Try Something Different
Wednesday, June 2, 2010, 9:40 AM
Do you have a new product that you are trying to launch, but it's so unique to your market that you don't know how to sell it without overly explaining it? Sometimes a colorful and bizarre image combined with some great copy is all you need to get your point across.
Take this ad created by TBWA/Chiat/Day New York for Skittles' new candy, Fizzl'd Fruit. Now Skittles is a brand that is no stranger to creative ads with its “Taste the Rainbow” campaign, but this commercial takes things one step further, by directly linking a crazy, memorable image with the benefit of the product.
In the commercial, a human-sized “Tube Sock” shuffles its way across the floor to an elderly couple sitting on the couch. The husband then asks for a shock to the tongue from the human tube sock, while his wife sits next to him eating Skittles.
Noticing the ridiculousness of the situation, his wife asks him to try the new Fizzl'd Fruit Skittles because they “tingle on your tongue” and “fizz in your mouth.” While the husband asks his wife to “kindly remove that candy from my face,” the commercial asks a different question: To get a fizzy, tingly feeling on your tongue, would you rather taste a sweaty tube sock or fruity candy?
You're not only going to remember this commercial and talk about it with all of your friends, but you're also going to instantly recognize what makes this product different from regular Skittles and other similar candies. Skittles' copywriters have killed two birds with one stone.
The next time you're trying to market a new, unique product, try thinking outside of the box. Copywriting can still make a huge impact with an economy of language and a few out-there ideas.
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Wednesday, June 2, 2010, 9:40 AM
Do you have a new product that you are trying to launch, but it's so unique to your market that you don't know how to sell it without overly explaining it? Sometimes a colorful and bizarre image combined with some great copy is all you need to get your point across.
Take this ad created by TBWA/Chiat/Day New York for Skittles' new candy, Fizzl'd Fruit. Now Skittles is a brand that is no stranger to creative ads with its “Taste the Rainbow” campaign, but this commercial takes things one step further, by directly linking a crazy, memorable image with the benefit of the product.
In the commercial, a human-sized “Tube Sock” shuffles its way across the floor to an elderly couple sitting on the couch. The husband then asks for a shock to the tongue from the human tube sock, while his wife sits next to him eating Skittles.
Noticing the ridiculousness of the situation, his wife asks him to try the new Fizzl'd Fruit Skittles because they “tingle on your tongue” and “fizz in your mouth.” While the husband asks his wife to “kindly remove that candy from my face,” the commercial asks a different question: To get a fizzy, tingly feeling on your tongue, would you rather taste a sweaty tube sock or fruity candy?
You're not only going to remember this commercial and talk about it with all of your friends, but you're also going to instantly recognize what makes this product different from regular Skittles and other similar candies. Skittles' copywriters have killed two birds with one stone.
The next time you're trying to market a new, unique product, try thinking outside of the box. Copywriting can still make a huge impact with an economy of language and a few out-there ideas.
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Wondering what Mary will like next
Tuesday, May 18, 2010, 9:18 AM
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Tuesday, May 18, 2010, 9:18 AM
Even in a great economy it can be tricky to find ways to encourage the consumer to buy more. The last thing you want to seem is pushy or desperate, but at the same time there needs to be some sort of call to action to get the customer interested in your product.
In a new Target ad from the creative copywriting teams at Wieden + Kennedy Portland, we're introduced to "Contrary Mary". Mary is a little girl who falls in love with a new color every day and then pairs what she does that day to that color. We're shown the different color Mary likes every day of the week until we reach Sunday, when "Mary wonders what she'll like next."
Without specifically telling you to shop at Target, or even showing a specific product you should be buying at Target, the ad makes a strong statement about changing your wardrobe and lifestyle as life changes with you. The tag-line at the end of the commercial, "Life's A Moving Target," subtly underlines this point while incorporating the company name with a play on words.
Target isn't selling a product or a brand but a LIFESTYLE. Why is this so important? Because not only can this ad drive you to shop at the store once, but in creating a lifestyle it will also make you want to go back again and again every time your life changes.
