Doodling for Profits

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A doodle created by blogger Hugh Macleod became an unofficial Microsoft mascot. gapingvoid.com

Southwest Airlines was conceived with a simple drawing on the back of a napkin.

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"When I was at the World Economic Forum in Davos, sitting with people from around the world," he recalls, "I could take my pen out of my pocket, pull out a cocktail napkin, and draw people's attention into what I was talking about—even if it's stick figures and arrows or a very simple bar chart or pie chart."

Simple Illustrations Speak Volumes

Some companies are taking the power of the business doodle beyond their private confabs and into their global marketing efforts. Beginning in January, 2007, UPS (UPS) enlisted a Richmond (Va.) ad house, the Martin Agency to do a series of TV commercials featuring Andy Azula, creative director of Martin, diagramming solutions to shipping problems with just a pen and whiteboard. "The idea came about because UPS is a highly complex company that does a multitude of things," says Azula. "And simple doodles let us express some very complex messaging very quickly and very clearly."

The spots have been a hit with the business managers UPS is trying to reach, according to U.S. advertising and media manager Betsy Wilson. Part of the appeal is the contrast they have with the high production values, computer graphics, and fast cuts of other commercials. "It's almost like a visual whiplash," says Wilson. "As soon as you see that big field of white and see Andy, it has brand equity."

Perhaps there's no greater example of the effect that drawings can have on business than Scott Adams' Dilbert, which started out as doodles Adams drew at the type of meetings he satirizes in the comic strip. Since 1989, Adams' comic strip has satirized the life of a stereotypical cubicle-dweller, and Adams constantly hears from fans that his drawings have effected real changes in the office. "The stories I hear the most via e-mail involve a manager canceling a policy because someone distributed a Dilbert comic that mocks it," he says. "I think Dilbert made it harder for managers to grab the nearest fad and pretend it makes sense."

To learn how to put different types of doodles to work solving your business problems, check out the BusinessWeek.com slide show.

Douglas MacMillan is a staff writer for BusinessWeek.com in New York.