English for Advertising

Compiled for ENG484 by

Ajarn Jomkaew Visetcholahan

Let’s get this straight! “advertising” or “advertisement”

“advertisement” (n) any public notice, as a printed display in a

newspaper, short film on television, announcement on radio, etc., designed to sell goods, publicize an event, etc.

“ad” or “advert” is the shortened form of it

“advertising” (n)1. the promotion of goods or services for sale

through impersonal media, such as radio or television

2. the business that specializes in creating such publicity

3. advertisements collectively; publicity

Explore and increase your word bank!

So… what is “advertising” ?

The important keywords are…mass

media to persuade

readers / viewers / listeners

(a.k.a. “audience”)

to take action products

services

A brief history of advertising

A brief history of advertising

Ancient advertising

The stele of ancient Egypt. Made of basalt, these tablets were about five-feet long, two and a half-feet wide and eleven-inches thick. Displayed prominently in high traffic areas, these stelais were the earliest form of mass advertising known to man

A brief history of advertising

Ancient advertising

A graffiti on the street pavers in Ephesus, Turkey)

The graffiti leads citizens to a brothel. The artwork features a woman's head, a heart, money, and a foot pointing in the direction of the brothel.

A brief history of advertising

Middle-age advertising

The late Medieval c.1500 AD horse- riding spur, manufactured by the Lorimer.

Conservation work revealed a silver inlaid pattern on the surface. 

A brief history of advertising

The 17th century advertising

Anthony Daffy Extolled the Virtues of His Elixir Salutis in this pamphlet, published in London in 1673. (Courtesy, British Museum.)

A brief history of advertising

The 18th century advertising

An advertisement on a newspaper for a Microscope Demonstration (John Cuff, c.1760)

A brief history of advertising

The 19th century advertising

The paid advertising in a French newspaper, La

presse,

published on 26 January1895

A brief history of advertising

The advertising of Woodbury Soap, “The skin you love to touch”,

the first one using sexual appeal. Printed in full colors by a new

and beautiful process, it is from the March, 1915 issue of the

LADIES' HOME JOURNAL.

“a good advertising”• A good advertising brings goods to the attention of

consumers by creating the impression

• A good advertising persuades an audience (viewers, readers or listeners) to continue or take some new action >>>> buy a certain product. – It knows what you need or lack of. – It provides you interesting details of the product – It ensures you that the product is exactly what you

needs– It persuades you to buy the product

How does these iPhone5 ads attract you?

- Does it know what you need or lack of?- Does it provide you interesting details of the product?- Does it ensure you that the product is exactly what you needs- Does it persuade you to buy the product

Compare them with that of Galaxy S3

The roles of advertising

1. Informative the advertising should inform the

target audience about the product -- its qualification, how to use, the quality improvement, etc. including anything that create an impressive image

For example: ZA Total Hydration Mineral Gel

The roles of advertising

2. Trusworthyto make the target audience trust

the brand quality by - creating the advertising as a

piece of easy-to-understand art work - selecting a reliable presenter - providing a quality guarantee

from a reliable research result or an expert

Ex. "all adidas" 2011 Commercial - Short Version (30 sec) & SKII

The roles of advertising

3. Entertaining if the audience enjoys the pictures,

stories, quotations, special effects and so on, they will remember your product.

Ex. FedExDHL

The roles of advertising

4. Appealing when the advertising appeals

work, the target audience will buy the product.

Ex. The advertisement on anti-smoking by an Indian cancer association

The roles of the advertising

5. CompetitiveOnce the target audience is impressed

with the advertising, the brand loyalty definitely follows and that can prevent other brand from increasing the market share.

Ex. Canon EF lensesNikon

Advertising objectives

1. To inform: to create awareness, attract the target group with the in-depth information of the product and also the related knowledge .

For example : 2007 television commercial for Quit Smoking campaign, featuring the effective blackened tar-soaked sponge.

Advertising objectives

2. To persuade: to create the motivation that make people buy the product (especially those not necessarily needed)

For example: Samsung GALAXY Note Official TV Commercial

Advertising objectives3. To entertain: the sell message is subtly

hinted in spots that you enjoy watching or listening

Ex. “Walk-In Fridge” Heinekenhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWUtywfwsMw&feature=fvwrel

Advertising Appeals

• Rational appeals (a.k.a. Information appeals)– The fact about the product: its qualification, usage,

quality, the benefit when using such as the durability, cost saving, efficiency of the product appeals, etc.

• Emotional appeals– The needs of the target group and the expected

emotion after using the product such as happiness, love, in-trend, convenience, etc.