Which, if you're like Mary, will probably be pretty frequently.
Labels: TV commercials
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5 Rules for Your '10 Copywriting
Monday, January 4, 2010, 3:06 PM
It's a new year, which for a lot of businesses means it's time to re-think your marketing and bust out some fresh ideas. In fact, some of you out there may already be working on your '11 strategies -- we feel for you.
The question is: how will you keep your writing interesting without rehashing the same old stuff from 2009?
Around the office, a few of us have come up a few simple rules. (Follow them at your own discretion.)
1. No more "stimulus." Please, stop using that word. It's so 2008. Sure, for a while, it was a nearly guaranteed way to boost response to any ad campaign. Now, it's just an easy way out. Why not come up with another word that's just as relevant? Be original. Get crazy.
2. More benefits. Have you ever noticed that commercials for (most) cleaning products are some of the most convincing ads on TV? It's because they're chock-full of benefits. They actually show how the product works and how it can make your life simpler. In 2010, try sacrificing some hilarious or cute copy with more benefit-driven text -- and that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice originality.
3. Say less. Show more. It may sound weird for copywriters to suggest less copy -- but we're consumers too. Ads, brochures, and commercials that are heavy with text or voice-overs bore us. Demonstrations, examples, subtlety get our attention.
4. Make more sense. 'Nough said.
5. More research, backed up by credible sources. Nothing is more powerful than plain, hard truth. Statistics. Proof. REAL evidence of something interesting. In 2010, put in the extra effort to obtain compelling data that supports the benefits or points you're already trying to make.
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Monday, January 4, 2010, 3:06 PM
It's a new year, which for a lot of businesses means it's time to re-think your marketing and bust out some fresh ideas. In fact, some of you out there may already be working on your '11 strategies -- we feel for you.
The question is: how will you keep your writing interesting without rehashing the same old stuff from 2009?
Around the office, a few of us have come up a few simple rules. (Follow them at your own discretion.)
1. No more "stimulus." Please, stop using that word. It's so 2008. Sure, for a while, it was a nearly guaranteed way to boost response to any ad campaign. Now, it's just an easy way out. Why not come up with another word that's just as relevant? Be original. Get crazy.
2. More benefits. Have you ever noticed that commercials for (most) cleaning products are some of the most convincing ads on TV? It's because they're chock-full of benefits. They actually show how the product works and how it can make your life simpler. In 2010, try sacrificing some hilarious or cute copy with more benefit-driven text -- and that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice originality.
3. Say less. Show more. It may sound weird for copywriters to suggest less copy -- but we're consumers too. Ads, brochures, and commercials that are heavy with text or voice-overs bore us. Demonstrations, examples, subtlety get our attention.
4. Make more sense. 'Nough said.
5. More research, backed up by credible sources. Nothing is more powerful than plain, hard truth. Statistics. Proof. REAL evidence of something interesting. In 2010, put in the extra effort to obtain compelling data that supports the benefits or points you're already trying to make.
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Cute and clever copy? Or off the mark?
Tuesday, August 11, 2009, 3:13 PM
Say you're a bourbon drinker. Or liquor-store owner. You like going to bars and eating out. You're flipping through a magazine and you come across this ad, created by the team at Doe Anderson.
The text at the bottom reads:
If the headline grabbed you (and it probably would, because it's not bad), what would you think about the rest of the copy? How would you feel about the brand?
Cute and clever ad copy? Or a little of the mark? Does the point get across that Knob Creek cares about quality, and that their bourbon is in high demand? Could there have been a better way to get this point across without the "Thanks for nothing" headline?
And most importantly ... does is make you want to get a batch of Knob Creek in November?
Good copywriting often rides a fine line between "really smart" and "really stupid." Chances are people will have different opinions about this ad. But from a copywriting and conceptual standpoint alone, it's important to remember that this ad could have turned out completely different and still have gotten the exact same message across.
