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Copywriting

BMM-Semester-V

By: M H Lakdawala

Chapter 1. Copy
INTRODUCTION
What is Copywriting? Copywriting is essentially selling with words. Copywriting is using words to convince readers they will benefit (come out ahead) by using a certain product or service and then motivating them to take action (buy). Copywriting is the words used in advertisements, TV commercials, and brochures. Whenever a business promotes itself (through a press release, a leaflet or a newsletter), it needs a copywriter. Thats why copywriting is everywhere - on big posters, local newspaper ads, and every clever slogan. And when you put a postcard in a newsagent's window, to sell your old hi-fi, you're using copywriting again. Copywriting is probably the most creative and demanding branch of writing. You start with a blank sheet of paper. You may have only a couple of days to meet the clients deadline. And your work could be read by millions of people. Who needs copywriters? The market is vast. Every business, small and large, has to promote itself. Every company needs leaflets or direct mail letters. And every new product needs a pack that will entice us to buy it. These days all organizations need to communicate. That includes hospitals, local authorities and charities. So the opportunities for the copywriter are infinite. Because organizations constantly alter, their literature and ads need regularly changing, too. That keeps copywriters busy! To be a good copywriter, what attributes do you need? You should be good with words - able to produce crisp sentences. Contrary to popular opinion, copywriters don't use fancy words: they're more concerned to write clearly and simply. You should be interested in the world of advertising and marketing. You should be responsive, and capable of producing work quickly. And while many copywriters are inclined to be loners, you must get along with others, whether a client or colleague.

By: M H Lakdawala

PRINCIPLES OF COPYWRITING
1. Use Attention Getting Headlines For example print ad for DHL uses only one word as its headline URGENT, which is underlined in red, and is enough to attract anyones attention. Star TV print ad for The Big Fight does not use words, but uses a pair of boxing gloves as headline. 2. Expand Headline with Lead Paragraph Follow up the headline immediately with the first paragraph. 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. The ad for Maruti N2N fleet solutions uses the headline Who says managing a huge fleet of company cars is hard work? This is followed by the lead paragraph which explains how Maruti N2N works 3. Draw the Reader In Avoid page and advertising layouts that are confusing or hard to read. Reading your message should be a pleasure to read. Keep your copy simple, clear and concise. Talk to your reader as you would 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. 4. Focus on the Reader, not the Product Of course your copy must contain information and facts about your product or service, but that is not your focal point. You must focus the reader. Use their needs, wants, desires, fears, weaknesses, concerns, and even fantasies to sell your product or service. The ad for Lakme Deep Pore Cleansing begins with the headline There's a lot that shows on your face. The body copy includes - Now, one-and-a-half minutes is all it takes to uncover the real you. Presenting the complete Deep Pore Cleansing Regimen from Lakme. Simply because your face says it all. 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.

By: M H Lakdawala

5. Use the "That's Right!" Principle Get your prospect to agree with you. Tell them something they know already. Get them to say to themselves, "That's Right!" The print ad for JW Marriott starts with the headline -: Your mom knows exactly how you like your bed, your toast, and your coffee. This headline will indeed make the target exclaim thats right! 6. Ask Provocative Questions: Leading into your copy or headline with thought provoking questions will grab the reader's interest and move them to read more for the answer. The ad for Deccan Chronicle uses an attractive female model asking a provocative question like Want to play the number Game?. The ad actually talks about the impressive figures of circulation of the Deccan Chronicle. 7. Move Quickly from Intro to the Pitch: Don't waste your reader's time trying to "warm them up". If they got that far, there's blood flowing already. People are busy creatures. If you lose their interest, you neither sell nor profit. Get on with it! 8. Be Sincere: What's the number one fallback for sales on the web? Fear! Fear of being scammed or ripped-off. The more sincere you are the better your chance of building a "selling" relationship. The sincerity and genuineness of Air Sahara comes across in its ad where the body copy says as hard as we may try at this time of the year (winter), there are chances of flight delays due to weather conditions. Every step is taken to help passengers get to their destinations on time. To make this process easier, we need your help too. 9. Don't Contradict Yourself: Double-check your copy. You would be surprised to know that many copywriters unknowingly contradict themselves leaving the reader suspicious, thus destroying your credibility with them. 10. Keep Your Focus Aligned The more focused your target group, the better your chance of meeting their needs. Don't try to sell everyone! 11. 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.

By: M H Lakdawala

12. Use Fear as Motivation: Fear is both a weakness and strength, but also a powerful selling tool. Fear of injury, death or missed opportunity. If you sell a safety product you would use this fear to your advantage. If you're offering an opportunity, the fear of missing their chance is a strong seller. 13. Flattery will get you everywhere Yes, everyone likes to hear a little flattery. Keyword here is "little". Don't overdo it! 14. Be Personable Let them know that there is a kind, honest and real person behind the page. People would rather deal with people, not companies, corporations or conglomerates. Add the "Human Touch" to your copy. Ex: the institutional ad for Eureka Forbes which shows model Aditi Gowatrikar with her child has a human touch to it, what with the body copy saying times have changed. Yet your dreams remain the same. So open up. Say yes to life 15. Its Guaranteed A guarantee reassures the reader that you are reputable and will live up to your promises. For example, in the Vim Bar TVC, the anchor promises that if your detergent is better than Vim Bar, you will get a years supply of your detergent free. This guarantee lends credibility to the offering and induces the viewer to act. 16. Use "Power"ful Words: "Power" words are words that move a buyer by enhancing and reinforcing your presented idea. Certain words have proven to be movers and shakers in the advertising world.
Examples of persuasive and attention-grabbing words Easy Genuine Immediate More Convenient Advantages Instant Biggest Exclusive Comfortable WANTED Oldest Indulge Dependable WARNING Original

17. 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. 18. Keep It Lively: By: M H Lakdawala 5

There are many ways to keep your copy lively. Telling a (brief) story is a strong technique for getting your message across. Separating and highlighting key information or facts is another. Using personal pronouns like "you", we and us will add a sense of warmth to your copy. 19. Go with the Flow Writing copy requires the ability to make a smooth transition from one point to another. Rather than laying them out like a list, learn to use transitional words. Transitional words are used to go from one point to another. 20. Check Your Spelling Take the time and spell-check your work. Finding misspelled words in copy leaves the reader wondering how competent your product or service could be, if you cannot take the time to be sure you spelled the words in your web copy correctly. 21. Use Photo's to Demonstrate: Use photos to demonstrate your product or service. If used correctly a picture really is worth a thousand words. Ads for cosmetics generally use photographs to demonstrate the benefits of using the product smooth skin, fairness, etc. 22. Use Graphics to get Attention: Using buttons, icons and arrows can help direct the reader's attention to important details. If organized correctly they can also help sort facts or messages into categories. The ad for Toyota Qualis uses arrows to draw the readers attention to the unique features of the vehicle such as integrated bumper; wood finishes paneling, captain seats, etc. 23. Offer Testimonials Offer short, reputable testimonials. People want to hear what others have to say about your product or service. Diana Hayden Miss World 1996 offers testimonial for Loreal Hair color. 24 Create a Memorable Logo Create a simple, but memorable logo or custom graphic that your visitor can easily relate to your product or service Examples: Nike swoosh Tata Mercedes

By: M H Lakdawala

McDonald Golden Arches 25. 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. 26. Get a response There are many techniques for getting a prospect to respond. Spell it out for them. Tell them to respond. Tell them why they should respond. Give them a reason they should respond now. Offer a bonus or freebie if they respond.

This can be done by using words like order now, order today, for a short time only, last chance, etc. Ex: Service ICICI Bank Two Wheeler Loans Take Home Passion (Hero Honda Passion) by just paying Rs. 3999 only

By: M H Lakdawala

STAGES IN COPYWRITING/ THE APPROVAL PROCESS

Product Manager of Client

Legal

Client Service (Agency)

Creative Director

Account Management Team

Legal

Art Director

Senior Writer

Acct. Supervisor

Account Manager

Staff Writer

The client company representative (product manager) gives the brief to the client-servicing department of the ad agency. This brief is then broken down into creative and media brief. The creative brief is given to the creative director who passes it on to the art director and the copywriter. These two work in conjunction to create the ad. The (rough) ad is then shown to the account management team consisting of the supervisor and manager. They look into legalities that might affect the ad and whether the ad meets the clients brief and budget. Changes, if any, are communicated to the creative department The (rough) ad is then shown to the client servicing dept. The dept. might also suggest changes. The ad is finally shown to the client for his approval. Once the approval is received, the creative department goes ahead with the actual production of the ad.

By: M H Lakdawala

CREATIVE PROCESS
Writing the Copy platform In developing the message strategy, the copywriter needs to create a copy platform, a document that serves as the creative teams guide for writing and producing the ad. The copy platform is the written strategy statement of the most important issues to be considered in the ad or campaign the who, why, what, where, when and how of the ad: 1. Who is the most likely prospect for the product? The copy platform must define the prospect in terms of geographic, demographic, psychographic, and/or behavioristic qualities. 2. Why? Does the consumer have specific wants or needs that the ad should appeal to? Advertisers use two broad categories of appeals. Rational appeals are directed at the consumers practical, functional need for the product or service; emotional appeals are directed at the consumers psychological, social, or symbolic needs. 3. What product features satisfy the consumers needs? What factors support the product claim? What is the products position? What personality or image of the product or the company can be or has been created? What perceived strengths or weaknesses need to be dealt with? 4. When and where will the messages be communicated? What medium? What time of the year? What area of the country? 5. How should this be communicated? What style, approach or tone will the campaign use? And generally what will the copy say? The answers to these questions help make up the copy platform. After writing the first ad, the copywriter should review the copy platform to see if the ad measures up. If it doesnt, the writer must start again.

By: M H Lakdawala

Chapter 2.
Writing for Print Media- Parts of a press ad- the headline, subhead, body copy
WRITING THE COPY The elements of the copy, from headline to closing should follow the 4 steps in the selling process A-I-D-A in a logical progression. THE HEADLINE PROVIDES THE A AND I In copywriting, the attention and interest of the potential customer must be caught by the headline, or the page will be turned and the possible sale lost. The headline has 3 functions: 1. To capture attention. Ex: Axe effect red lips creating a sensuous appeal are a very attention seeking ad and the visual acts as the headline. 2. To awaken the interest of the reader in learning more about the product. The ad for Intelligent Investor, which uses the headline Why being a regular reader of Intelligent Investor is such a healthy habit, would awaken the interest of the readers. 3. To select the special readers who might have a specific interest in what you are selling. Eanadu Pradesh ad targets media planners, hence the headline Perhaps the first ad written with the belief that a media planner is human, and not a counting machine. Once the dominant selling point and copy appeal have been determined, there are several grammatical forms the headline can take. It may be determined as: A statement or part of a statement The Business Standard ad uses a statement the headline: Its tough being a Business Standard reporter. A question Onida TV ad- Headline should the new Onida TV be banned?

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Surf excel sample laaney ki kya zaroorat hai A command. get it! Visa Ad for Star News that has a headline, which just says Stop Onida TV headline - Dont! Sub-headline dont just envy the Ondia TV, buy it What a headline contains is more important than the form in which it does it.

Headlines may be classified by performance as follows:

Headline Types
Benefit News and Information Command Provocative Question Reason why Caution headline How-to-type Selective headline Advice headline Gimmick headline
Solution to problem

1) Promise of a Major Benefit This is the safest, most widely used type of headline. And for it to be as effective as possible, it must display the #1 benefit your prospect will receive buy purchasing your product or service.

