Effective advertising is, almost always, persuasive advertising, and while not all advertising seeks to persuade, in a competitive situation those who best persuade are those most likely to win.

Advertising is about selling. By nature, advertising is neither neutral nor objective. Pleading its case through the strongest, most persuasive means, advertising informs, entertains and sells. Occasionally, it even inspires. If advertising is about selling, then persuasion is how we get there.

Consumers are not persuaded by illogical or irrational promises and can see through ill-conceived ideas.

You might be surprised to learn that 80 to 90 percent of new products launched FAIL.

Smart marketers hold the utmost respect for their consumers in two ways:

1) delivering product quality and

2) using honest advertising.

Think about yourself as a consumer for a moment. How do you respond to the advertising you are exposed to each day? Do you run out and buy everything you see and hear advertised? Are you easily convinced that you absolutely need to buy a

product?

You may be starting to get a sense of how difficult it is to persuade someone. Before looking at some of advertising's greatest attempts, let's try to understand just what an advertiser's challenge is.

Although our society is fortunate to have a proliferation of products and services, consumers must somehow wade through millions of products crammed on retail shelves and sort through thousands of marketing messages that fight for their attention every day.

Commercial messages appear just about everywhere - - on TV, in magazines, newspapers, billboards, on the radio, on buses, in phone booths, sports arenas, on the Internet, even in public toilets. The average American is exposed to over 3,000 ads a day.

Considering this, and today's hi-tech electronic environment, advertisers are challenged as never before to get their message to consumers. As a result, advertising's job is extremely difficult.

The key to creating advertising that engenders persuasion is to have a sound and properly focused advertising strategy. It is necessary to understand who the consumer is and what his/her attitudes and product usage habits are in order to develop this strategy.

An advertising strategy identifies who the prospective target is and defines his/her needs, wants and desires. This meaningful information, when clearly and creatively executed, should translate to a call to action: "I'm going to buy this product." The common form for a written strategy is:

Objective: States what you would

like to convince consumers to feel

or do as a result of the advertising

execution. This statement should

be the central, singular marketplace

problem facing the brand.

Target Audience: Who is your prime prospect/customer? (Include age, gender and any other pertinent demographic/psycho-graphic information and/or lifestyle explanation of who your target customers are.)

Key Consumer Benefit: Must go beyond "Cleans your windows" or "Tastes great." What (singular) thought/belief about consumers' lives, brand feelings, category assumptions, hopes, dreams, expectations, worries, cultural beliefs, etc., will cause a strong reaction and get the target's attention?

Reason to Believe: Which one or two product attributes will persuade the consumer to believe the product will deliver the promised benefits? In other words, what is the single most important fact, angle, direction, sentiment or emotion that can be communicated in order to meet business objectives/solve the problem?

Proof: Provide support. (Research, data, numbers, etc)

Tone and Manner: Affects the setting, look and feel of the execution. Must be relevant to the target audience to drive the message. (Think voice and word choice!)

Convincing advertising also employs a mix of the strategies we have discussed:

Staking a claim Appealing to emotion Appealing to logic Showing research/proof Using comparisons Using rhetorical questioning Using big names (celebrity) Showing credibility or honesty Connecting with the consumer Developing a sense of urgency

Making a Claim (and Repetition):

Geico: A 15 minute phone call..

Appealing to emotion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5QE7KV6gQY

Appealing to logic: Air Canada email subject

Showing research/proof http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apeeFHBCyyo

Using comparisons http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRecos7TcA0

Using rhetorical questioning: http://ihaveanidea.org/articles/files/2007/09/ca40-

90-rhetquestion.jpg

Using big names (celebrity): http://www.proactiv.com/

Showing credibility or honesty: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ULR68LTmbw

Connecting with the consumer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zdyh0dS7UZQ

Developing a sense of urgency http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7pNtEO2hv

o

What is the objective?

Who is the target audience?

What is the benefit to the consumer?

What are the reasons to believe the ad? What will persuade the consumer to believe the product will deliver the promised benefits?

What proof is provided?

How will the tone and manner appeal to the target audience?

What persuasive strategies are being used?

The long lasting AXE effect.

IRONICALLY, SHE'S THE ONE

WORRIED ABOUT HER WEIGHT

We're always the ones more likely to be concerned. Even when we have nothing to be concerned about. But looking your best is about being strong and healthy - not obsessive. Look good on your own terms. Exercise. Refuse to skip meals. Start with a balanced breakfast every morning and go from there. Kellogg's Special K cereal is low in fat and a source of essential nutrients so it's a light, sensible way to start your day. After all, there's no reason to let your weight control you. Especially if you're like her and have nothing to lose.

A healthy body weight looks good on everyone.

Choose one of the advertisements, and respond to the ad strategy questions. Comment on the ad’s effectiveness.

Develop an ad campaign for a product. Consider the strategy techniques and also elements of effective persuasive writing. Word choice and voice will be very important. With your assignment, you must submit the campaign strategy as well as the visual advertisement. (This activity can be completed individually, or in partners.)