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Tuesday, August 11, 2009, 3:13 PM
Say you're a bourbon drinker. Or liquor-store owner. You like going to bars and eating out. You're flipping through a magazine and you come across this ad, created by the team at Doe Anderson.
The text at the bottom reads:
Due to the hard work of bars, restaurants, and liquor stores throughout the country, Knob Creek has becoming the #1 Super-Premium bourbon in America. As a result, our entire supply of this fine bourbon is about to be depleted. Instead of compromising quality to meet demand, we've chosen to let the supply run dry. In deference to Booker Noe and his visions for Knob Creek, we'll continue to age all our bourbon the full 9 years. The next batch will be ready this November. Thank you to everyone who helped make Knob Creek so popular (maybe even a bit too popular).
If the headline grabbed you (and it probably would, because it's not bad), what would you think about the rest of the copy? How would you feel about the brand?
Cute and clever ad copy? Or a little of the mark? Does the point get across that Knob Creek cares about quality, and that their bourbon is in high demand? Could there have been a better way to get this point across without the "Thanks for nothing" headline?
And most importantly ... does is make you want to get a batch of Knob Creek in November?
Good copywriting often rides a fine line between "really smart" and "really stupid." Chances are people will have different opinions about this ad. But from a copywriting and conceptual standpoint alone, it's important to remember that this ad could have turned out completely different and still have gotten the exact same message across.
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'Try postive thinking' - it really works.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009, 12:45 PM
"Stimulus" is played out.
"Confidence" has lost its meaning.
"Economy" is practically a four-letter word.
Not sure about you, but some of us are a little tired of hearing about how bad things are from companies who are merely trying to sell us the same stuff they always have. Kudos to Volkswagen and DDB London for finally figuring out a way to address the same issue without resorting to doom and gloom. Great use of copy, scriptwriting, choreography and a song originally performed by the British comedy act Morecambe & Wise.
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Wednesday, July 22, 2009, 12:45 PM
"Stimulus" is played out.
"Confidence" has lost its meaning.
"Economy" is practically a four-letter word.
Not sure about you, but some of us are a little tired of hearing about how bad things are from companies who are merely trying to sell us the same stuff they always have. Kudos to Volkswagen and DDB London for finally figuring out a way to address the same issue without resorting to doom and gloom. Great use of copy, scriptwriting, choreography and a song originally performed by the British comedy act Morecambe & Wise.
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Direct-Response Copywriting Tip #421
Friday, July 10, 2009, 3:26 PM
Use an expiration date.
Okay, actually, this tip should probably be in the top 10 for direct-response copywriting, not #421, but who's really counting anyway? An expiration date is incredibly important, absolutely necessary, and crucial for maximum response rates.
Unlike the expiration date on a carton of milk, a fast-approaching expiration date on a promotion actually makes people want to buy your product or respond. (Right now.) It creates a sense of urgency, bordering on anxiety. It says, "act now, before it's too late." It makes your customers think, "If I don't get this great deal now, I may never get it again."
That's the idea, anyway.
Of course, this isn't a new trick, or some top-secret copywriting service strategy. Marketers and copywriting service providers have known the importance of using expiration dates for decades. It's unfortunate then that so many businesses forget this key element when executing their marketing campaigns.
Websites. Direct mail. Radio ads. TV commercials. If they're designed to get an immediate response, these marketing efforts must have an expiration date.
Think about it. If you got a postcard in the mail offering "50% OFF Telephone Service," you might save the card, maybe push it aside, plan to call later and eventually forget about it completely. But what if that postcard said, "Ends Friday!" Or, "3 Days Only!" Chances are, if you were interested in the promotion, you'd respond that day.
A sense of loss can be very powerful in marketing. And that's exactly what an expiration date hangs over your customers' heads.
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Friday, July 10, 2009, 3:26 PM
Use an expiration date.
Okay, actually, this tip should probably be in the top 10 for direct-response copywriting, not #421, but who's really counting anyway? An expiration date is incredibly important, absolutely necessary, and crucial for maximum response rates.
