Copy Writing for Advertisement 1 EXECUTING THE CREATIVE

Copy Writing for Advertisement 1

EXECUTING THE CREATIVE: PERSPECTIVE It’s the creative principles that matter o Good writing o Effective visuals The world in which ads exist has changed o Media and technology o Economic environment o Social environment 2

THE CREATIVE TEAM AND THE CREATIVE BRIEF Copywriter Art Director Media /Account Planner Creative Team Creative Brief 3

COPYWRITERS AND ART DIRECTORS Copywriting is the process of expressing the A Creative Brief is the guide value and used in the benefits a brand copywriting process has to offer. that specifies the message elements of advertising copy. 4

COPYWRITING FOR PRINT ADS: THE HEADLINE Purposes: Get attention Gives news about the brand Emphasizes brand claims Gives advice to the reader Selects targeted prospects Stimulates curiosity Establishes tone and emotion Identifies the brand 5

COPYWRITING FOR PRINT ADS: SUBHEAD: APPEARS ABOVE OR BELOW HEADLINE Reinforce the headline Include important information and communicated in the headline Communicate key selling points or information quickly Stimulate whole ad more complete reading of the The longer the body copy, the more appropriate is the use of subheads 6

COPYWRITING FOR PRINT ADS: THE BODY COPY Techniques Straight-line copy Dialogue Testimonial Narrative Direct response copy 7

COPYWRITING FOR PRINT ADS: THE BODY COPY Guidelines Vary sentence and paragraph length Use present tense Use singular nouns and verbs Involve the reader Use active verbs Use familiar words and phrases Provide support for the unbelievable Avoid clichés and superlatives 8

COPYWRITING FOR BROADCAST ADVERTISING Different opportunities due to sight and sound Inherent limitations… o Broadcast ads offer a fleeting message o Broadcast employs more sensory devices which can ad or detract from consumers’ understanding of the message 9

WRITING RADIO COPY Radio listeners are not active. Radio has been called “verbal wallpaper” Radio can be the “theater of the mind” Formats: o Music o Dialog o Announcement o Celebrity announcer 10

WRITING RADIO COPY Guidelines Get attention/get to the point! Use common familiar language Use short words and sentences Stimulate the imagination Repeat the brand name Stress the main selling points Use sound and music carefully Tailor the copy to the time, place, and specific audience 11

WRITING COPY FOR TELEVISION/VIDEO Can create a mood Opportunity to demonstrate with action Words should not stand alone—use visuals/special effects Precisely coordinate audio/visual Storyboard is the roadmap 12

WRITING TELEVISION COPY Guidelines Use the video Support the video Coordinate the audio with the video Entertain the brand Be but sell Use copy judiciously Reflect the brand’s personality and image Build campaigns flexible 13

COPYWRITING FOR DIGITAL/INTERACTIVE MEDIA Hybrid of print and broadcast copy “Audience” has different meaning in digital o More incentive to read o Much of the copy is direct response o Audience may “interact” with ad o Print and broadcast recommendations for copywriting apply to digital 14

Copywriting Approaches to Digital/Interactive Advertising • Long-copy landing page • Short-copy landing page • Long-copy email • Teaser email copy • Pop-up/pop-under copy • Social media copy 15

SLOGANS/TAGLINES Short phrases used to… o Increase memorability o Help establish an image, identity or position for a brand or organization Good slogans can… o Be an integral part of brand’s image o Act as shorthand identification for the brand o Provide information about the brand’s benefits 16

COMMON MISTAKES IN COPYWRITING Vagueness Wordiness Triteness Bad taste Attention getting, but simple minded Laundry lists of features Creativity for creativity’s sake 17