Siemens has done some good marketing and advertising in its time. Not so much with this airport billboard. The problem is the incongruity between what is said and what is shown. The tagline and image are at odds. They SAY what makes them different is giving attention to patients, not to files. But what they SHOW is the opposite.

I see this happen when companies or their ad agencies make the " BIG think" assumption. They might have tested it and respondents might have been able to figure out the intended meaning... after studying it for a LONG time. But even if they did figure it out, how does it make them feel? Does it elicit any kind of positive action? Most people will only get maybe a 2 to 3 second glimpse of this ad. At a glance, this billboard leaves people confused, not knowing what to think or feel about the company or product.

To avoid this fatal advertising error, always test your messages in realistic scenarios and for every message ask what should people to think, feel, and do. This creates accountability and effective communication.