Strategies used to appeal the target

group• Price or value appeal• Product quality appeal• Star appeal or testimonial appeal• Fear appeal• Novelty appeal• Sensory appeal• Sex, love and social appeal• Subconscious appeal• Ego appeal

Price or Value Appeal

This will persuade the target group to consider the relation between the price and the value

Product Quality Appeal

This highlight the benefit and the reliability of the product.

Star appeal or testimonial

appealThis way is to select the appropriate presenter to guarantee the quality of the product

Fear Appeal This plays with human’s fears: the

fear of sickness, the fear of being old-fashioned, the fear of insecurity, the fear of disastrous lost

Sensory Appeal The five senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell

and taste) are tempted here with the pictures and sound, or even scents

For example: The new however-you-want-it Frappuccino blended beverage

Sex, love and social appeal

This makes the product as something you see and remind yourself of the good days between you and special persons in your life.

For example: Kidman for Chanel No.5

Ego Appeal This creates the target group the prestige, the reputation, the status and the acceptance.

Socially responsible advertising

The most effective way to communicate with the consumers is to connect with them while not necessarily pushing the products.

Ex. “True Colours” Dove commercialUnder Armour Power in Pink

Rams receiver Brandon Gibson in the Pink Nike Zoom Vapor

Carbon Fly

Berlo’s Process of Communication

The 4 components of a communication process are:

1.The communication source (advertiser)2. Message (advertisement)3. Channel (advertising media)4. Communication receiver (consumer or target audience)

Berlo’s Process of Communication

Berlo’s Process of Communication

Media

consumer

advertiser

communication skill+ attitude+ knowledge+ social status & culture

advertisement

Rules of the effective advertising by Schultz and others

Rule #1: An advertising should present what the target group need or want

Rule #2: An advertising should bring the sell message to the target group via the appropriate mass media

Rule #3: An advertising should show the target group the benefits they will get after using the product. An advertising should sell the product

Strategic of advertising creativity

1. To set the advertising goals2. To set the advertising strategy

1. What to say2. How to say3. Execution (the copy sent to the art

department to be narrated and illustrated into-storyboard (for tv commercials)-radio script (for radio spot)-artwork (for print media)

Pete Barry’s “What to say”What is this company/organization trying to

say about their product and service?

PROPOSITION & PROMISEWhat is the benefit of this product?

**the “benefit” not “benefits”…we only have seconds to get your message

across!!

Pete Barry’s “Who are you talking to”

Focus the target audience (a.k.a. target group /

target market)– Age – Income– Education– Marital status– Occupation– Behavior, tastes and attitude – Hobbies

The best advertising in any medium comes from understanding people

- Understand consumer’s interest, joys, fears, tastes, biases

- Think about the audience’s relationship with the actual product

-Ask why, when where and how often the consumers use it

-Find out why the target group never use/stopped using it.

Pete Barry’s “How do you want to say it”

• KISS• SLIP IT• Write First, Edit Last & The 1-in-10 Tool• Imagination: Don’t Reveal, Imply• The Opposite Tool

KISS = Keep It Simple, Stupid!

Get to the point with simplicity: one sentence• Example 1

Excuse me, Sir, do you have a light on you?Or Got a light?

• Example 2Shakespeare’s “To be or not to be”

** Be careful: You cannot bore people into buying your product

“SLIP IT” Checklist• Smile (disarms you)• Laugh (really disarms you)• Informs (tells you sth you didn’t know)• Provokes (for a reaction, an emotional

response)• Involves (for a connection / interaction)

• Think

All of those createimpact

to convince and persuadea potential consumer

to invest time or money in your product/service

Write First, Edit Last• “BRAINSTORMING” when coming up with ideas is hard enoughthen get every one down and then decide

which one work later.

• “Write Your Ideas Down”A brief note is enough when you refer back to it later on

• Give it the “Overnight Test”

The 1-in-10 Tool (plus “Kill Your Babies”)

• Thomas Edison said“creativity = 90% perspiration + 10%

inspiration”If you come up with 10 ideas, it’s more likely that 1 of them will be better than selecting the best out of 5 or 4

• Kill Your Babies: to avoid the precious bond between you and your beloved idea, the more you have, the less protective you are of them.

Imagination: Don’t Reveal, Imply

Imagination is perhaps the most powerful tool.so give the audience just enough information to “fill in the gaps”

• Start with the most obvious execution • Keep making subtle changes until you get IT• Test each version on different person

**Start literal , finish lateral**

The Opposite Tool• For serious advertised product

…do something humorous• For the product with a negative character

…highlight the positive by 1.)exagerating the positive 2.)having fun with a possible negative

• For the product that is usually sold to only one target group…create the idea to appeal others

“advertising copy”• An advertising copy = a message used to

communicate to the target audience through an advertising media.

