By Brett Thomas, Owner – Jambalaya Marketing, New Orleans, LA
Let’s get something straight: if an ad doesn’t grab attention, it’s just noise. Worse, it’s background noise. The kind that people tune out while scrolling, driving, or pretending to listen during a Zoom call. That’s why I created something I call The Jambalaya Formula — a way of thinking about messaging that turns bland, flavorless advertising into something that actually sticks in people’s brains.
Now, why “Jambalaya,” you ask? Because it’s bold. It’s spicy. It’s not afraid to throw a few unexpected ingredients in the pot and turn up the heat. And when it’s done right, it makes people stop, smell, and say, “Okay, now what is that?” That’s what good messaging should do. And that’s exactly what most advertising doesn’t do.
Most Ads Are Boiled Chicken with a Side of Meh
Let’s face it, most ads are trying not to offend anyone, and in the process, they fail to affect anyone. It’s like serving unseasoned chicken and calling it “family friendly.” Sure, it won’t ruffle any feathers, but it’s also not going to make anyone crave seconds.
When messaging is too safe, it becomes forgettable. And in advertising, forgettable is fatal. The moment someone scrolls past without blinking, that campaign is cooked — and not in a good way. The goal isn’t just to be seen. It’s to be noticed. And noticed doesn’t happen by whispering the same tired taglines as everyone else.
Enter: The Jambalaya Formula
This isn’t a software. It’s not some fancy proprietary tech with a trademark symbol. It’s a mindset — a way to look at a message and ask, “How do we make this hit harder, faster, and louder, without losing the point?”
The Jambalaya Formula has a few simple principles:
- Say something worth remembering.
If the message could be printed on a bank envelope or a gas station ad without anyone noticing, it’s not ready. A message needs bite. - Add an unexpected ingredient.
Humor. Contrast. A weird metaphor. Something that makes the audience tilt their head like a confused puppy. - Anchor it to the core message.
Creativity without clarity is chaos. There’s a difference between wild and unhinged. The message still needs to land. - Trust people to get it.
Audiences are smarter than they’re given credit for. They don’t need every detail spoon-fed. They need something that makes them think — or laugh — for just long enough to keep reading, watching, or clicking.
Boring Ads Waste Good Money and Good Time
The biggest tragedy in marketing isn’t failure. It’s mediocrity that’s invisible. A boring campaign wastes time, effort, and ad spend, and it usually ends with someone asking, “Why didn’t this work?” The answer: it never stood a chance. It didn’t turn heads. It didn’t raise eyebrows. It didn’t even cause a blink.
People are bombarded with messages 24/7. To stand out, a brand has to feel like something. It has to risk a little. It has to roll its sleeves up and say, “Let’s get spicy.”
Flavor Doesn’t Mean Chaos
Let me be clear — being bold isn’t the same thing as being outrageous. This isn’t about using shock value just to make noise. It’s about emotional precision. Humor that fits. A surprise that makes sense. A clever twist that ties back to the brand’s purpose.
It’s not about being loud — it’s about being unforgettable. Big difference.
One word, one image, one line of copy can flip a message from forgettable to unforgettable. That’s what the formula is all about. Not changing everything — just changing the right thing to make people pay attention.
The Problem With Playing It Safe
Safe ads make clients feel comfortable. But they rarely move the needle. The Jambalaya Formula isn’t about making ads that feel comfortable. It’s about making ads that get results because they make people feel something.
Sometimes that’s laughter. Sometimes it’s curiosity. Sometimes it’s a raised eyebrow followed by, “Huh. That’s clever.” If it causes a reaction, it has a shot at creating action.
Make Ads That Actually Taste Like Something
In Louisiana, food is a love language. No one brags about bland gumbo. It’s the same with messaging. The ads that work — the ones people remember — have seasoning. They have personality. They have nerve. They sound like a human, not a committee.
That’s what the Jambalaya Formula helps brands do: ditch the beige and serve something bold. Something flavorful. Something that cuts through the static and makes someone stop mid-scroll and say, “Wait, what was that?”
Final Thought from the Guy Stirring the Pot
If a brand is going to spend time and money creating a message, it might as well make it count. Play it too safe, and it vanishes. Add the right ingredients, and it lingers.
The Jambalaya Formula isn’t about being outrageous. It’s about being original. Because in a world where everyone’s trying to blend in, the real power belongs to the ones who stand out.
Especially the ones who know how to cook.
