It seems like I’ve had to explain countless times over the years why questions – especially little rhetorical questions, like “Right?” – are ineffective today.

There was a time – about 25 or 30 years ago – when Questions were in vogue. (The “Where’s the meat?” campaign is a good example. You can look up the ads on YouTube.) It was thought then that Questions produced interest in the product.

But in today’s ten-second-attention-span world, they don’t hold water anymore.

I was asked by a GM of one of my stations about this recently. Here was my reply:

Questions are the death of radio. And the death of ads. Henrik Hagtvedt, a PhD marketing professor at Boston College, said, “A simple declarative statement is best. Consumers don’t want to think about it; they just want simple information that they can act on. Consumers tend to experience questions as less clear communication than a statement. Hence, they have an adverse reaction.”

So, if you’re shooting for an adverse reaction, a question will get it. But, obviously, no one should want that.

Make Statements instead. They’re stronger.