Years ago Mercedes Benz ran a series of two-page ads, each highlighting one system—braking, steering, suspension, etc.—in their automobiles. Each spread was packed with copy, graphs, and cutaway diagrams, a veritable suitcase full of information. I suppose there may have been "gearheads" who memorized every line of every ad in the series. The rest of us, whether we read closely, skimmed lightly, or just looked at the pictures, came away with one idea: "Wow, these guys engineer a great car!"

Interestingly, that specific idea was stated nowhere in the ads, but it was implied throughout. And, in fact, the details in the ad weren’t there to be recorded; they were there to support the key take-away concept. It worked because the folks who developed the campaign started out knowing what the message of the campaign was to be.

The same approach can be used in every aspect of marketing, from the shortest ad to the longest technical whitepaper. Give your audience an appropriately sized suitcase of information, but be sure to provide a handle by which to pick it up and carry it away. It all starts with the question "If my audience finishes this piece with just one new idea, what do I want it to be?"