• Copy writer = the one who creates a copy thinking and copy design by using the appropriate appeals.

What does a copy do ?1. To show the target audience that we know what their

problems are.

2. To provide the target audience the product detail (the ingredients, the usage, the image of the product, etc.) as the reasons why they should buy it.

3. To persuade the target audience to buy more of the product.

Principles of Copywriting

Look at these advertising headline and copy

Principles of Copywriting Use Attention Getting Headlines

Keep body copy to the point

• The body copy is where you explain the headline, confirm the facts and add extra selling points.

• If you can make people read the body copy, you have a better chance of selling your product.

• Be positive. Some ad starts with negative statements, which could be easily converted into positive statements.

Keep body copy to the point (continued)• Include the minor details. • At the bottom of the ad goes your company name, the address

and telephone number. • If you are selling packaged goods, you will need to include a

pack shot – a photo of your product -- or your logo to provide a visual reminder for the reader.

Principles of Copywriting

Principles of Copywriting Expand Headline with Lead Paragraph

Follow up the headline immediately with the first paragraph. ie. If you ask a question, answer it.

If you propose a thought, explain it. Don't leave them hanging too long; you may end up hanging yourself.

Principles of Copywriting Draw the Reader In

Keep your copy SIMPLE, CLEAR and CONCISE: - Avoid the copies that are confusing or hard to read. - Reading your message should be a pleasure to read.- Talk to your reader as you would do to a friend or family member. - Be straight and sincere with them. - Spell it out and explain points that need explaining. - Don't leave your reader second-guessing your copy.

Principles of Copywriting Focus on the Reader, not the Product

• Use their needs, wants, desires, fears, weaknesses, concerns, and even fantasies to sell your product or service.

Thus, not only does the ad talk about the product, it also focuses equally on the reader. Using words like you would make the reader feel good, rather than an ad that boasts about the product but says nothing about how to use it, how it could make your life better, etc.

Principles of Copy Writing

Keep Your Focus Aligned

The more focused your target group, the better your chance of meeting their needs. **Don't try to sell everyone!

Principles of Copywriting Use the "That's Right!" Principle

Tell them something they know already. Get them to say to themselves, "That's Right!"

**Ask Provocative Questions:Provoking questions will grab the reader's interest and move them to read more for the answer.

Car ads usually ask a question such as planning to buy a new car?

Principles of Copywriting Move Quickly from Intro to the Pitch:• Don't waste your reader's time by "warming

them up". • People are busy creatures. If you lose their

interest, you neither sell nor profit. Get on with it!

Principles of Copywriting Make Your Product Irresistible: DRESS IT

UP - your product should sound like the cream of the crop. - Focus on your selling point (price, quality, etc) and make it impossible for the reader to imagine another in comparison.

Principles of Copywriting Flattery will get you everywhere

Yes, everyone likes to hear a little flattery. **Keyword here is "little". Don't overdo it!

Principles of Copywriting It's Guaranteed

A guarantee reassures the reader that you are reputable and will live up to your promises.

Principles of Copywriting Share a Secret

-People want to get the inside track. -If you can convince your prospect that you have an exclusive message for them, you're one step closer to a sale.

Principles of Copywriting Use "Power"ful Words:

"Power" words could enhance and reinforce your presented idea.

Certain words have proven to be movers and shakers in the advertising world. These are the examples of persuasive and attention-grabbing words:

easy convenient exclusive indulge genuine advantages comfortable dependable immediate instant WANTED WARNING more biggest oldest original

Principles of Copywriting Keep It Lively:

• Telling a (brief) story • Separating and highlighting key information

or facts.• Using personal pronouns like "you", we and

us will add a sense of warmth to your copy.

Principles of Copywriting • Go with the Flow: Rather than laying them out like a list,

learn to use transitional words.  

• Check Your Spelling Finding misspelled words in copy leaves the reader wondering how competent your product or service could be

• Use Photo's to Demonstrate: If used correctly a picture really is worth a thousand words.

• Use Graphics to get Attention: buttons, icons and arrows can help direct the reader's attention to important details.

• Offer Testimonials: short, reputable testimonials. People want to hear what others have to say about your product or service.

Principles of Copywriting Create an Unforgettable Slogan

Use a short, easy to remember slogan that a reader will walk away with on his or her lips.

Nike – Just Do It.

Visa – Go get it

Pepsi – Yeh Dil Maange More

Asian Paints – Merawalla.