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The most effective way to determine this benefit is to survey your customers - by phone, email, or postal mail. Ask them the top 3 reasons for purchasing your product or service, and have them rank them in order. It's a good idea to offer your customers an incentive for providing you with this information. 2. News or Information: Conveys real news or important information about a product.. If your product or service offers something newsworthy, announce it in your headline. Newsworthy is usually the introduction of a new product or the improvement of an existing product. Here are some words you can use in your News Headline: New... Announcing... Introducing... Finally... Just Released... Now... Now Available... At Last... Examples: Eg. The Times of India ad that boasts of the circulation of TOI as compared to that of Deccan Herald. The Times of India: 301927 copies. Deccan Herald : 147538 copies 3. The Command Headline. The Command Headline tells your customer what to do. Your command should encourage action by offering your prospect a benefit that will help them. Effective Command Headlines start out with action verbs. Examples: Trade In Your Old Motor cycle for-Bye to Maintenance Headaches! 4. Provocative 5. The Question Headline. Here again, to use this headline, you must really know your market. You need to know what your prospect is thinking, what their anxieties are, and what theyre hoping to accomplish. If you know your target audience this well, then the Question Headline is an effective headline to use. The Question Headline should focus on your prospects self interest and ask a question they want to know the answer to. The best type of questions to ask are questions that get your prospect involved. Examples: What Does the Space Shuttle Have To Do With LaZer Runners 7 Year Premium Protection Warranty? Can Half of All Laser Tag Owners in America Be Wrong? What Do The Giant Entertainment Companies Know That You Dont?

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6. The Reason Why Headline. With the Reason Why headline, you give our prospect specific reasons why they should read your ad. Reason Why headlines are effective because they contain facts and specific numbers. Reasons why headlines dont need to include the words reason why. Examples: 7 Reasons Why IBM Provides You With a More Reliable System 7. The How-To Headline. These two words -- how to, are very powerful words. You can never go wrong using a How To Headline. (Over 7,000 book titles start out with How To.) How To Headlines promise your prospect a source for information, advice, and solutions to their problems. If you ever get stumped for a headline, use the How To Headline -- it works! Examples: How To Expand Your Customer Base and Increase Your Profits 8. Selective Select a specific audience with specific language and words. The Malaya Manorama ad, which addresses advertisers. The print ad starts with the headline which says A few commandments to advertisers this Xmas. Media planer ad of Eenadu Pradesh. 9) Solution to a problem This type of headline is a slight variation of the #1 benefit headline. The problem solved by your product or service is the #1 benefit - it's just presented in a problem/ solution format. Example: "Now You Can Melt at Least 3 Inches of Fat from Your Waist in 30 Days or Less - Guaranteed!" This headline presents the benefit of reducing fat in the waist as the #1 solution to the problem of having excess fat in the waist area.

10) The Flag Headline

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A flag is a phrase calling for the attention of a particular person or group. Use a flag headline to attract your target audience - those most likely to buy your product or service. For example Attention: New Mothers! New Exercise Safely Burns the Fat You Gained During Your Pregnancy in Less than 60 Days - Guaranteed! You can also use the flag headline to increase response by catering your offer to readers of the publication you're advertising in. Example Attention: Newborn Journal Readers! New, Exercise Safely Burns the Fat You Gained During Your Pregnancy in Less than 60 Days - Guaranteed!

11) The Warning Headline This type of headline can yield tremendous results when use properly. There are a few ways to use this approach. Your headline can propose a warning to read your message before making a purchase. Or you can use the warning to flag a specific audience. The following example uses both of these techniques. * Warning: Dieters * Don't eat another reduced calorie meal until you read this startling message Why Your Current Eating Habits May be Doing More Damage to Your Body Than Good! 12) The Testimonial Headline This is simply a satisfied customer testimonial used as a headline. Here's an example: "Big Boulder Protein Powder helped me pack on 11 pounds of muscle and reduce my body fat by 6.4% in only 37 days, without changing my exercise routine, and I'm convinced it can do the same for you too." The quotes around the headline signify that it's an actual quote from a customer, giving it added validity. When using this method, it's important that the testimonial has a strong impact. It must make a significant claim related to a major benefit of your product or

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service. Don't just use an "average" testimonial, or it won't have the desired effect.

13. Claim: Insist that this product has an outstanding record or performs in a certain way. It should not be overly blatant and boastful, if so then it is called Horn-Blowing. DHL: when sending shipments to the US, more of Indias companies choose us. Horn blowing the Asian Paints yamaraj ad this ad just exaggerates the durability aspect of the paints which kind of sounds boastful. 14. Advice or Promise: Promise a real benefit if the product is used. Ex: Dont get a credit card from us and you may end up with the wrong one in your hands - timesofmoney.com ad. 15. Logo Or Slogan: Stress the reputation of the company behind it. Toyota, Tata both use their logos for most of the ads for their automobiles Camry and Indica respectively. 16. Mood-Setting: Set a mood to create receptivity in the reader. Eg. The JW Marriott ad, which uses the headline The earth is mostly water. So is the view from our hotel. A picturesque scene of girl relaxing supports this 17. Provocative: It must provoke the reader into probing further. It means startling or interrupting in order to capture attention. If a provocative headline is used it must be pertinent to the product. If it presents a question, the answer must lie in the subheadline or body copy and in the products characteristics, features, and performance. Sometimes it presents a contradiction or an apparent paradox to the reader, with the explanation provided in the body copy. There are exceptions: Those messages where a headline and very descriptive visuals are able to tell the whole story.

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The advertisement for HLL looking for baby models Headline Nude models wanted Ad for Amitasha Foundation Her parents cursed the day she was born 18. Visuals are as much a part of headlines as are verbal concepts. Eg. The bad night Goodknight ad with Lisa Ray .her face tells the whole story and theres no body copy!

Sub-headlines:
Sub-headlines are sectional headlines. There are over lines and underlines. An over line is a sub-head that leads into headline. An underline is a sub-headline that follows the main headline and leads the reader into the copy test. Generally the purpose of the sub-headline is to support the main headline and complete the meaning of the headline. It may also be used to bring out related but additional or different appeals. It can also be used to break up a lengthy copy. Functions of Sub-headline: Include important information not communicated in the headline Communicate key selling points or information quickly Stimulate more complete reading of the ad

BODY COPY
Body copy carries the selling message. Once the headline and visual have attracted attention and aroused interest, the body copy attempts further to develop the interest of the potential customer, to awaken the desire to own the product, and to close with a call to action. Body copy can be extremely important to the success of an ad. It allows you to fully convince the target audience of the benefits of the product. But unless you can get them to read it, it's a huge waste of your time and your client's money. And most people wont read body copy--in fact, 80% of readers won't read it. So what do you do? You can leave it out of the ad and hope that the ad will compel readers to seek more product information elsewhere (at the Web site, at the showroom, etc.) But sometimes advertising is the most efficient way of By: M H Lakdawala 16

communicating all the product information so you have to write good body copy. In that case, you must try to entice readers into the body copy. And the best way to do that is with a great "lead." This is the first sentence of the body copy. No matter what style of copy you're writing, it should draw the reader from the headline and into the text. The copy approach is the way the copy and its appeal are presented.

Copy approaches, various as they seem, can be grouped into three categories:
1. Factual, direct or rational approach LIC The LIC ad states the benefits of the Komal Jeevan policy, the eligibility, minimum sum assured, etc. Several ways to work out this approach a. Direct selling information Ads that offer information on products like music cassettes, books, CDs, etc, which are sold by the newspaper/magazine in which the ads feature, provide direct selling information. For example The Economic Times Entertainment 2001-2002 report. b. Implied suggestion (soft sell)

Amway the ad does not urge you to buy today or hurry, instead, it lays down the benefits of using Amway products in a subtle way. Besides, since Amway products are made available through personal selling, the body copy does not state any contact address or number. Rather, it states someday soon, someone will suggest that you find out for yourself how exquisite our personal care products are. c. Testimonial copy

1. When Sachin Tendulkar says Boost is the secret of my energy, he is offering testimony to the benefit offered by Boost, i.e. energy.

2. Ratan Tata lends credibility to the plea made by Dept of Electronics Govt. of India by ratifying the seriousness of the Y2K Bug. Body copy developed for the factual approach: 1. Amplification of headline in the lead (1st sentence (s) of body copy)

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2. Proof or evidence 3. Additional details 4. Closing The ad by Infosys seeking recruits starts with the Headline We need Though Leaders who can assert our Domain Competence. 1. Amplification of headline As a global IT consulting and services organization, Infosys is at the cutting edge of IT development and a thought leader in business and technology domains 2. Proof or evidence: a seal is shown in the ad which states Best employer to work for in India Business today Hewitt Associates survey Jan 2001 Softwares Best Employer Dataquest NFO MBL Study May 2001 3. Additional details: details about Domain Competency, the focus areas of the project, eligibility criteria are given. 4. 5. Closing: So, if you are a though leader who wants to fly high, act now! Mail your resume 2. Narrative approach story board Ex: om kotak mahindra A man joins a party and is bewildered by what he sees. He moves forward in a daze and recognizes his own image as an old man. "Ek din, main apne aap se mila. Aur apna bhavishya dekha." He dances together with his vision, and enjoys the carefree moment. "Aatmanirbhar, surakshith. Azaad." They become the life of the party as... ...the MVO adds, "Om Kotak Mahindra Life Insurance. Jeene ki azaadi." The ad uses the narrative approach to emphasize the USP of Om Kotak Mahindra Life Insurance, i.e. Independence.

Several ways to work out this approach:

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a. Descriptive or human interest story Most NGOs use this approach to elicit a favorable response from the readers. For example, ad for the Amitasha foundation - Nurturing the girl child, show the photograph of a girl in rags, with the headline Her parents cursed the day she was born. So does she.

b. Slice of life slice of life ads depict situations that one can relate to, situations that could have occurred in anyones life. McDonald, Cadburys dairy milk, etc use this approach c. Fictional testimony In the ad for Dove, women who have used Dove narrate the positive effects of using Dove in their lives. d. Monologue or dialogue Hindustan Times

e. Humor Most of the Fevicol ads have used humor to make the ads noticeable, interesting as well as memorable. Even the feviqwick ad where two men are shown fishing, has the same effect. The ad - a suave gentleman is shown fishing in a lake for hours, but could not catch a single fish. Then comes a rustic local, who applies Feviqwick at a few places on his fishing rod, dips it in the water and out comes with five fish stuck to his rod. Thus, humor gave high noticibility as well as recall to the ad.

Body copy developed for the narrative approach: Predicament

Most fair and lovely ads start with a predicament the girl faces problem/s because of her complexion. like the ad in which the father wishes that he had a son and not a daughter. The daufghter comes across an offer for the job of an airhostess, but a after look at her dark complexion in the mirror, only ends up cursing herself. Transition to the product.

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But things change when she uses Fair and Lovely Happy ending

Not only does she become beautiful (fair) and confident, she even becomes an airhostess. The ad ends with the female taking her father out for coffee to a five star hotel, and the father proudly calling her beta (son). Closing (suggestion to the reader)

Ads, which end with words, like jaldi kijiye, hurry now, etc. Example Safal ad jaldi kijiye - mahurat nikal na jaye 3. Projective or emotional approach This approach puts the reader realistically into the situation, involving him emotionally through a projected factual story or through fictional story about fictional characters. This approach relies on the customers association with the characters in the story as if it were happening to him. Eg. The emotional impact of this type is often felt in copy written about perfume, cosmetics, lingerie, cars and travel. McDonalds ad. A little boy takes a last look around his old home. Everything is being packed up and stashed away to be moved Saying good-bye to his best friend he gets into the car and they drive out. On the way, he spots a McDonalds restaurant and....he recalls all the fun they had here. The occasions celebrated and the good times come flashing back to him. Cut to the new house. His sister drags him to the window to show him something. The father draws a Mac logo in the air. As they look out, the kid sees a McDonald's restaurant opposite and his gloom disappears. The ad ends with the jingle - McDonald's mein hai kuch baat.

BOXES AND PANELS


Boxes and panels are great tools for the copywriter. In the information age, writers can access huge amounts of information to support their products utility and demonstrate why customers need it. To avoid having the ads text become a glut of testimonials, data, and off-the-issue discussions, copywriters segregate

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information of a secondary and supportive nature into boxes and panels next to the main body copy. This allows readers to first focus on the main issues and later study the detailed facts. A box is copy with a line around all four sides. A panel is an elongated box that runs the whole length or width of an ad. Boxes are useful for framing information that the prospect must read e.g. coupons, special offers, contest rules, and the order blanks. Quick tips for Body copy; 1. A writer must put conviction into their own copy. 2. Never oversell in your body copy 3. Get quickly to the crux of your body copy message. 4. Keep your line of thought on track. Address arguments before they arise. 6.Write for your audience-not yourself. 7. Keep your copy user friendly 8. Present your body copy in a logical sequence that relates to the rest of the text. 9. Use one of the twelve slogans for constructive persuasion.

