Yopp & McAdams, Ch. 12: Advertising Advertising is powerful and lasting

Name that company

The ad industry Advertising copywriters are writers FIRST Ad agencies research, create, help place ads

Goals of advertising Communicate availability Communicate benefits Provide accessible info Communicate main ideas quickly

Other goals Build company image (Halliburton, Phillip Morris) Respond to disaster PSAs

Four main ad elements Headline Illustration Text Signature/logo

Ad elements

Propaganda? Intentionally one-sided Some say ads mislead, some say they’re resumes Be ethical, don’t lose credibility Examples of unethical ads?

Today’s ads Just publicizing isn’t enough -- compete for attention Need to know audience

Today’s ads Generally have an ad production team –Copywriter –Market researcher –Account exec –Art director –Creative director –Media buyer

Ad strategy Media strategy + creative strategy List goals, audience, positioning Copywriter’s job: produce theme What recent ad themes can you think of?

Targeting audiences No money to advertise to everybody Cluster marketing divides us into subgroups -- what we buy, where we buy, what media we use bi.com/VALS/presurvey.shtml

Ad placement Used to market to “middle, teen, older America” Media fragmentation/audience fragmentation Use new media

Product placement Using brands in television/film, sponsor events, give as prizes, use athlete Filmmakers can use whatever they want Some companies hire people to get their products placed

Product placement Debates about how effective Can you think of examples? Does it detract from the show?

Writing targeted messages Lead, direct, on target Always consider audience

Branding Look around room for branding Logos, slogans call to mind a product Inspire certain feelings in consumers: loyalty, values

Branding Brand loyalty: satisfaction, trust, emotional attachment Easier to keep customers than find new ones

How writers brand Develop recognizable slogan, name, logo Highlight characteristics, appeal Brands, spokespeople separate different products

Branding example

Internet Good at selling for established companies Bad at Internet-only start-ups, with some exceptions –Well-known competition –Harder to advertise

Internet ads Banner ads, ads down side, ads in stories Blinking, flashing, moving Must write catchy copy

Internet ad problems Most cos. still rely on traditional ads, too Pop-up blockers Internet use still evolving

Ad copy that sells Touch on selling points –Give concrete reasons Identify benefits –List then (even intangibles) and build ad around them –Keep audience in mind

Ad copy that sells Feature single greatest benefit in headline/tagline –You’ve got question? We’ve got answers. –Can you hear me now? –I’m lovin’ it. –Don’t squeeze the Charmin. –Taste the rainbow. –Drivers wanted.

Ad copy that sells Show solutions to problems Project tone, manner, personality of product Strong, clear words Unifying idea/theme

Reversal Reversals make ads interesting “Violence done to its ordinariness” Who doesn’t use it? Where doesn’t it go?

Reversal example

Newswriting = Ad writing Audience Distillation Freshness Substance Easy access

Newswriting ≠ Ad writing Can use fragments Can use wrong punctuation Can be bolder Can be cuter