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The arcane art of ad writing
Recently the creative skills of the Businesswriters & Design team were tested by a client brief. “Can you come up with an ad campaign for four different products?”
No problem. But when we looked at the media-placement schedules we saw what we’d let ourselves in for: more than 20 ads. We got busy. Along the way we sifted the ingredients an ad campaign must have if it’s going to sell products or services effectively.
We know most of our readers won’t be called on to write ads. But many have to approve the work of agencies. So while the checklist that follows only scratches the surface of a complex and challenging creative process, if you’re working with ads, these are the points you can’t afford
to ignore:
Think and plan. In advertising more than most industries, you must know precisely what you want to say before you can say it clearly. You must also know as much as possible about your audience. So when planning,
ask yourself:
• Who are the potential customers?
• What do we want them to do?
• How can we make our message convincing?
• What writing style and graphics will best engage customers?
• How do we want them to perceive our company?
Never forget the reader. Nobody other than you is reading a publication or website because they want to see your ad. It’s your job to create one so compelling that you drag people’s thoughts away from the myriad distractions claiming their attention.
Advertisements are visual. They must be created with the eye in mind. That’s why headlines, the first thing the eye focuses on, are so important in advertising. A boring header as in “New product released” will condemn an ad to failure. An engaging and interesting one as in “What your broker isn’t telling you about tech stocks” is likely to get readers reading, especially if the audience is people who invest in stocks.
Virtually no one stops to read slabs of text in ads. People scan pages rapidly. You only have fractions of a second to grab their attention and a powerful headline will do the job like nothing else.
Start with a hook. What would people care about most when looking for someone with your expertise or product? If you were in their shoes, what would entice you? What problems can you help them solve? As one advertising expert observes, “They need to know who you are, what you do and why you’re special.”
Design is key. As in all communications design is integral to grabbing and holding attention. But resist the temptation to cram in too much information. A jumbled, confusing ad can be as big a turn off as one with a dull headline. Those working in the ad business know that the eye will always skip over an ad that looks complicated to one that’s simple and clean. Text blocks of varying sizes and spaces between paragraphs make for easier reading and bring “energy” to
a page.
Stick to one main message. The more tangential information you include, the more confusing the ad will be. Focusing on potential customers’ needs, not your own, will help persuade them to sit up and take notice. For that reason also, make plain what product or service you’re selling. Some copywriters concentrate so much on sharp copy and sizzling design that what they’re selling gets lost. If a reader is forced to “dig into” the ad for such relevant information, he or she probably won’t bother.
Incentives work. Getting potential customers to buy without first developing a relationship with them can be difficult. Invite them to take a small step in the buying process: ask them to log onto your website, or offer a free gift or a demo version of the product. By including such incentives in the ad you can help generate interest.
Keep copy short and sharp. Try-hard, windy language, rambling sentences and abstract ideas will put people off. Why? Because they’re boring. Avoid using too many adjectives. Rather, use short, strong, active words that exhort readers to act and let the facts present your message.