SLOGANS
A slogan is a small attractive phrase used in the ad to sum up the advertising message in a few words. Ideally the slogan should be short, preferably 5 to 7 words or even less than 5 words. The words must be simple, clear and easy to remember. It should be so designed that it can be repeated , perhaps a year or years together. The slogan should be such that it can be used in any media, whether on TV, radio, press and outdoor. Slogans are not easy to create. Sometimes, they just come along but most often slogans are the result of hard work of days together put in by the creative marketing people/advertising people. Great slogans are like great ideas, they don't come overnight. Basis for writing a slogan: Techniques/factors 1. Slogans can be based on the Quality of the product. Example: The best tobacco money can buy-Rothmans. By: M H Lakdawala 21

2. Slogan can be based on the Life of the company. Example: A trusted household name for over fifty years-Philips. 3.Slogans can be used to build Trust and confidence. Example: The name you can trust- Mafatlal. 4.slogans to guard against substitutes. Example: when its Philips, you can be sure. 5. Slogans emphasizing sales of the product. Example: Indias largest selling soft drink concentrate. Rasna. 6. Slogans emphasizing International reputation of the product. Example: The worlds favorite airline- British Airways. 7. Slogans can place emphasis on Advanced technology of the company. Example: In tune with tomorrow.- Bush. Example: Dunlop is Dunlop, always ahead. 8. Slogans emphasizing the use of the product. Example: A pocket doctor for aches and pains-Amrutanjan pain balm. Example: Real relief, real fast-Moov. 9. Slogans expressing Love and Affection Example: A gift for someone you love-Amul chocolates. 10. Slogans expressing Joy and happiness. Example: Happy days are here again.-Thumps up 11. Slogans emphasizing the choice of specific class. Example: The choice of new generation- Lehar Pepsi. 12. Slogans emphasizing the comfort and convenience. Example: Arrive in better shape-Cathay Pacific. 13.Slogans based on pride and possession. Example: Neighbours envy, Owners pride. 14.Slogans emphasizing name of the brand company. Example: Only Vimal 15. Slogan based on the headline of the ad. Example: Filter and tobacco perfectly matched-Wills. (headline: Made for each other),

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The twelve slogans of constructive persuasion: 1. Slogan are about you: Successful slogans tend to use the word you some where in the copy. 2. Slogan make promises 3. Slogans call for action 4. Slogans create ideals: Zindagi ke saath bhi Zindagi ke baad bhi. 5. Slogans are it: Go for it, Its here, you cant beat it. 6. Slogans are in a world of their own. Enter a new world of writing. 7. Slogan may rhyme: Top for shops, meals that appeals. 8.Slogans can be full of alliterations Supremely Scottish Salmon Buy better. Buy bigger, by far. 9. In order to sell, slogans dont have to be clever. The writers choice The best pen you can buy. 10. Slogans conveniently package everything in one sentence. Affordable reliability in your pocket. 11. Slogans repeat key word patterns. The right price. The best quality. 12. The slogan is king The best; The one;the Answer, The shape.

Functions of Slogan:
1. Aid memory recall: It should be easy and pleasant to remember. I love you Rasna. 2. To describe the use of a product. The weekly update on the hospitality industry- Express Hotelier & caterer Magazine. 3. To suggest the products special advantage or unique benefit. " On time, every time. DHL. 4. To suggest increased use or frequency of use. 5. To stress the quality of the product Greater Reliability through Better Technology. Rane ( Madras Limited). 6.To build name and goodwill of the company. The worlds favorite airline. British Airways.

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7. To stress market leadership Indias No.1 Radial. JK Tyre. 8. To emphasize international standards. World Champion Lubricants. Castrol. Many slogans also called theme lines or tag lines begin as successful headlines. Through continuous use, they become standard statements, not just in advertising but also for salespeople and company employees. Slogans become a battle cry for the company. Slogans have two basic purposes: to provide continuity to a series of ads in a campaign and to reduce an advertising message strategy to a brief, repeatable and memorable positioning statement. De Beers ads still use the slogan Diamonds Are Forever/Heera Hai Sada Ke Liye Because of their use in positioning a company or product, many slogans are developed at the same time the product or company is conceived. Slogans should be like old friends- recognized instantly year after year. Effective slogans are short, simple, memorable and easy to repeat, and most important, help differentiate the product or the company from its competitors. Rhyme, rhythm, and reason not to mention alliteration are valuable tricks of the trade for slogan writing.

SEALS, LOGOTYPES AND SIGNATURES


The concise Oxford Dictionary describes the word Logo simply as logo type. In turn, logotype is describe as: Word, or more letters than one, cast in one piece. Non-heraldic device chosen as company symbols or badge of organization and used in advertisements, on note paper, etc.
The companys logo is the corporate signature. It reposes in itself the collective pride of the company and is designed with great care to represent the personality of the company and its product. In other words, the corporate logo embodies the company with a personality, a human quality and character. Apart from lending personality to the Companys public image, logo styles also incorporate nuances about the company. Movement related corporations like Air India, Indian Airlines, and a host of other airline and travel agencies prefer their

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logotypes to move from left to right and underline the sense of motion through Italicised typefaces.

A seal is awarded only when a product meets standards established by a particular institution or organization. Sunsilk claimed that it had passed the rigid tests and had received the approval of Elida Hair Institute of Paris . Companies claiming to be ISO approved Since these organizations have credibility as recognized authorities, their seals provide an independent, valued endorsement for the advertisers product. The term Seal is sometimes interpreted to mean the company seal or trademark. They are actually called logotypes. Logotypes and signature are special designs of the advertisers company name or product name. They appear in all company ads and, like trademarks, give the product individuality and provide quick recognition at the point of purchase.

Captions:
Captions do form part of copy text. Captions are small sentences that seem to come out the mouth of the people shown in the ads. Comic strip type of copy make use of captions. For example, you must have come across such captions in the print ads of Tortoise Mosquito Coil. Essentials/ Characteristics/ Attributes of a Good copy: 1. Be Concise 2. Be Simple 3. Be specific 4. Be Personal 5. Make it believable 6. Be clear 7.Make it interesting 8.Make it persuasive 9.Keep a surprise in the copy 10. Follow the headline and illustration. Creative Tactics: Print Ad Layout

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Chapter: 3
Writing for television: Stages of producing a TV Commercial 1) Writing scripts and developing storyboards 2) Briefing the producer 3) Pre-production 4) Shooting 5) Post-production

The Two elements that make TV so exiting are: (1) Sight (2) Sound

Important factors to keep in mind while writing Television copy


1. Focus on single big idea: TVC are generally use for launching the single Big Idea to leave its impression. Effective TV commercials merge video and audio into a powerful sales tool. But don't think one is more important than the other. Audio and video go hand-inhand. For example, turn down the volume on any commercial. You should be able to identify the benefits of purchasing a product just from the video. The same holds true for audio. Close your eyes and listen to the announcer. If the audio doesn't explain the product in detail, then the commercial isn't effective. Potential customers should be able to hear your message even if they're not in the room to see it. Always use a strong audio and video combination when creating your own commercial. 2. Think of television as an intimate medium. a) If you're advertising a restaurant, don't just use a shot of your building's exterior. Use a close-up of your food in your commercial. And show people eating your food.

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b) If you're producing a Public Service Announcement (PSA) about drunk driving, don't just use a shot of a crowd of people at a funeral. Show a tear streaming down a child's face. c) Combining sight and sound should spark your viewers' emotions and help them identify with your product. And if they can identify with your product, you're more likely to get 3. Motivate viewers: Television viewers rarely remember the details of an ad, but they can recall how the ad made them feel. Make sure they feel motivated after viewing yours. 4. Get to the point. You have about two seconds to grab the television viewer's attention, so use a strong opening image - the visual equivalent of a strong headline. You then have a total of maybe five seconds to say what the ad is about - if it's not clear you've lost the viewer for the entire ad. 5. Keep your message simple. Stress your benefits. And remember to stress them visually. You can do this by "showing" what they are, rather than just "telling" what they are. 6. Be sure to tell the viewer your name visually. Put it right there up on the screen, along with your logo, and your address and phone number. Better yet, hit them twice by having the voice-over announcer read it aloud at the same time. 7. Don't forget your call to action. Tell the viewer what to do - Call now!!!; Visit your local dealer; Compare the value; Come see us; etc. Television has a tremendous advantage over radio: In that action as well as sound can be used in the message. The ability to create a mood or demonstrate a brand in use gives television it superior capability. But this also changes the whole concept of copy for the copywriting effort. Copy for television must be highly sensitive to the ads visual aspects as specified by the creative director. The opportunities inherent to television as an advertising medium represent challenges for the copywriter as well. The copywriter must remember that words do not stand alone. Visuals, special effects, and sound techniques may ultimately convey a message far better than the cleverest turn of a phrase. Television commercials represent a difficult timing challenge for the copywriter. Copy must be precisely coordinated with the video. The road map for this coordination effort is known as a storyboard. A storyboard is a frame-by-frame

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sketch depicting in sequence the visual scenes and copy that will be used in a television advertisement.

Television Advertising Formats:


Because of the broad creative capability of the television medium, there are several alternative formats for a television ad: 1) Demonstration. Demonstrating a brand in action is an obvious format for a television ad. Brands whose benefits result from some tangible function can effectively use this format. Demonstration with sight and sound lets viewers appreciate the full range of features of a brand. 2) Problem and Solution. A brand is introduced as the savior in a difficult situation. This format often takes shape as a slice-of-life message, in which a consumer solves a problem with the advertised brand. A variation is to promote a brand on the basis of problem prevention. 3) Music and Song. Many television commercials use music and singing as a creative technique. The beverage industries (soft drinks, beer, and wine) frequently use this format to create the desired mood for their brands. 4) Spokesperson. The delivery of a message by a spokesperson can place a heavy emphasis on the copy. The copy is given precedence over the visual and is supported by the visual, rather than vice-versa. Expert, average-person, and celebrity testimonials fall into this category. 5) Dialogue. As in a radio commercial, a television ad may feature a dialogue between two or more people. Dialogue format ads pressure a copywriter to compose dialogue that is believable and keeps the ad moving forward. Most slice-of-life ads in which a husband and wife or friends are depicted using a brand employ a dialogue format. 6) Vignette. A vignette format uses a sequence of related advertisements as a device to maintain viewer interest. Vignettes also give the advertising a recognizable look, which can help achieve awareness and recognition. The Taster's Choice couple featured in a series of advertisements in the United States and Great Britain is an example of the vignette format. 7) Narrative. A narrative is similar to a vignette but is not part of a series of related ads. Narrative is distinct in that it tells a story, like a vignette, but the mood of the ad is highly personal, emotional, and involving. A narrative ad often focuses on storytelling and only indirectly touches on

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the benefits of the brand. Many of the "heart-sell" ads by Kodak and Hallmark use the narrative technique to great effect.

Guidelines for Writing Television Copy


1. Use the video. 2. Support the video. Make sure that the copy doesn't simply hitchhike on the video. 3. If all the copy does is verbally describe what the audience is watching, an opportunity to either communicate additional information or strengthen the video communication has been lost. 4. Coordinate the audio with the video. 5. Sell the product as well as entertain the audience. 6. Be flexible. Due to media-scheduling strategies, commercials are produced to run as 10- 15-, 20-, 30-, or 60-second spots. The copywriter may need to ensure that the audio portion of an ad is complete and comprehensive within varying time lengths. 7. Use copy judiciously. 8. Reflect the brand personality and image. 9. Build campaigns. When copy for a particular advertisement is being written, evaluate its potential as a sustainable idea. Common Mistakes in Copywriting for television Beyond the guidelines for effective copy in each media area, there are common mistakes made in copywriting that should be avoided: 1. Vagueness. Avoid generalizations and words that are imprecise in meaning. 2. Wordiness. Being economical with descriptions is paramount. Copy has to fit in a limited time frame (or space), and receivers bore easily. 3. Unoriginality. Using clichs and worn out superlatives was mentioned as a threat to print copywriting. The same threat (to a lesser degree, due to audio and audiovisual capabilities) exists in radio and television advertising. Trite copy creates a boring, outdated image for a brand or firm. 4. Creativity for creativity's sake. Some copywriters get carried away with a clever idea. Its essential that the copy in an ad remain true to its primary responsibility: communicating the selling message.

