An Ad copywriter is a sales person disguised as a poet. Though many advertising copy or concepts are regarded as greatest examples of well directed art, the primary intention of any Ad copy is to sell, sell and sell. When Shoppers Stop opened their second outlet in Bangalore, the caption of the hoardings was ‘Fashion Repeats Itself’. With this particular caption, Shoppers Stop could change the trend and also communicate the very idea that they are opening a second store. Together with a punkish design, their advertising effort might have lured enough number of youth into the shop. Do you also want to write Ad copy that works like a magical sales tool and a stunning piece of art? Here are 3 copywriting tips that will help you write persuasive advertising copy:
1) Understand the brief: Whether you are to create copy for print Ads, online Ads or hoardings, understanding the client’s brief is the first step towards writing persuasive copy. For instance, we all know that the unique selling feature of Maggi Noodles is ‘2 minutes cooking’. Only a copywriter who understands the brief thoroughly can pick this particular feature and can come with a brilliant copy like this: ‘In The Last 20 Years We Have Just Asked For 2 Minutes Of Your Time’.
Rule of thumb: Once you understand the purpose of the ad, the product or services, the copy will come to you.
2 ) Work closely with your designer: Most brilliant copies would not have read great if the designers could not produce equally brilliant designs. Years back BMW had released a public interest Ad which was a warning against drinking and driving. The copy read: ‘Spare Parts for Humans Are Not Original As Those Of Cars’. The copy sounds quite ordinary, however, incorporated into a visual which shows two human legs of which one is artificial, the copy dramatically transformed.
A word to the wise: if you want to create an everlasting impact on your readers, create a rapport with your designer and have a series of brainstorming sessions with him/ her before contemplating a persuasive advertising copy.
3) Make use of popular concepts: This is the best way to launch and ad with great recall value. We all have learned and forgot our ‘Baba black sheep’. Unlike us, a sensitive copywriter will remember such rhymes or popular concepts of nostalgic value at the right time. Here is one such copy:
BABA BLACK SHEEP,
HAVE YOU ANY DOPE?
YES SIR, YES SIR LOTS AND LOTS TO GO
HEROIN FOR MY MASTER
COCAINE FOR MY DAME
AND HASHISH FOR THE LITTLE BOY,
BUT THEY’LL BE DEAD ALL THE SAME.
IT IS NEVER TOO EARLY TO TELL YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT DRUG ABUSE.’
This copy was featured in a public interest Ad released by Kripa Foundation.
Moral of the story: Dear copywriters, always remember each and everything you learned so far can help you write persuasive advertising copy. It is always good to keep these points in mind whenever you open a word file to scribble an advertising copy.