Sometimes the best ideas are the simplest.

Take this bit of advertising genius from the April 2007 Business 2.0.

The UPS Store ran a full page ad showing a distressed executive sitting in a hallway with three spiral-bound presentations at his feet.

The ad itself is solid. What makes it great? The ad appears upside-down on the page. The ad headline reads,

Think this upside-down page is surprising? Imagine finding one in your presentation.

Kudos! An upside-down ad captures your attention. Is it a mistake? What’s going on here?

Tying the theme of the ad to its upside-down position strengthens the ad’s message and memorability. The fact that the ad itself is artfully composed and conveys an important benefit makes it stronger still.

Turning convention on its head for shock value doesn’t sell. Combining it with value does sell.

Equally important–Creativity is not complexity. The UPS Store shows us that creativity is simplicity.

Word Sell … Scrambled Toast