it gets results).

Look:

We like what we do. It’s fun. Exciting even on some days (like Food Truck day!).

But we’re not curing cancer here. We’re not sending people to Mars or building sexy, luxury, electric vehicles that will one-day wean society off of declining fossil fuels.

So let’s get real. Lighten up. Have a little fun.

You gotta problem. We all do. There’s a clear way out of this mess. For now anyway.

Take the red pill and let’s get this party started.

Besides. It’s not like clickbait is new. Hardly.

In fact, it’s been happening for decades.

You Won’t Believe This is Where Clickbait Comes From (Until You Read It)

Does this ring any bells?

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It should. It’s only been ripped off and repurposed thousands of times since it was originally published.

In 1927!

It used storytelling. To build interest. Connect with an audience. And get them to send in their information for a free product.

I.e. a lead magnet!

Here he is again:

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Sure looks and sounds and tastes like some good clickbait to me. A mirror image of what you might see today on info-pedaling sites across the interwebs.

And yet once again, this little ditty comes from the Roaring 20’s (or more accurately, the latter half during the Great Depression).

See. That’s what good clickbait does. It provides hope. For people experiencing the worst economic meltdown of all time.

It doesn’t lie or swindle or fool. The people behind the clickbait do that when their stuff sucks and can’t back up their claims.

Valueless work that owes more to sensationalism than research and investigation even has a name: yellow journalism.

The name comes from yellow cartoon strips that were inserted into newspapers, who were worried about increasing circulation in a time of massive competition and waning consumer preferences.

But we’re not talking this decade. Or the last. But waaaaaaaaaaay back in the 1800s.

So don’t shoot the messenger.

Because it wasn’t invented by Buzzstream to net pageviews. They may have perfected the art form. (Despite laughable claims otherwise.)

Seriously. Want to write better headlines? Want to stand out? Get attention? Drive more people into your products or services?

Study BuzzFeed’s headlines. Blasphemous, I know.

Here. I’ll show you.

3 BuzzFeed Headline Tricks to Steal

BuzzFeed didn’t invent any of this. They just do it better than anyone else.

Their specific examples are absurd, of course. You’d never want to use them word-for-word on your buttoned-up website that caters to insurance agents.

But. You can look at what they’re doing, understand the basic fundamentals of why it works, and adapt accordingly.

Here’s a few examples.

#1. The Ultimate Newsjack

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Newsjacking’s been around forever. A classic PR technique even, to piggyback on successful brands in the news.

But you can also use it to unexpectedly ‘bridge the gap’ between your [boring] topic and something people care about deeply that’s top-of-mind.

Okay. This one’s kinda easy.

“It’s all Trump. People go nuts for it.”

#2. The Hot Topic

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The Hot Topic (you know, kinda like that lame goth store in second-rate malls that probably sells Korn shirts… are they still around?) is similar to the last in that it’s ‘newsworthy’.

That’s a good thing. It means it gets attention. People care about it (one way or another). And it you can leverage that to gain eyeballs to your boring thing.

Check out this sensitive topic:

Okay. Pushing the envelope a bit. You might want to dial it back. But still. It perfectly appeals to a specific audience and plays against the fears, stereotypes, realities, and challenges they face.

What else might get people to “treat you differently”? There’s your hook.

#3 The Cliffhanger

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The best for last. My favorite. The Cliffhanger is pattern interruption at it finest. It teases just enough that there’s no way you can’t click to see more.

See. This one is so easy. “Things Nobody Tells You About” [Problem Your Customers Face].

Things Nobody Tells You About Term Life Insurance

Things Nobody Tells You About Email Open Rates

Things Nobody Tells You About Your Roth IRA

And on and on and on. You can even spice things up a bit and throw a number in front of “Things”.

Cliffhangers + Listicles? Now we’re talking clickbait.

5 Completely Random Outbrain Examples to Prove Clickbait Works Once and For All

I can already hear it now.

The objections. The excuses.

“But clickbait won’t work in MY industry.” “Those examples wouldn’t work with MY customers.”

B.S.

So. I pulled up ESPNFC. Clicked on a random article. Scrolled to the bottom of it. And started taking screenshots of the Outbrain syndicated articles that popped up.

(Think these ads are a waste of time? Go read this. Different channel, same principles. You gotta get eyeballs and attention before you can convert it into new customers.)

Example #1. Retail/Fashion

This ad could work for just about any retail site, product, or service that caters to women.

Celebrity in the picture? Check.

Mystery & intrigue (“The World Was Not Ready”)? Check.

Topical award show (“Emmy”)? Check.

Specific item of clothing (“Dress”)? Check.

Exclusivity (“After Party”)? Check.

Looks like it checks out to me.

Example #2. Finance

Interest rates are about as boring and mundane as it gets. Important, sure. Boring, nonetheless. Trust me. I have a (worthless) degree in Finance to show for it.

Just toned down a bit.

Speaking of toning…

Example #3. Fitness Product

‘Member the whole dad bod thing?

C’mon. Nobody likes that. Not even the people with dad bods. You know, old dudes with kids and a desk job.

Guess where those power lunches and happy hours and food trucks go?

That stubborn, hard-to-rid belly.

This ad names that problem, for that audience, specifically. Which is key.

The odd (prefered to even) numbered list and “simple steps” speaks to a zen-like simplicity in the solution.

While “shed” is a classic power word.

Example #4. Business

This ad is good.

A photo of a realistic woman looking directly at you. (People like eyes.)

Piggybacking on a brand like “Apple” and incorporating a power word like “Disrupting”.

Once again, doesn’t get anymore basic and boring than American manufacturing. From a content and advertising point-of-view.

And yet this ad manages to somehow leap off the page. Thanks in large part to emphasizing what’s interesting or unique, FIRST, before going into detail about their own offering.

Example #5. Dental Procedure

Let’s be honest with each other.

Nobody likes the dentist. We delay visiting as long as humanly possible.

It’s awkward and uncomfortable. So dentists, like it not, gotta sell.

Dental implants can also be expensive. It’s not a decision to take lightly.

Which means the same content and information-assisted selling technique not only apply, but are required.

Conclusion

Clickbait has a negative connotation associated with it.

Because we’re on high alert for the bad kind of clickbait: the empty hyperbole and salacious claims sold by swindlers and tricksters.

Those people give a bad name to clickbait. Because it’s not all bad.

If you believe in what you’re selling and that it can truly help people, it’s your obligation to do whatever it takes to get it in their hands.

In that vein, there’s nothing wrong with clickbait. There’s a reason it’s been in use, successfully, for decades (and almost centuries).

It’s because it works.

It uses well-worn, psychological patterns that people are already looking for. It gives them what they need, when they need it.

About the Author: Brad Smith is a marketing writer, agency partner, and creator of Copy Weekly, a free weekly copywriting newsletter for marketers & founders.

Why Clickbait Works (And Why You Should Do More of It)

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