Surprisium: the element of surprise
Photo: Ben White
Why do we pay attention to some things and not others?
The answer is (surprise!) surprise.
So why do some surprises immediately fade, while others stay with us?
It has to do with two factors: whether the surprise is relevant, and whether it’s logically sound. As in jokes, which set up an expectation, then deliver a punchline that works logically but defies the expectation. The surprise comes out as a laugh.
Why don’t ants get sick?
Because they have anty bodies.
There’s a good chance you opened this email, skipped down to the joke, then went back up to the top. Why? Because it’s surprising to have a bolded line – which suggests importance – halfway down the page. That sparks curiosity.
When you read the joke, you may have been curious why we shared it, so you went to the top for context. That suggests you were curious – in other words, interested – twice. Which hooked you enough to read this far.
If you’d like to get people to read to the end of your marketing, email Rustle & Spark today.