What do Apple’s iconic “Get a Mac” ads and political campaigns have in common? A little-known framework that shapes how people think—and buy.

In this episode, Avery breaks down the message box: a dead-simple, wildly effective strategy tool used by political pros (and now, smart marketers) to craft campaigns that stick.

You’ll learn:

What the four quadrants of a message box are—and how to fill them in

Why “us vs. them” thinking still works (when used strategically)

How Apple made PCs look like the sad boyfriend you settle for

Why consistent messaging beats clever taglines

If you’re a creative, strategist, founder, or just love decoding the psychology of advertising, this one’s for you.

Timestamps:

00:00 Get a Mac Ads and Message Boxes

04:58 Justin Long and Cultural Context of the Campaign

08:55 Intro to the Message Box Framework

14:52 Breaking Down the Us on Us Quadrant

19:52 Understanding Us on Them with Brand Rivals

27:02 The Power of Pity in Messaging

30:00 Them on Us: Preparing Your Defense

32:52 Them on Them: Studying Competitor Messaging

36:00 Creating Your Headline and Campaign Strategy

38:00 Consistency Is the Secret Weapon

Hashtags:

#MarketingStrategy #CreativeStrategy #DTCMarketing #AdPsychology #PoliticalStrategy #MessageBox #BrandPositioning #AppleAds #BrandMessaging #ConsumerPsychology #MarketingFrameworks #AdCreative #FounderMarketing #ContentStrategy #MarketingTips #MessagingMatters #EcommerceMarketing #MediaStrategy #StorytellingInMarketing #MarketingPodcasts #MarketingTools #StrategicComms #DirectToConsumer #AdvertisingInsights

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