'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.
Share this on:
0 comments
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.
Share this on:
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.
Share this on:
0 comments
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.
Share this on:
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.
Share this on:
0 comments
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.
Share this on:
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:
Share this on:
0 comments
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:
Share this on:
Archives
May 2009
June 2009
July 2009
August 2009
January 2010
Resources