Unlike the expiration date on a carton of milk, a fast-approaching expiration date on a promotion actually makes people want to buy your product or respond. (Right now.) It creates a sense of urgency, bordering on anxiety. It says, "act now, before it's too late." It makes your customers think, "If I don't get this great deal now, I may never get it again."
That's the idea, anyway.
Of course, this isn't a new trick, or some top-secret copywriting service strategy. Marketers and copywriting service providers have known the importance of using expiration dates for decades. It's unfortunate then that so many businesses forget this key element when executing their marketing campaigns.
Websites. Direct mail. Radio ads. TV commercials. If they're designed to get an immediate response, these marketing efforts must have an expiration date.
Think about it. If you got a postcard in the mail offering "50% OFF Telephone Service," you might save the card, maybe push it aside, plan to call later and eventually forget about it completely. But what if that postcard said, "Ends Friday!" Or, "3 Days Only!" Chances are, if you were interested in the promotion, you'd respond that day.
A sense of loss can be very powerful in marketing. And that's exactly what an expiration date hangs over your customers' heads.
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Where a copywriting service could have helped.
Monday, July 6, 2009, 8:28 PM
Many of you might have seen the commercial below for Glidden paint in recent weeks. It was a massive promotion: free quart of paint for anyone who wanted it, June 25 through July 2.
Too bad the commercial was ruined by a boring voiceover and an overused tune from Earth, Wind & Fire.
Click to play in new window:
Now, we understand that Glidden is all about preserving their 130+ year-old brand. From the advertising they've produced over the past few decades, there's no doubt that they're goal is to present themselves as a forward-thinking company with a premium-quality paint product.
Glidden's new commercial tries to reinforce that image, but unfortunately the strength of their promotion gets lost in the process.
Sure, the imagery is great, thanks to the brains at DDB New York and ETCETERA Amsterdam: nuns recreating the famous Beatles Abbey Road walk, dogs, bikers, pregnant women, the whole world reaping the benefits of this awesome promo with Glidden paint in hand!
But, is there really anything about this commercial that's different from the majority of ads on TV?
Perhaps it would have caught more attention if it had simply placed some on-screen text throughout the entire commercial? "Free quart of paint, June 25 - July 4."
Would the copy have had more impact if the music wasn't competing with it?
Would more people have known about the promo if the commercial had actually focused on it?
A lot of great ideas probably got lost in the making of this ad, which is unfortunate, because a few of us here probably would have tried Glidden paint for the first time last week if only we had noticed the commercial when it was actually on TV.
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Monday, July 6, 2009, 8:28 PM
Many of you might have seen the commercial below for Glidden paint in recent weeks. It was a massive promotion: free quart of paint for anyone who wanted it, June 25 through July 2.
Too bad the commercial was ruined by a boring voiceover and an overused tune from Earth, Wind & Fire.
Click to play in new window:
Now, we understand that Glidden is all about preserving their 130+ year-old brand. From the advertising they've produced over the past few decades, there's no doubt that they're goal is to present themselves as a forward-thinking company with a premium-quality paint product.
Glidden's new commercial tries to reinforce that image, but unfortunately the strength of their promotion gets lost in the process.
Sure, the imagery is great, thanks to the brains at DDB New York and ETCETERA Amsterdam: nuns recreating the famous Beatles Abbey Road walk, dogs, bikers, pregnant women, the whole world reaping the benefits of this awesome promo with Glidden paint in hand!
But, is there really anything about this commercial that's different from the majority of ads on TV?
Perhaps it would have caught more attention if it had simply placed some on-screen text throughout the entire commercial? "Free quart of paint, June 25 - July 4."
Would the copy have had more impact if the music wasn't competing with it?
Would more people have known about the promo if the commercial had actually focused on it?
A lot of great ideas probably got lost in the making of this ad, which is unfortunate, because a few of us here probably would have tried Glidden paint for the first time last week if only we had noticed the commercial when it was actually on TV.
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