What is the attributes of a good advertising copy? Explain with examples. Also explain the importance and principles of visualization and lay out in a copy.
Good Advertising Copy Attributes:
The essence of special functions to be accomplished by the advertisement must also be kept in mind by the copywriter. He/she should understand the overall plan of the advertisement when considering the actual wording to be used to convey the want- satisfying qualities of the product to the prospect, and then to show how it will satisfy his/ her desires. One must understand the medium in which the advertisement is to appear. And then according to the nature, reach and availability of the medium the size and pattern of advertising copy should be prepared.
If an attempt is to be made to induce immediate action and sales, oile may wish to include specific suggestions in the copy as to when the product would be available, the price, terms of sale and other special conditions.
A good copy should be brief, precise, concise, aiming to sell, sincere, clear, apt, interesting and personal.
Be Brief
A copywriter must write briefly, yet effectively. Therefore, read the rough draft slowly. Study each sentence. Consider its meanings and importance. Certainly an advertisement should never be longer than is necessary. However, if the success of the advertisement is jeopardized by dropping even one word, then that word should be included.
Be Precise
It means, saying exactly in the advertising copy what is meant, using the most crispy and catchy words.
Be Concise
Say in the advertising message what must be said in the fewest possible words.
Aim to Sell
An advertisement is mere than a more piece of information. It also promises benefits.
Be Sincere
In advertising a copy avoids undue exaggeration, for unless the message is credible and trustworthy, it will recoil disastrously.
Be Clear
When advertising lacks clarity, it will be ineffective. Even a slight vagueness will cripple the advertising copy. Therefore, one should avoid (1) the use of words whose meanings are not understood by the prospect. (2) the incorrect selection and use of words and (3) ambiguous phrasealogy.
Be Apt
A copy must be apt — it must address the needs or wants of the prospects as well as of the manufacturer. The influencing power of a copy depends greatly on the correlation that exists between the desire of a prospect and the quality or feature of the product. The ability to show this relationship is the art of making a copy apt.
Interesting
The advertising copy should speak in light mood but in favourite taste. The information about the product should be given in entertaining, attractive and colourful way in order to attract and appeal to the prospective consumers.
Be Personal
Copy should be written from the prospect to the product, not from the product to the prospect. The great temptation that confronts copy writers is to preach to the prospects in different ways and by different techniques. The personalized advertisement is developed from an idea within the scope of the consumer’s personal interest.
Visualization and Layout:
Visualization:
The term “visualization” is an elusive one. Writers, artists and production personnel all “Visualize” in creating an advertisement. True visualization, however, is concerned with the creation of an idea. In suggesting the composition or the situation for the key illustration that dramatizes the theme of the advertisement, the artist is visualizing. Layout deals with the arrangement of various elements to deliver the visualized idea effectively. Visualization is a step that must precede the design step of layout, and must either precede the actual writing of the words or take place more or less simultaneously.
To visualize an idea is to think in terms of pictures, and you don’t have to be an artist to do that. Having thought of a visual way to express an idea, you can always transmit
it to an artist verbally, or with matchstick drawings, or in any way you can best express what you have in mind. But the idea of what is to be drawn is the important thing in visualization.
In visualizing for print and broadcast media, the copywriter uses different methods to stimulate the reader, listener or viewer to evoke his/her own images scene setting and word-painting and a combination of sight, sound and motion is to be realized.
Layout
Putting different things (elements) together in an orderly form is called the layout of the advertisement. The term “Layout” is one of the many used in advertising in two senses: First it means the total appearance of the advertisement, its designs and the composition of its elements. Second the term layout also means the physical rendering of the design for the advertisement, its blueprint for the production purposes.
The importance of the elements determines its size and placing within the advertisement. The layoutman picks up the most important features and builds his/her advertisement around that.
Composing the Elements
A layout consists of parts such as the main illustration, headline, copy, other illustrations, trademarks if needed. The skill is to put together all these elements into one pleasing arrangement. Here are some guiding points in the creation of a layout; (1) Unity (2) Balance and (3) Flow.
Criteria for Layout
The following points may be used as a yardstick to measure the quality of final layout: (1) Is it clear? (2) Is it arresting attention? (3) Is it orderly structured? (4) Is the most important idea given the most important attention? (5) Does it invite reading? (6) Is the trademark sufficiently visible? (7) Does the layout leave the desired impression about the product?
After having clearly satisfactory answers to the above mentioned questions the layout becomes ready to put into production.