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Chapter 4:
Writing Radio Copy
1. Characteristics of Radio environment 2. Message strategy 3. Writing script 4. Radio production process

1. Characteristics of Radio environment


a. Radio has been called the Rodney Dangerfield of media because it gets no respect from many advertisers. b. Radio is capable of presenting words and theatre of the mind. c. .Radio has also become a medium characterized by highly specialized programming appealing to very narrow segments of the population. d. Radio has survived and flourished as an advertising medium because it offers advertisers certain advantages for communicating messages to their potential customers.

2. Media strategy for Radio:


Deciding the message is the one of the important activity in the advertising decisions, it includes: 1. Message generation 2. Message evaluation and selection 3. Message execution 4. Social responsibility review Message generation: An important component of communication is the message what is said or written. In order to understand communication, it is useful to understand the characteristics of messages and how to construct the most effective messages. Advertising people have proposed different theories for creating an effective message. Reeves of the Ted Bates advertising agency favoured linking the brand directly.

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Leo Burnett and his agency preferred to create a character that expressed the products benefits. The Doyle, Dane and Bern Bach agency favoured developing a narrative story with a problem, episodes related to the problem and outcomes.

Whatever the method is used, creative people should talk to consumers, dealers and experts and experts, to have suitability to the message and to understand likes and dislikes of the customers and the middlemens. Some creative people use a deductive framework for generating a advertising messages. John Maloney proposed one framework, he saw buyers as expecting one of the four types of reward from a product: a. Rational b. Sensory c. Social d. Ego satisfaction Buyers might visualize these rewards from: 1. Results of use experience 2. Product in use experience 3. Incidental to use experience. Crossing the four types of rewards with the three types of experience generate twelve types advertising message. For example the appeal get cloths cleaner is a rational reward promise following the results of use experience. Message Appeal: Message appeal is the feature that brings about attitude change on the part of the audience; the message appeal can be: a. Informative message: This is to create awareness and knowledge of new products or new features of existing products or service. b. Persuasive message: This type is to create liking, preference, conviction and purchase of product or service. c. Reminder message: This type is to create liking, preference, conviction and purchase of product or services. d. Reinforcement message: This is to convince current purchases that they made the right choice.

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Message evaluation and selection:


The good advertisement normally focuses on one core-selling proposition, but DIK Twedt suggested that messages be rated on desirability, exclusiveness and believability. The advertiser should conduct market research to determine which appeal works best with its target audience.

Message execution:
The message impact depends not only on what is said, but often more important, on how it is said. Some aim for rational positioning and others for emotional positioning.

Social responsibility review:


Advertiser and their agency must be sure their creative advertising does not overlap social and legal norms.

Writing Radio script


1. When you place a radio ad, you're speaking to a captive audience The listener has to take an action (actively change the station) to pass by your ad. Because listeners are often sitting alone (frequently in their cars), speak to them like you're having a one-on-one conversation. Address them directly, and your message will get across. 2. On radio, you need to keep your message simple and focused. Choose one theme and stick to it. Remember that it takes longer to say something out loud than it does to read it. The average 30-second radio spot contains only about 70 words. Mention your company name at least three times in those 30 seconds. 3. Different radio stations require different types of ads. In "Guerrilla Advertising," Jay Levinson identifies two basic types of stations. "Background" stations are on in the background and are typically music stations that are listened to passively. Foreground" stations require active listening. They would include talk radio, all-news radio, call-in shows, and the like. Make your ad sensitive to the format to keep the listener's attention - don't use a "voice-only" ad on a music station; don't put a country and western jingle on a classical music station; and don't use a music-driven ad on talk radio. 4. You have two basic choices when it comes to creating a radio ad. You can provide a script and have it read by the announcer. Or you can provide a tape. If you choose the latter, have a professional announcer read the copy; and consider using background music or sound effects as a way of making the ad stand out.

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5. If you're using a script, consider placing your ads on the show of a wellknown radio personality. By having the personality read your ad, it will sound like a testimonial. And make sure the personality is familiar with your product or service - send them a sample, if appropriate. 6. Repetition is very important in radio: Because it takes several airings for the listener to become familiar with your name and product or service. Frequency helps you break through the clutter. Consider running your spots at the same time every day for a week. Take a week off and then run it for another week. 7. Entertaining Commercials sell Humor, much of the mad variety, holds audience just as well as the surrounding program material. Music is used skillfully to capture attention or to create moods. The good radio writer knows that in this era of half-listening radio audiences it is vital to give the listener just one principal idea to carry away. Details should be kept to a minimum. 8. Words are your illustrations Radio scriptwriter job is to make those-listening to your commercial see the product through youre his words alone, smell it, taste it, want it. If you are asked to prepare radio commercials for an automobile you must deftly use description, put your audience in the drivers seat of that car-make them feel its surging strength-its ease of handling-make them see its handsome lines. Description is vital in a great many radio commercial. In radio the writer is the artist as well as the writer. 9. Try them out loud The one most important rule to learn about writing for radio is that every single word you set down on paper for use over the air must be read aloud by you before you give it your personal approval. 10. Length of words and sentences Short words are usually the best radio words. Regardless of their pronunciation or ease of understanding, words that contain more than three of four syllables should be used only when absolutely necessary. Thus a great car is better than an exceptional car- Lovely preferable to beautiful- good to outstanding, and so on

METHODS OF DELIVERY:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The Live Commercials Station Announcers The prerecorded commercials Music Dialog

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6. Announcement 7. Celebrity announcer 8.

Chapter: 5
Copywriting for Internet
Interruption Marketing Combined shortage of time and attention is unique to today's information age. Consumers are now willing to pay handsomely to save time, while marketers are eager to pay bundles to get attention. Interruption Marketing is the enemy of anyone trying to save time. By constantly interrupting what we are doing at any given moment, the marketer who interrupts us not only tends to fail at selling his product, but wastes our most coveted commodity, time. In the long run, therefore, Interruption Marketing is doomed as a mass marketing tool. The cost to the consumer is just too high. The alternative is Permission Marketing, which offers the consumer an opportunity to volunteer to be marketed to. By talking only to volunteers, Permission Marketing guarantees that consumers pay more attention to the marketing message. It allows marketers to tell their story calmly and succinctly, without fear of being interrupted by competitors or Interruption Marketers. It serves both consumers and marketers in a symbiotic exchange. Permission marketing Coined and popularized by Seth Godin, permission marketing is the opposite of traditional interruption marketing. Permission marketing is about building an ongoing relationship of increasing depth with customers. In the words of Seth Godin, "turning strangers into friends, and friends into customers." Definition permission marketing: Marketing centered around obtaining customer consent to receive information from a company. Permission marketing has been hailed as a way for marketers to succeed in a world increasingly cluttered with marketing messages. Five steps to dating your customer Permission marketing is just like dating. It turns strangers into friends and friends into lifetime customers. Many of the rules of dating apply and so do many of the benefits, says Seth Godin, author of Permission Marketing. In his book, he outlines the following five steps to dating your customer: By: M H Lakdawala 34

1. Offer the prospect an incentive to volunteer. A first date represents a big investment in time, money and ego, so there had better be reason enough to volunteer. The incentive you offer to the customer can range from information, to entertainment, to a sweepstakes, to outright payment for the prospects attention. But the incentive must be overt, obvious and clearly defined. 2. using the attention offered by the prospect, offer a curriculum over time, teaching the customer about the product or service. The Permission Marketer knows that the first date is an opportunity to sell the other person on a second date. Every step along the way has to be interesting, useful and relevant. Instead of filling messages with entertainment designed to attract attention, focus on product benefits specific ways this product will help the prospect. 3. Reinforce the incentive to guarantee that the prospect maintains the permission. Over time, any incentive wears out. Just as your date may tire of even the finest restaurant, the prospect may show fatigue with the same repeated incentive. Because this is a two-way dialogue, the marketer can adjust the incentives and fine-tune them for each prospect. 4. Offer additional incentives to get even more permission from the customer. The goal is to motivate the customer to give more and more permission over time. For example, permission to gather more data about the customers personal life, hobbies or interests. Permission to offer a new category of product for the customers consideration. Permission to provide a product sample. 5. over time, leverage the permission to change customer behavior toward profits. Get them to say I do. Now you can live happily ever after by repeating the process while selling your customer more and more products. Marketing Campaigns Opt-In, Opt-Out: How many times have you gone to a website and entered a contest. downloaded a free book or white paper, or played a game? Often at the bottom of the form there are check boxes that ask you whether you would like to receive further information or an email update on the product. This is opting-in. There is also an opt-out variation-the checkbox is already checked and you have to uncheck it to opt out of the newsletter update or further information.

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When you get email from this company, you feel that it was fine to receive this mail because you allowed it to arrive at your desktop. It was solicited and accepted. That's what opt in, opt-out is. Opt-in e marketing has two functions: 1. Intelligence 2. Engagement. Traditional banner ad click-through rates are 0.5 percent, and traditional interruption mail is 1 percent to perhaps 2 percent at most. Click-through rates for opt-out still constitutes the bulk of email, with opt-in email being only around 38 percent of the total email volume as of 200.The future of opt in email is very bright , as long as the rules of engagement are clear to the potential recipient of that email. Two methods of Internet advertising are: 1. E-mail: It is most often text based, tagging along on a consumers incoming messages. It can include graphics. It is generally just a few sentences of text embedded in another firms content. Advertisers purchase space in the e-mail sponsored by others (e.g. Hotmail). 2. Web site Advertising Usually includes multimedia content, utilizing banners, buttons, interstitials, and sponsorships on Web sites. Web sites advertising can be as small as a line of text with an embedded hyperlink to the advertisers site. a. Banners and Buttons Banners and buttons occupy designed space for rent on Web pages. This is similar to the print advertising model used by magazines and newspapers, except on the Net there are video and audio capabilities in that few square inches of space. Buttons are square or round and banners are rectangular. b. Sponsorship Sponsorship integrates editorial content and advertising. Most traditional media clearly separate content from advertising. Sponsorships are blooming on the web as banner clutter rises and as more firms build synergistic partnerships to provide useful content. Sponsorships are particularly well suited for the Web because in many ways the commercial side of the Web is simply a series of firms pursuing similar targets. c. Interstitials: Interstitials are java-based ads that appear while the publishers content is loading. They represent only small percentage of all Web advertising expenditure. d. superstitials The next iteration of interstitials is called superstitials. These feature video like ads timed to appear when a user moves her mouse from one part of a web site

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to another. Superstitials look like mini videos, using Flash technology and java to make them entertaining and fast. An important variation of interstitials is daughter windows or pop-ups.

