A rose on fire

More than a month without a post, and he starts back with a picture of roses?

If you could see these in person, you’d know they’re far more beautiful than this picture suggests. Allow me to brag for a moment about my wife, who is a humble but brilliant amateur gardener. She doesn’t exactly work from a project plan, but somehow manages to put all the right colors together, and put different plant groups together in a way that looks great.

This rose in particular is a Joseph’s Coat, and reminds me of a Hawaiian sunset. Particularly at around dusk (when this photo was taken), the rose buds are so vibrant that they look like they’re on fire.

OK, so here’s the quick marketing tie-in. I’m not the first person for which these specific roses have caused a distinct, visceral reaction. The roses didn’t say anything and didn’t have a message attached, but they certainly had the ability to spark a deep, emotional response.

Most marketers rely on words to create an emotional response from their customers. But images clearly have at least as much power. And sometimes, there aren’t words to describe them.