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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Lance knows good copy.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009, 5:01 PM
Very powerful TV copy from the creative folks at Wieden + Kennedy Portland for Nike & Livestrong.
Check it out, if you haven't seen it:
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Wednesday, July 1, 2009, 5:01 PM
Very powerful TV copy from the creative folks at Wieden + Kennedy Portland for Nike & Livestrong.
Check it out, if you haven't seen it:
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Coming soon to a website near you: giant ads!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009, 3:57 PM
Interesting news from MediaPost today. There are some pretty giant banner ads about to hit the Internet, and chances are, you're bound to start seeing them everywhere.
37 members of the Online Publishers Association (sites like CNN, NYTimes, and ESPN, who collectively reach about 132 million visitors -- or roughly 68% of the total U.S. Internet population) have signed on to implement three jumbo-sized ad units for their sites.
The three ad units (quoted from MediaPost) are:
-- The Fixed Panel (336 wide x 700 tall), which remains in view as a user scrolls up or down the page.
-- The XXL Box (468 x 648), the extra wide side-of-page ad that expands to 936 x 648 and includes page-turn and video capability.
-- The Pushdown (970 x 418), which opens big to display the ad, and then after seven seconds rolls up to the top of the page (collapsing to 970 x 66).
Now, keep in mind that these ads are designed for branding purposes as much as they are for response. We're not huge fans of giant ads that take up our entire screens and stop us from reaching the real content we want to see. But occasionally, we stumble across sites that are done really well, branded from top to bottom, and are integrated seamlessly with the site's primary content. Sometimes, it just looks cool.
We're hoping advertisers who choose to use these ads will implement them just as well by attracting our attention, rather than stealing it.
Click here to read the full article from MediaPost, or the press release from OPA.
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Tuesday, June 30, 2009, 3:57 PM
Interesting news from MediaPost today. There are some pretty giant banner ads about to hit the Internet, and chances are, you're bound to start seeing them everywhere.
37 members of the Online Publishers Association (sites like CNN, NYTimes, and ESPN, who collectively reach about 132 million visitors -- or roughly 68% of the total U.S. Internet population) have signed on to implement three jumbo-sized ad units for their sites.
The three ad units (quoted from MediaPost) are:
-- The Fixed Panel (336 wide x 700 tall), which remains in view as a user scrolls up or down the page.
-- The XXL Box (468 x 648), the extra wide side-of-page ad that expands to 936 x 648 and includes page-turn and video capability.
-- The Pushdown (970 x 418), which opens big to display the ad, and then after seven seconds rolls up to the top of the page (collapsing to 970 x 66).
Now, keep in mind that these ads are designed for branding purposes as much as they are for response. We're not huge fans of giant ads that take up our entire screens and stop us from reaching the real content we want to see. But occasionally, we stumble across sites that are done really well, branded from top to bottom, and are integrated seamlessly with the site's primary content. Sometimes, it just looks cool.
We're hoping advertisers who choose to use these ads will implement them just as well by attracting our attention, rather than stealing it.
Click here to read the full article from MediaPost, or the press release from OPA.
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