Writing for Web


1. A simple message in plain English should be the primary goal. The execution of that message is simply a Web coding interpretation that takes into account the speed of downloading the message, the technical ability to view that message and the degree of interactivity allowed by the prevailing technology. 2. Permission marketing: Unlike any other type of medium in which your strategic use of words, graphics and media selection draw your target audience towards your message, with the Web your audience gives you permission to communicate your message. This permission marketing is a direct reflection of the consumers growing ability to discriminate between advertised messages and settle for their own choice of buying channel. 3. Because of the international audience Web English has to be precise, to the point and inviting: It is thought that surfers take no mare than three clicks per page to decide whether or not to stick with a site. If your message is not sufficiently compelling, they simply, click off. 4. Keeping surfers hooked: Make sure your words are given the space to breath. Surfers read Web pages from a middle of the screen outwards. So plan site accordingly. As a surfers attention span is short, every word should be hard working. Linked together as paragraphs, your messages form a bridge of arguments that defend your brand positioning. 5. It is essential that you keep your dotcom messages flowing. Avoid closed reading by featuring link phrases, which encourage the surfer to read further and longer, like: But-----However--So-----Because---Whats more---In Addition----Dotcom words and phrases Tremendous, Huge, Mega, celebrate, Money, Hurry, Business, Stop, Hello, Love Profit, Revealed, Guarantee, New, Urgent Plus, Young, Explode, Remarkable, Cash, Fresh, Free, Unbelievable, Sparkle

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Secrets, Networking, Enterprise etc. Following dotcoms copy phrases are used as openers for emails, but they can double up in dotcom sites.

Chapter: 6
Copywriting for Outdoor and Transit Commercials
Outdoor and transit advertising is primarily the graphic artists medium. People merely glance at the posters and billboards; no one stops to read them carefully. Here, the copy has to be short as possible, mostly a catchy slogan capable of conveying at least one major idea. The copy must be simple; direct and compact, outdoor ads generally use symbols, which are easily recognized, even from a good distance. You will undoubtedly be concerned with only five major forms of outdoor advertising: 1. 24-sheet posters (bill-boards) 2. 3-sheet posters (seen on walls of stores) 3. Painted bulletins and painted walls 4. Electric spectaculars. 5. Transit cards. What is a Poster? A poster is a visual communications tool. An effective poster will help you... a. Engage colleagues in conversation. b. Get your main point(s) across to as many people as possible. The following are the essentials of a good outdoor copy or poster: Short Copy: You cannot afford to be wordy on a poster. Hardly 5 or 6 effective words and the copy is over. In no case it should exceed 8 - 10 words. Human interest: It has got to be read in a jiffy. So a human-interest appeal like Better late than Never has a better chance to be understood. Just Aim and Shoot a poster of Hot Shot camera with a pretty model immediately impresses the mind. Even children form a good subject. Human tragedies are also appealing.

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Single Unique Idea: One single but most dominating idea makes a poster successful. Ek Ya Do Bus is a good example. Avoid Subtlety: Moving people have less time to think, poster writers should be, therefore, direct, straight ward and down-to-the-earth. Logo and Package: Corporate identification marks should be kept prominently on the posters (e.g., Tiger of Goodlass Nerolac or Kangaroo of Patel Roadways). It s a good communication tool in transit medium and outdoor medium. Companys name should be placed side by side the logo. Good logo enhances the name of the company, e.g. penguin trademarks. Package of the company can also be prominently placed on a poster. Visibility: Poster should have high visibility. Colour combinations are used to impress the onlookers. Posters have some special characteristics of outdoor aids. It has widespread popular appeal. These are the links between home and store and complement the TV ads. By its very nature the medium is big and dominant. It has a long life. It has wide coverage. It is a flexible medium. And, finally, let this be clearly understood that writing an ad is very different from writing a latter, an editorial or an article for a magazine. Advertising writing requires more than an understanding of the techniques involved in it. It requires practice and openness to constructive criticism.

Chapter: 8
Copywriting for Direct Mail-letters

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Chapter 9 Copy for specialized areas


1. Corporate advertising
Definition: It means any form of advertising, which has as its objective, the building up of a companys reputation. Advertising whose purpose is to promote the image of a corporation rather than the sale of a product or service. Also called "Image Advertising." The main aim is to build a positive image for the firm in the eyes in internal and external public in institutional advertising. It does not attempt to sell anything directly. However, it does a lot of good to the organization as a whole. It forcefully tells how the organisation is a socially responsible institution. It also tells about the nationalistic learnings of the organization. It shows how its actions are consistent with overall national objectives like environmental protection, employment generation, literacy, loss prevention, health for all etc. It is integrated to public relations function of the organisation. Corporate advertisements may be addressed either to consumers or other groups like government, suppliers, financial institutions etc. Effective Corporate advertising evokes a positive response amongst the target group and creates goodwill. Corporate advertising may introduce products indirectly or may introduce the sales people indirectly. Glaxos advertising on child health may make doctors favorably inclined to meet its medical representatives. Institutional advertising like product advertising can be in formative, persuasive or reminder-oriented. Its objectives are of institutional/corporate advertising are: 1. To make the company known. 2. To make its products/services known. 3. To make its achievements known 4. To make its values known. 5. To make socio-political/economic/moral statements. The dividing line, between corporate image and corporate reputation is very thin. Ultimately, it is reduced to a system of honoring corporate commitments towards various groups with whom the company deals directly/ indirectly.

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Corporate Image It means image or impression created in the public mind by the name or symbol of a company or organization. It also referred to as corporate identity and having much to do with the reputation of the concern. TYPES of Corporate Advertising 1. Advocacy Firm wants public to know where it stands on issue. Usually, media refuse to accept PR message. Hence corporate purchase ad space to present their point of view 2. Special Situation e.g. Amir Khan TVC for Coca-cola after pesticide controversy e.g., public TV programs sponsored by firm Improve image thro' choice of program 3. General Image Largest category of corporate advertising Enhance basic image No specific target To write an effective copy for Corporate advertising the following are the essential factors: 1. The principal role of, corporate advertising is to contribute to the achievement of corporate objectives by delivering to targeted market participants, selected messages and impressions which attempt to alter favorably or reinforce knowledge, perceptions and/or attitudes about the corporation. 2. Corporate advertising informs and persuades product/service markets concerning the product and auxiliary service benefits of the business offerings. Any enhancement of relationship values, which occurs as a result, is a bonus. 3. Corporate advertising also enhance and reinforce the corporations perceived relationship values, although there may well be some enhancement of perceived product or service values, as well.

2. Financial Advertising:
Definition: Financial advertising refers to advertising in respect of financial matters by firms, banks and financial institutions. Financial advertising is undertaken in respect of issues of shares, debentures, bonds, deposit schemes, etc.

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The media used for financial advertising is normally newspapers and magazines. Some large organizations may use television and even outdoor media such as large hoardings. The media used for financial advertising is normally newspapers and magazines. Some large organizations may use television and even outdoor media such as large hoardings. Going by creative and ad spends alone, the mutual funds or insurance are emerging as among the biggest and most visible of financial products. Role of Financial Advertising: 1) Educates the public 2) Reminder to investors 3) Builds goodwill 4) Develop Savings Culture 5) Generates Employment To write an effective copy for Financial Ads the following are the essential factors: 1) The performance and future prospects of the company 2) The image of the company 3) The premium charged on the share price 4) The support of the broker 5) The truthful statements made in the ads. 6) The mandatory requirements Financial advertising has a very limited role to play because the product is not like an FMCG or a consumer durable, and consumers are doubly cautious. Advertising has limited impact because the audience, Financial advertising are trying to reach doesn't really look at an ad to make a decision. While advertising brings the brand into the consumer's consideration set, the business is really about distribution. The big hurdle is a general mental barrier and a lack of concern for financial planning among the 25-35 year-olds. But, with the growing awareness of a need for alternatives to fixed deposits, and with higher income levels, financial products will become more popular. Financial advertising focus more on retail investors. Since government regulation ensures that there is not much differentiation in products, it should come through in the communication, thats why financial ads must look beyond the family stereotypes. Financial Advertising is still many stages away from brand building for specific products.

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It is also important to project the company as caring and willing to do more for the customer. The biggest challenge is raising awareness, and thereby penetration, because there is a general feeling that `I don't need insurance'." While advertising overall will soon become more product-focused, it is expected to retain the casual, caring tone. Financial Advertising is the key differentiator in a multi-brand environment, especially in an emerging industry where several players start off at the same time. "Advertising which is credible, compelling and relatable will give the consumer the confidence that `here is a company that could be trusted,' and help bring a brand/company closer to the consumer and establish a long-term relationship." Top tips for financial advertising: 1. Your advert should be serious and business like enough to ensure people would trust you with their money: But do not be too technical: remember some investors will not know what 'discretionary advice portfolio management' or 'managed funds' are. 2. When making an assertion such as 'the smart investors choice' have something to back this up. People are not going to hand over their money to you just because you say they ought to. You need proof: results of the previous years investments, reviews from independent sources (such as the FT, the Economist or Wall Street Journal), awards or even personal testimonials. 3. Remember to stay relevant. This may sound obvious but you'd be surprised how many adverts use eye-catching but completely irrelevant illustrations, photos and captions. While these may catch the reader's attention the danger is that they will remember the pretty picture rather than your company and its message. 4. Offer some kind of benefit. What makes you different and better than your competition? 5. Try giving away some free advice. A lot of adverts are ultimately just saying 'trust us with your money, we are the best' but why should people believe you? You may be an established brand, but why not show your expertise through a news style advert on the state of the economy or free advice. This shows you believe in your experts; that you do know what you are talking about rather than just asserting that you do. Also since you have been generous enough to give away this information, the reader may be more likely to give you a call than the other firms who just say 'pick me, I am the best.' 6. Offer a unique selling proposition. When it comes to almost any type of financial product your customer is faced with a huge variety of different firms to choose from.

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7. Always take care of the statutory and legal requirements.

3. Recruitment advertisements
Definition: Recruitment advertising is all about advertising a vacancy. Its objective is to save time, improve the quality of applicants and reduce the cost of selection process. These ads can represent approximately 50 per cent of the total selection process cost in time and expenses. Ineffective ads lead to more unqualified applicants and a more costly and time-consuming resume-screening process. Thus It is an advertising which is designed to recruit staff of any kind. Consists mostly of classified and semi-display advertisements. Problems with current Recruitment advertisements * Many ads are too long and therefore, too costly. * Most ads attract far too many applicants (especially, unqualified but hopeful ones). * Many ads ask for credentials and/or years of experience which are often considered to be barriers. * Some ads are too short, overly vague, and ambiguous or are missing essential qualifications. * Some ads are overly creative in style or wording (e.g., The ideal candidate will have a passion for customer satisfaction, enjoy working with clients, has initiative, excellent problem solving skills, is energetic, enthusiastic, highly motivated and professional with single minded dedication to service excellence). Points to remember for writing effective recruitment advertisements 1) Avoid too many adjectives and adverbs. 2) Include the salary range. 3) Avoid include misleading job titles. 4) Simple words without creating any confusion 5) Only give relevant information 6) Give emphasis on perquisite qualification 7) Avoid credentials or years of experience as it prevent talented people without experience to apply Performance-based recruitment ads highlight the essential qualifications of the vacancy and the Performance Clause requires applicants to submit a customized application for that job, itemizing how they meet each of the required essential qualifications.

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Potential applicants really appreciate the "self-screening" benefits of the Performance Clause. It helps them to realize that they are unqualified or overqualified for the position and probably shouldnt waste your time or their own.

4. Retail Advertising
Definition: Offers goods or services for sale direct at an address or addresses within a radius of 80 kilometres (50 miles) of the town in which the main edition of the publication is produced. Retail advertising encompasses all advertising by stores that sell goods or services directly to the consuming public. Retail advertising varies widely in it effectiveness. One study showed that consumers often respond with suspicion to retail price advertisements. Source, message, and shopping experience seem to affect consumer attitudes toward these advertisements. The problem results from the retail store often treating advertising as a secondary activity. Except for some retail giants, they rarely hire advertising agencies. Instead, store managers usually accept responsibility for advertising along with other duties. To correct this deficiency, management should assign one individual both the responsibility and the authority to develop an effective retail-advertising program. Retail Advertising Objectives Retail advertising includes all advertising by stores that sell goods or services directly to the consuming public. Retail advertising varies widely in it effectiveness. One study showed that consumers often respond with suspicion to retail price advertisements. Source, message, and shopping experience seem to affect consumer attitudes toward these advertisements.

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Retail Advertising Objectives

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5. International markets- Language and campaign transfer.


