COPYWRITING MCD 1073 PRINCIPLES OF ADVERTISING COPYWRITING THE

COPYWRITING MCD 1073 PRINCIPLES OF ADVERTISING

COPYWRITING: THE LANGUAGE OF ADVERTISING • Words + picture = creative concept • Expressed in an attention-getting and memorable phrase • Finding the magic word is a job for copywriters

COPYWRITING: THE LANGUAGE OF ADVERTISING • Four types of advertisements where words are crucial - Message is complicated, words are specific - High involvement product - Information that needs definition and explanation - Message tries to convey abstract qualities

THE COPYWRITER • Shapes and sculpts words in an advertisement • Copy- text in ad, words • Copywriters work in teams with art directors to design the way the ad will look

ADVERTISING WRITING STYLE • Must win audience • K. I. S. S. • Copywriters revise copy to make it as concise as possible • Writes the way an audience thinks and talks

Alma Magazine“Ignorance is Unacceptable”

ADVERTISING WRITING STYLE • Tone of voice - Writing as if it was to someone in that fits the audience profile • Grammar - Looks into niceties, syntax, spelling, create an effect • Adese - Cliched that advertisers use it for effectiveness i. e “Buy & save” - Brag-and-boast or pompous tone ; “we know better”

COPYWRITING FOR PRINT • Created in a copy sheet and a layout • Display copy – elements that readers see in their initial scanning i. e. headlines, taglines, slogans etc • Body copy to stop the viewer’s scanning : designed to be read and absorbed

HOW TO WRITE HEADLINES • • Lures reader to get the point of an ad Good headlines attract prospects Must work in combination with visuals Leads readers into body copy - Direct action headlines: assertion, command, how-to-heads, news - Indirect headlines: puzzles, association

Direct –Action Headline : How-to-Head

Indirect –Action Headline : Association

OTHER DISPLAY COPY • Captions/subhead : explanation of headline “The plan that got everyone talking” • Taglines: short, catchy and memorable phrases, “ Simply irritwistable!”, “Lurve clicks” • Slogans: repeated from ad to incorporate an identity, Pizza Hut’s “Makin’ It Great. ”

OTHER DISPLAY COPY • Direct address; “ Your friend in motoring” • A startling or unexpected phrase, “Fuiyohh!” • Rhyme, Rhythm and Alliteration; “Shake and Bake”, “Good Times, Great Taste” • Parallel construction, “ Your Glory is Our Story” • Cue for the product , “ Good till the last drop. ”

BODY COPY • Text of ad to maintain interest of reader • Develops message, states argument, summarizes proof and explanation • Usually two paragraphs of the lead and the close • Last paragraph is call to action

Body copy : Lead, close and call -to-action

PRINT MEDIA REQUIREMENTS • Newspapers - Editorial of newspapers is serious, copy is straightforward and informative • Magazines - Special interest of readers, longer copy • Directories - Contains contact details with no complex information

PRINT MEDIA REQUIREMENTS • Posters and Outdoor Advertising - Primarily visual with one line as both headline and product identification • Product Literature - Heavy copy format, usually in pamphlets or brochures

Poster and Outdoor : Product as hero

RADIO COPY • Short length means commercial is simple enough to grasp and intriguing enough not to change the channel • Transitory medium does not allow facts to remembered easily • Called theatre of the mind, visualized by listeners - Voice - Music - Sound Effects

TOOLS OF TELEVISION COPY • Video - Silent speech - Use of props like a play, television show or movie • Audio - Music - Voices - Sound effects

WRITING FOR THE WEB • Most common form of online advertising is banners containing text, images and animation • To attract an internet surfer, copywriter must - Offer a deal Use an involvement device (challenge, contest) Keeping the writing succinct Focusing the surfer’s attention Using advertisement to solicit info and opinions as part of research

OTHER WEB FORMATS • Games • Pop-up windows • Forwarding e-mails i. e “Send-a-Kiss”