Definition of International Advertising: a product or service in a country other than where it originates. I. CONSTRAINTS ON INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISING A. Languages: a. There are many more languages than countries b. Technical accuracy of perfect translations are not sufficient -c. Persuasive messages must speak the language of the heart -- intimate local knowledge is required B. Role of Advertising in Society Different role of advertising in each country Advertising is growing faster in many overseas markets Spain, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand up 15% per year China advertising increased 50% per year in 1990s C.Media Availability D. Two factors at work to keep advertising from being available overseas: Government regulation - may limit commercials Communications infrastructure in other countries: E. Government Controls Problem for marketers everywhere -- government regulations 1. Tobacco, alcohol, drugs are special targets 2. Some media not available or very limited 3. Advertising messages have restrictions - 40 countries regulate the languages that can be used 4. Ad budget can draw government attention (too large) Also, ad budgets of drug firms 5. Some countries restrict ownership of ad agencies 17 countries allow only minority foreign ownership Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan allow none at all F. Competition a. Some markets - international companies compete with each other b. Some markets - international company competes against nationals c. National company may increase or change budget because of international companies advertising F. Agency Availability a. Some countries have only one international agency, some two b. Frequently, two agencies are affiliates of large international agency

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(Service may be better than numbers suggest) c. U.S. and U.K. have over 500 international agencies each d. Quality of service corresponds to economic development Localized or Standard (approach)? 1. Arguments reflect self-interested evaluations of parties involved 2. Management of local subsidiary and the agency are defensive about uniqueness of the market and need for special approaches 3. Subjective factors influence other side of argument 4. International agency /ad manager favor international approach 5. International manager has bias toward international approach 6. Desire of top management to have one name, one image, worldwide 7. Localized and standardized refer to two extremes of international advertising spectrum 8. Neither extreme is usually practiced Note for writing copy for international market 1. Humorous examples - corpse for body 2. English language in campaigns should be of 5th-6th grade levels 3. Use no slang words 4. Copy should be short 5. Visual presentation minimizes need for translation

6. Political advertising
Definition: 1 Political advertising includes communications supporting or opposing a candidate for nomination or election to either a public office or an office of a political party (including county and precinct chairs). 2. Political advertising includes communications supporting or opposing an officeholder, a political party, or a measure (a ballot proposition). This type of advertising is undertaken by political parties or candidates, especially, during election times. Thus Political advertisement is a paid expression in any mass media. Political advertising is a primary means through which candidates, parties, and issue advocacy groups communicate to the citizenry.

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Because political advertising, unlike product advertising, must get results in a short period of time, political practitioners use several kinds of political advertising: (1) Image (2) Issue (3) And negative advertising. Although there exists no rule in using political advertising, prior to the 1980s candidates usually used issue or image ads at the beginning of a campaign to establish their positive image and then used negative ads at the end of the campaign to attack the opponent. However, those strategies were abandoned in the 1980s. A significant trend in today's political advertising is the increasing use of negative political advertising. In today's political campaign, candidates, either challengers or incumbents, use negative ads from the beginning of a political campaign. Even when television is used to communicate political truth (at least from one candidate's perspective), the truth can be negatively packagedattacking the opponent's character and record rather than supporting one's own. If there is a single trend obvious to most American consultants, it is the increasing proportion of negative political advertising.... At least a third of all spot commercials in recent campaigns have been negative, and in a minority of campaigns half or more of the spots are negative in tone or substance. Because most negative ads have been employed to attack the opponent's image or issues, people may expect negative political ads to have standard formats and intense messages. Important points to remember while writing political advertising copy Garramone et. al. asserted that negative ads are very effective when differentiating or discriminating candidates' images, and they pointed out that: 1. By providing concrete substantive information, a negative political ad may allow voters to distinguish candidate qualities, positions, and performance more readily than would other types of political information that provide less explicit information. 2. The copy focus on the past, present and potential achievements of the concerned party or candidates. Copy also tries to exposed defects or weaknesses of the opposition so as to convince the voters to vote for their party or candidates.

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Where Does It Appear? 1. Political advertising includes communications that appear in pamphlets, circulars, fliers, billboards or other signs, bumper stickers, or similar forms of written communication. 2. Political advertising includes communications that are published in newspapers, magazines, or other periodicals in return for consideration. 3. Political advertising includes communications that are broadcast by radio or television in return for consideration. 4. Political advertising includes communications that appear on an Internet website. Political advertising in India Use of a professional agency for a political campaign in India dates back to the 1980s when Rajiv Gandhi used one. However, it seems only now that political parties are beginning to see the value of scientific planning and marketing techniques as they go into elections. Even the Congress has classified its constituencies based on sure wins, doubtful and lost -- and are supposedly focusing efforts accordingly. A far cry from the otherwise intuitive strategies adopted by the local leaders to rouse local emotions and garner votes. The first 30 years of elections were driven by one wave -- the euphoria of Independence and the Congress' heritage of being involved in the struggle against the British. And so poll after poll, the Congress came to power. In the last state elections, the BJP supposedly did a constituency-by-constituency analysis and applied localized strategies for each market -- depending on the issues in each market. The result: BJP swept the polls in three of the four states. And thus reaped the benefits of micro marketing.

7. B2B Advertising
Definition: - An area of advertising for products, services, resources, materials, and supplies purchased and used by businesses. This area includes: (1) industrial advertising, which involves goods, services, resources, and supplies used in the production of other goods and services; (2) trade advertising, which is directed to wholesalers and retailers who buy the advertised product for resale to consumers; (3) professional advertising, which is directed to members of various professions who might use or recommend the advertised product; and, (4) agricultural advertising, which is directed to farmers as business customers of various products and services.

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B2B is traditionally focused on relationships. That means less emphasis on generating transactions and more on providing customers with a consistent stream of information and service. Business now conforming to consumer trend. In the same way that groups of consumers became defined by their attitudes and values rather than by gender or geography, business buyers are now being viewed as humans with predispositions, likes and dislikes, rather than as dispassionate decision makers. Basing B2B appeals on facts and logic is no longer considered the only way to market. Gaining attention and market share through emotional appeals to business buyers is now emphasize. For example, AT&T advertised its services to businesses through emotionpacked scenarios where managers desperately rue their decisions to switch phone companies. This approach appeals to those who value reliability, a rational way to be, but it does so by striking fear in their hearts. What type is your target? Understanding the psychographics or logic system of your particular business target, whether chemists, doctors or data systems managers, may be expedited by convening several focus groups of typical prospects. Even a limited amount of feedback can cast a shimmering light on how to mold creative strategy. Also, some research is available relating job functions to personality types. One study disclosed that analytical types will predominate among chemical managers, and that type responds best to logic, not emotion. This example forewarns that it is sometimes best to aim for the head, not the heart. Factors to keep in mind while writing copy for B2B Advertisement: 1. Consumer online advertising works because they are on their own time and are more willing to be diverted to different types of activities. The goal of advertising should be to make that job easier. An advertiser that properly targets the message will be successful. People are receptive to appropriate marketing messages at work. With B2C, the advertisers are after instant transactions. In B2B, customers don't usually click and purchase. 2. Because B2B advertisers are not necessarily looking for an instant purchase, they must look at a longer time line to determine the effectiveness of their approach. That is why click-through rates are not particularly effective in measuring B2B ad effectiveness.

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3. Not only is the B2B purchasing cycle longer, but also there is usually more than one person making the decision. The ad viewer might pass the information along to someone else or save the information for future reference." 4. Lately, however, other aspects of B2C advertising such as positioning and brand awareness are being increasingly emphasized also in B2B advertising.

Creating B2B Advertising

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8. LOCAL ADVERTISING
Definition: - advertising by businesses within a city or directed toward customers within the same geographic area. Local advertising is sometimes called "retail advertising" because so much is placed by retail stores, although not all retail advertising is for local stores (Sears and Target). Local advertising is critically important because most consumer sales are made - or lost - locally. a. Types of local advertisers - there are four main types: 1. 2. 3. 4. Dealers or local franchises of regional or national companies. Stores that sell a variety of branded merchandise. Specialty businesses and services. Governmental, quasi-governmental, and nonprofit organizations.

b. Types of local advertising


1) Product advertising - promotes a specific product or service. I. Regular price-line advertising - informs consumers about services or merchandise offered at regular prices. II. Sales advertising - placing items on sale, offering specials, or reducing prices. III. Clearance advertising - a special form of sales advertising used to make room for new items, getting rid of old or slowmoving items. 2. Institutional advertising - attempts to create a favorable long-term perception of the business as a whole, not just a particular product or service. 3. Classified advertising - text ads listed under classification headers. c. Local advertisers have been using integrated marketing communications (IMC) for centuries combining personal selling with media advertising, direct marketing, sales promotion, and public relations. d. Creating local advertising 1. Many local advertisers succeed using a "schlock" approach 2. Finding big ideas for local advertising can be extremely difficult. Some local advertisers look to the merchandise for ideas. An important goal is to develop and consistently present a distinctive look. 3. Cooperative (co-op) Advertising is ready-made advertising, cooperative programs, or merchandising support provided by wholesalers, manufacturers, and trade associations to local dealers. By: M H Lakdawala 53

i. Vertical cooperative advertising manufacturer provides the complete ad and shares the cost of the advertising time or space with the local company. ii. Horizontal cooperative advertising firms in the same business or in the same part of town advertise jointly.

How National and Local Advertisers Differ

The basic principles remain the same for both national and local advertisers, but local advertisers have special challenges stemming from the day-to-day realities of running a small business. Hence, national and local advertisers differ in: a. Focus 1. National advertisers a. focus on building brands (ads focus on competitive features). b. Compete with only a few others for large market shares c. Plan strategically to launch, build, and sustain brands d. Marketing executive rarely see customers, they think in terms of large groups (segments, niches, target markets) and design ads to speak to these markets, getting feedback via customer complaint lines, etc. 2. Local merchants a. Carry hundreds of different brands, so the focus is on attracting customers to a particular point - their place of business. b. Compete with many companies for individual customers and sales volume. c. Plan short-term tactics, rather than strategy (Stay open Labor Day? Buy a new sign?) d. Local advertisers see their customers and interact with them in nonbusiness ways getting feedback every day. b. Time orientation 1. National advertisers think long-term (five-year plans, etc.) 2. Local advertisers are week-to-week planners. 3.

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c.

Resources 1. National advertisers have big budgets and large manpower. 2. Local advertisers have small budgets and small manpower.

The media used is normally the newspapers, cable network, neon signs, posters, billboards and even local cinema and local television networks. Local advertising builds name and goodwill of the local brands and brings in more sales from the local buyers. Besides retailers, large firms may also go in for local advertising usually at the time of market- testing of a product. This happens especially in case of a soft launch consumer product in selected area before embarking promotional campaign at a national level. Also many a times, some firms may first localize their marketing efforts and once success has been achieved, they spread out to wider horizons. A classic example could be Dainik Bhaskar, which was initially advertised and sold only in Madhya Pradesh and later entered other states such as Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Factors to be kept in mind to write copy for local advertisement: 1. The copy emphasize on price, availability and location. 2. The aim of the copy is not only to promote a particular brand but to inform the consumers about where to get the merchandise, the stock or variety available, prices and new offers.

9. Image Advertising
Definition: Promoting the image, or general perception, of a product or service, rather than promoting its functional attributes. Commonly used for differentiating brands of parity products. It is a long-term investment in building awareness, credibility and trust with prospects - current and future. It is important to distinguish between corporate advertisement, and image advertisement. Corporate identity is concerned with the visual aspects of a company's presence. When companies undertake corporate identity exercises, they are usually modernizing their visual image in terms of logo, design, and collaterals. Such efforts do not normally entail a change in brand values so that the heart of the brand remains the same - what it stands for, or its personality. But changes to logos, signage, and even outlet design do not always change consumer perceptions of quality, service, and the intangible associations that come to the fore when the brand name is seen or heard.

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The best that such changes can do is to reassure consumers that the company is concerned about how it looks. Brands do have to maintain a modern look, and the visual identity needs to change over time. But the key to successfully effecting a new look is evolution, not revolution. Totally changing the brand visuals can give rise to consumer concerns about changes of ownership, or possible changes in brand values, or even unjustified extravagance. If there is a strong brand personality to which consumers are attracted, then substantial changes may destroy emotional attachments to the brand. People do not expect or like wild swings in the personality behavior of other people, and they are just as concerned when the brands to which they have grown used exhibit similar "schizophrenic" changes. Brand identity is the total proposition that a company makes to consumers - the promise it makes. It may consist of features and attributes, benefits, performance, quality, service support, and the values that the brand possesses. The brand can be viewed as a product, a personality, a set of values, and a position it occupies in people's minds. Brand identity is everything the company wants the brand to be seen as. Brand image, on the other hand, is the totality of consumer perceptions about the brand, or how they see it, which may not coincide with the brand identity. Companies have to work hard on the consumer experience to make sure that what customers see and think is what they want them to. The objective of Image advertisement is to close the gap between Brand identity and Brand Image. Factors to keep in mind while writing copy for Image Advertisement The heart of Image Advertisement is that the advertised message a. Is true, b. Is clearly directed to the public, c. Runs over and over. d. Be Consistent: The tone and look of your image advertising and your product advertising should be consistent. Prospects using both will recognize, and be uncomfortable with, an attempt to send different or conflicting messages. e. Use of the same logo, call to action and contact information in all of your advertising is one way to form a common link. And if you develop a slogan or tag line that reflects your image, make it a part of every ad you create - it will help bring you more leads in the long term. Apple expresses liberty regained; Pepsi, youthfulness; Oil of Olay, timeless beauty; Saturn, the American competitive spirit; and AT&T, the promises of the

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future. People have a need for a specific product or service (i.e., carpet cleaning, pest control, jewelry, bank service) at different times and when they need that product or service, you want them to think of you first. Another effective technique is the third-party testimonial. A complimentary letter from a satisfied client, a quote from a seller with a compelling story, a photo with a buyer's family in front of their new home any of these can be developed into an effective image ad. After getting written permission from the client to use their story and their name, build this "instant reference" into your advertising. Most readers enjoy newspaper classified advertising because the ads reflect "people just like me." So a testimonial from a client gives you immediate credibility, and rapport, with your prospects. Effective image advertising answers three questions for the prospective buyer or seller: 1. Who you are. 2. What you do. 3. Why you are the professional of choice in your niche. Image ads can run in TV/Radio, newspapers, magazines or billboards

10. Fashion and lifestyle advertising:


Definition: Fashion and lifestyle advertising, primary goal is to create a mood or lifestyle that consumers will want to emulate. Target audience is attracted to fun, caring relationships; relationships that make them want to experience what the advertising depicts. Fashion advertisements carry badges that are easy to identify, relate to or be inspired by. Each new season's fashion advertising created a buzz and consumers wore, as a social statement as much as a fashion statement. The Indian consumer has never been more willing to experiment with products with the element of contemporary design than he/she is now. Quality and contemporary design have emerged as the new value drivers for consumers today. Future trends, therefore, indicate that value equations will incorporate aesthetic considerations alongside economic and functional considerations. In the pre-1980s, price was the predominant purchase determinant; some years later, quality coupled with price assumed importance. The 1990s witnessed an assortment of quality, range and price calling the shots. Today, some 30 million

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Indian consumers determine their purchase decisions across diverse categories based on contemporary design coupled with quality. Next, the demographics is `amazingly' in favour of fashion. India will have the largest numbers of population in the 20-44 year age group within the next few years - with the willingness and ability to pay. Such a breakdown doesn't exist even in a market as huge as China. India is rich not only in its cultural and diverse heritage, but also in its preferences for colours, foods, interaction, as well as the traditional retailing formats. There is a lot to learn from this and apply to the products made today, and also into our retail formats. Factors to keep in mind while writing copy for Fashion and lifestyle advertising 1. Fashion is personal and individualistic. Therefore, copy need to guide customers to a place or product where he or she feels delighted - using that service or product should make one feel fashionable. 2. More and more Indians now want to dress differently and brands and retailers had a difficult time trying to meet the varied tastes and preferences of consumers. 3. Ethnicity seemed to be the flavour of the season - something copywriters needed to capitalize on. There are enough fashion products available in India; retailers only need to place them in such a way that they look fashionable to customers." Indian retailers and fashion brands need to provide quality, as this was the only way we could compete with products from countries such as China. Industry experts unanimously agreed that fashion brands ought to work harder in creating fashion tastes along desired channels - that brands must try to reach out to customers beyond the affluent sections.

11. Trade Advertising:


Definition: It is undertaken by manufacturers of consumer goods as well as industrial goods. It is undertaken to influence the dealers to stock and promote the advertisers goods. Through trade advertising, the advertisers expect the response stock and promote the sale of my products. Advertising falls into two main categories: consumer advertising, directed to the ultimate purchaser, and trade (or business-to-business) advertising, in which the appeal is made to business users through trade journals and other media. Trade ads are meant to sell, not increase brand awareness. So the content and design of the typical trade ad is geared to providing as much information about a product or service as possible. The result is that trade ads tend to be copy By: M H Lakdawala 58

intensive, listing all the product features, benefits, and reasons to buy that can be crammed into the ad. Trade ads also make liberal use of bullets, underlines, sub-headlines, etc., just to make sure the reader doesn't miss anything, and to make everything look important. All of this makes for pretty tough sledding for the reader (if they make the effort to read). But it doesn't have to be that way. Factors to keep in mind while writing copy for Fashion and lifestyle advertising Trade ads can dramatically increase their readership, and the return on their cost, if you keep these three things in mind: 1. Don't overlook your brand Trade ads are far more inviting and engaging for the reader when they incorporate a company's unique brand identity - logo, tagline, color scheme, etc. Trade advertising should be recognized as an opportunity to sell and reinforce brand identity at the same time. Readers are much more easily drawn to advertising that communicates a unique brand personality. So incorporate a sense of brand in your trade advertising and see for yourself how your ad almost magically stands out in the clutter of other ads. And watch your readership and response increase. 2. Write for the reader Have you ever noticed the tendency of trade ads to talk about the company, instead of the customer? Make sure your ad is focused on customer needs, not company credentials. Remember the old sales adage "if there's nothing in it for me (the customer), then there's nothing in it for you (the seller)" when you craft your copy. 3. Create "quick" ads Make sure your ad is created to be "quick." Quick to be noticed, quick to scan or read and, most important, quick to connect with the reader's needs with your product or service. Whatever you're trying to sell, the reader has got to "get it" quickly or he likely won't get it at all. Layout is critical to being quick. Keep your ad layout simple, clean and easy to look at, even when a lot of copy is involved. Large copy blocks are killers that discourage readership. So break it up into easily digestible bits. Trade advertising and good creative work can, and should, peacefully co-exist. When they do, the dollars you invest in trade ads will yield bigger returns in readership and profits.

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The media used includes trade journals, industrial magazines, and direct mail.

12. Mail Order Advertising:


Mail Order It is a distribution channel. Consumer buy direct by post either in response to an advertisement or from a sales promotional catalogue. Deliveries are made through the mail, by carrier direct from warehouse or factory, or sometimes through a local agent. Definition: Mail order advertising means the ads you place in all the publications catering to your potential customers. It also includes the sales letters and/or circulars you send out via direct mail or as follow-up materials with your orders. And, it also encompasses any radio/television as well as word of mouth or free publicity blurbs you might get. In today's marketplace, most customers can easily access any number of retail stores, but they don't have the time. Instead of spending their precious free time at the mall, they can pore through the pages of mail order catalogs that offer just about everything they can imagine. Factors to keep in mind while writing copy for Mail order advertising: 1. Mail order advertising is always set in small type. It is usually set in smaller type than ordinary print. That economy of space is universal. (2) Every line is utilized. Borders are rarely used. (3) In mail order advertising there is no boasting, save of super-service. There is no useless talk. There is no attempt at entertainment. There is nothing to amuse. Mail order advertising usually contains a coupon. That is there to cut out as a reminder of something the reader has decided to do. (4) Mail order advertisers know that readers forget. They are reading a magazine of interest. They may be absorbed in a story. A large percentage of people who read an ad and decide to act will forget that decision in five minutes. The mail order advertisers that waste by tests, and he does not propose to accept it. So he inserts that reminder to be cut out, and it turns when the reader is ready to act. (5) In mail order advertising the pictures are always to the point. They are salesmen in themselves. They earn space they occupy.

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(6) The size is gauged by their importance. The picture of a dress one is trying to sell may occupy much space. Less important things get smaller spaces. Pictures in ordinary advertising may teach little. They probably result in whims. But pictures in mail order advertising may form half the cost of selling. And you may be sure that everything about them has been decided by many comparative tests. Before you use useless pictures, merely to decorate or interest, look over some mail order ads. Mark what their verdict is. (7) Mail order advertising tells a complete story if the purpose is to make an immediate sale. You see no limitations there are on amount of copy. The motto there is, "The more you tell the more you sell." And it has never failed to prove out so in any test we know. (8)Sometimes the advertiser uses small ads, sometimes-large ads. None are to small to tell a reasonable story. But an ad twice larger brings twice the returns. A four times larger ad brings four times the returns, and usually some in addition. But this occurs only when the larger space is utilized as well as the small space. Set half-page copy in a page space and you double the cost in returns. We have seen many a test prove that.

13. PR Advertising
Definition: Public Relations Advertising represents the management and communicates the policies, problems and performances to the public. It should therefore be objective. Public Relations Advertising is effective when the organisation practices what it preaches because PR means 90 p.c. doing and 10 p.c. talking about it. It generally precedes the share issues these days to create a favorable climate for investing public. Annual Reports of the companies and the chairmans speech have also the potential of being good public Relations Advertising provided they are excellently drafted. Public Relations Advertising addressed to customers is about the price revisions for whatever reasons customer educations ads, notice about change in address/phone numbers grievance redressal mechanism etc. It is the must at the time of crisis like a fire in a factory, major accident or disaster. It then becomes an effective damage-containing device. It may be appreciated that many areas of institutional and PR Advertising overlap. Institutional Advertising definitely has a PR content but is more indirect and philosophic. PR Advertising on the other hand can be down-to-earth, and is a communication with any of the public with which the organisation interacts. Public relations advertising directs a controlled public relations message at an important public. When companies sponsor art events, programs on public By: M H Lakdawala 61

television, or charitable activities, they frequently place public relations ads in other media to promote the programs and their sponsorship, enhance their community citizenship, and create public goodwill. Definition2: Public relation advertising is undertaken to build, enhance and maintain a good corporate image of the company in the eyes and minds of the general public. It deals with issues rather than advertising of products or services. Public relations advertising can be undertaken not only by corporate firms but also by anyone such as government, individuals, social groups, trade groups of employees, etc. Types of PR Advertising There are four main types: 1. Institutional Advertising: It is also known as corporate image advertising. It is undertaken to build, maintain and improve good image of the firm in the minds of general public. The emphasis in the ads is placed on the company rather than it products or services. The copy of the institutional advertising normally referred is: 1. Research & Development of the firm 2. Number of factories or branches of the firm 3. The number of employees and facilities provided to them 4. Foreign collaborations, if any. 5. Distribution network of the firm 6. Market position of the firm 7. Products or services offered by the firm. 8. Social welfare programmes undertaken by the firm etc. 2. Advocacy Advertising: Institutional advertising when presented in an aggressive manner is called as advocacy advertising. The company can advocate its arguments on several issues ranging from government policies to employees issues like strikes. The copies for such types of Ads are usually argumentative and controversial in nature. 3. Public service advertising Public service advertising is an effective way to increase awareness of urgent crime-related issues facing a community--including drug abuse, gang violence, and hate crimes--and to build consensus around possible solutions. A company is often referred to as corporate citizens. As a citizen, a company may contribute to the service of the public through public service advertising.

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PSA dears with the social and cultural issues. Such issues are dealt with the intention of improving public welfare. Examples of such advertising include campaigns such as ; a. Anti-drugs campaign b. Anti-smoking campaign c. Anti-noise or dirt pollution campaign. d. Family planning or family welfare campaigns. e. Concern for the girl child campaign f. Anti-dowry and anti-child marriages campaign, etc. Normally large firms or social organizations like Lion club, and government bodies undertakes such public service advertising. The media of advertising includes newspapers, magazines and even radio and television. 4. Political Advertising: (same given in part 6)

14. Government Advertising:


Definition: Advertising is one of many tools the Governments use to communicate with the public. It is an important element in helping the government fulfill its duty to inform its citizens, in the official language of their choice, of government policies, programs, services or initiatives, or of dangers or risks to public health, safety or the environment. In order to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of its advertising programs, the Government evaluates its major campaigns. For reporting purposes, the evaluation of government advertising is part of public opinion research activities and includes advertising pre-testing and post-campaign research, including recall surveys that measure the effectiveness of a campaign in reaching its target audience and desired objectives. In order to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of its advertising programs, the Government evaluates its major campaigns. One of the most commonly heard criticisms of advertising by government is that the advertisements are publicly funded party propaganda. One of the often-cited defenses for advertising by government is the rationale that it is merely responding to requests. Government advertising seek to ascertain not only what packaging would best be suitable, but also what kinds of information, if any, are needed. The point is that any unsolicited information, which does not respond to a need for it, will meet with negative reaction on the part of the public. ... In other words,

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if general publics are not aware of programs, they do not require information and the demand for it is non-existent. This raises the question as to whether or not government can generate the demand for consumption of packaged information. Definition 2: An advertising by which the government engages the public on issues of importance and modifies its policies based on that response. Information from government about its policies is necessary for citizens to make rational choices.

15. Agricultural advertising


Definition: Agricultural advertising, which is directed to farmers as business customers of various products and services. It promotes products used in farming and agribusiness. There are two major types of agricultural advertising; a. Agricultural inputs b. Agricultural produce Factors to keep in mind while writing copy for Agricultural advertising 1. Small and scattered production: As the small farmers production is very small, he cannot influence the market supply or the price of his produce. 2. Seasonal: during harvesting season, the prices of the commodities come down in the market 3.Bulky and perishable product: Due to the bulkiness of the farm products, transportation and storage become difficult and expensive. This demand greater care in storage and transportation. 4. Variation in quality and Quantity: The production depends upon the environmental factors like rainfall and pest incidence and agricultural methods. Therefore the products vary in quality and quantity. 5. Demand: The products are essential commodities. Hence, price changes do not bring great changes in demand. During season, the supplies are high and prices fall. 6.Unorganised Market: The markets are unorganized, unregulated and subject to manipulation by middlemen. It has been observed that the farmer gets only 40 to 60% of the price paid by the consumer with the balance shared by various intermediaries. 7. Production oriented Activity: The farmer is concerned only with production and he does not have sufficient finance, knowledge and expertise for marketing of the produce. He has no voice in fixing the ultimate price for the consumer.

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16. Rural Advertising


Definition: Rural India represents the heart of India. Approximately 80% of India lives in over half a million villages (627,000), generating more than half of the national income. Rural advertising challenge is to reach this magnitude of the rural masses where scores of official languages and a few hundred rural dialects are spoken. It should be acknowledged that different media mix is needed to convey messages to rural consumers. There is a need to understand what appeals to urban customers may not be appropriate for their rural counterparts owing to their different lifestyle. The entire communication and also the vehicles for the communicated message thus have to be different. It has been noticed that below-the-line communication like alternative and innovative ways of communication played a key role in building reassurance and trust, and so it is vital. In addition to rural market discourse, media forms such as wall paintings, calendar advertising, outdoor advertising, print, radio and television advertising. Various factors to be kept in mind for writing copy for rural masses: 1. If the Indian advertising industry is to tap rural India, it has to be firmly grounded in rural perception, values and traditions. 2. It has to draw itself in local colours and modes of communication to make it relevant to the rural masses. 3. It has to gain the trust of the masses by undercutting existing dependency on conventional advertisement on one hand and deceptive and manipulative claims on the other. This should be done with different innovative strategies that should be carried out within the framework of 4R s, that is, Relevance Reliability Reach Reincarnate innovation Any media vehicle or advertisement in rural India will be successful in terms of influencing people only if those advertisements are able to ensure all of the 4-Rs. Now, for different categories of product, the weights of different Rs should be different, i.e., say, for some category, Relevance may have more impact than Reliability or Reincarnating innovation. However, in some other case, it will be the other way round. This effect will be seen more in rural areas due to lack of information and clarity of the source of the information. 4. Broad strategies of rural advertising The prevalent ways of advertising in rural areas through different existing media

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and all the alternative and innovative media broadly revolve around three strategies, namely, 1. Influencer strategy 2. Participatory strategy 3. Show-and-tell strategy Influencer strategy: The role of the influencer or influencing communication cannot be ignored as far as rural India is concerned. The advertisements that revolve around this very strategy actually depend on the influence of different influential people and/or events in the villages to put across the message powerfully with more effect and purchase intention. An example of this kind of advertisement may be brand endorsement by any influential person in the village like the Mukhiya or the school master. Participatory strategy: Events like different festivals and different games and sports competitions actually have a high participation level in the rural India as other sources of entertainment are very less in those areas. So, these events and shows offer great opportunity to reach rural India cost effectively. Different brands sponsor different events and shows in rural villages which is actually a cost-effective way to advertise with the participatory strategy. Show-n-tell strategy: Many brands are venturing into different ways to educate their rural consumers about their brands and their usage through different shows and events. This kind of initiatives actually creates huge awareness about the brand among the interested people in the rural India. Different health related advertisements like Polio awareness and AIDS awareness programmes involve a show-n-tell strategy of advertising. I-Impact model hypothesis This model will take into account the different strategies discussed above and it will work by assigning different weights to different factors of the media, which actually affects the purchase decision and purchase intention.

17. Food and beverages


Definition: Advertisers using many methods to try and get target segment to buy their food and beverages products. Manufacturers create jingles, or catchy sayings, to encourage customers to think of their products. Various style of copywriting for Food and beverages advertising:

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1. Identify the food product that is connected to. "Betcha can't eat just one....." (Frito Lay) 2. Create characters that are associated with their product or brand. For e.g. favorite "food" characters, such as Tony The Tiger, The Honey Comb Kid, The Nestle Quick Bunny. 3. Family Fun - a product is shown as something that brings families together, or helps them have fun together; all it takes is for mum or dad to bring home the "right" food, and a ho-hum dinner turns into a family party. 4. Excitement - who could ever have imagined that food could be so much fun? One bite of a snack food and you're surfing in California, or soaring on your skateboard! 5. Star Power - your favorite sports star or celebrity is telling you that their product is the best! Kids listen, not realizing that the star is being paid to promote the product. 6. Bandwagon - join the crowd! Don't be left out! Everyone is buying the latest snack food: aren't you? 7. Scale - is when advertisers make a product look bigger or smaller than it actually is. 8. Put Downs - are when you put down your competition's product to make your own product seem better. 9. Facts and Figures - are when you use facts and statistics to enhance your product's credibility. 10. Repetition - advertisers hope that if you see a product, or hear it's name over and over again, you will be more likely to buy it. Sometimes the same commercial will be repeated over and over again. Important aspect of Food and beverages advertising: Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates food advertising under its statutory authority to prohibit deceptive acts or practices under various Section of the FDA Act. As set out in various section the FDA will find an advertisement deceptive under Section and, therefore, unlawful, if it contains a representation or omission of fact that is likely to mislead consumers acting reasonably under the circumstances, and that representation or omission is material. By: M H Lakdawala 67

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authority over the labeling, packaging, and branding of packaged foods and therapeutic devices. The FDA strives to provide perfect information' ensuring that products are labeled truthfully with the information people need to use them properly.

18. Durables advertising:


In economics, a durable good or a hard good is a good which does not quickly wear out, or more specifically, it yields services or utility over time rather than being completely used up when used once. Most goods are therefore durable goods to a certain degree. Perfectly durable goods never wear out. Examples of durable goods include cars, appliances, business equipment, electronic equipment, home furnishings and fixtures, houseware and accessories, photographic equipment, recreational goods, sporting goods, toys and games. Gone are the days when consumers had a limited choice when it came to purchasing Consumer Durables. Now, with the bulging list of new entrants in the category, consumers have a wider range to choose from. The obvious outcome is that the consume durables players have had to pump up their advertising initiatives. Various factors to be kept in mind for writing copy for rural masses: 1. Major consumer durable sales pick up during the festive season across all segments. Consumer durables sales increase by about 25-30 per cent during the festive season. 2. There is the relationship between price and quality 3. Use verbal and nonverbal elements structured and composed to fill predetermined space and time formats 4. Is a nonpersonal communication of information because advertising is directed to groups of people instead of individuals 5. Is usually designed to win converts through persuasion

19. Personal products:


Personal products are products that have a quick turnover, and relatively low cost. Consumers generally put less thought into the purchase of FMCG than other products. The absolute profit made on a FMCG product is less; however they are generally sold in high numbers. Hence profit in FMCG goods generally scales with the number of goods sold, rather than the profit made per item. The classification generally includes a wide range of frequently purchased consumer products including: toiletries, soaps, cosmetics, teeth cleaning By: M H Lakdawala 68

products, shaving products, detergents, and other non-durables such as glassware, bulbs, batteries, paper products and plastic goods. The category may include pharmaceuticals, consumer electronics and packaged food products and drinks, although these are often categorized separately. Note for writing effective copy for personal products 1. In some categories, such as toilet soaps, there has been little creativity and innovation, and instead a misplaced insistence on `bribing' the consumers with freebies. In such cases, the consumer have realized that the USP is just a better effective price an effective loss of pricing power through a move away from branding into commoditization. 2. Imagery and price premium is central to personal products marketing propositions. However, that needs to be backed by a clear value add. Taking the consumer for granted does not pay; companies that "fleece" the consumer with unduly high margins may eventually be forced to compete with one another in taking price cuts! 3. The trend is, in favour of companies that have not merely made brand promises, but also kept them!

Chapter: 10
The skill of proof checking

Ask yourself the following questions when reviewing each page: Do all the images appear? Are all the images clear in the printout? Do the equations contain all the correct characters? Are all the margins set correctly? Does all the text fit within the margins given for your page size? Are the margins devoid of any page numbers, headers and footers? Are there any blank pages? Is there any missing text?

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Proof checking guide: As a proofreader, you should check the copy to ensure correct:

Spacing, alignment, font, and style Grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation Placement and flow of content

To mark corrections on a hard-copy proof, you should:


Use an ink color that will be highly visible and clearly distinguishable from the copy (e.g. red). Using the table of marks on the reverse side as your guide, place a proofreading symbol for each correction within the copy and corresponding detail in the closest margin next to the line where the correction is needed. If more than one correction must be indicated in the same margin for a line, write the explanations in the proper order and separate them with a forward slash /. Write material to be inserted in the margin and mark its placement with a caret ^.

To achieve the highest level of accuracy possible:


Work in a quiet place where you will not be disrupted. Take your time. Never assume or guess that something is right. If in doubt, check it out.

Art Check Do you have the latest file? Are there any inconsistencies in the layout (colors, headers and footers, fonts, picture boxes and outlines, stroke widths, alignment, etc.)? Are photos and artwork placed correctly within their boxes? Do photos and other graphics fill boxes or boxes allow for the full graphic as appropriate? Have the bleeds been set correctly? Are the folds correct? Are the fonts correct (not replaced, substituted, or locally styled)? Does the text flow correctly? By: M H Lakdawala 70

Does justified text look good (no rivers or over hyphenation)? Are photos and artwork the correct resolution and suitable quality? Have the color separations been tested? Spot color jobs only (includes spot varnish). Overall, does it look good (no red flags, questions, or concerns)? Just common sense! Has everything been thoroughly communicated in writing to the printer? You can never over communicate with your printer!

Chapter 11
The grammar of copy writing:
Copywriting doesn't necessarily demand the strictest observance to formal English grammar. Because your objective is to build an empathetic rapport with your readers, you want to write the way they speak. Depending on the circumstances and your intended audience, using slang, sentence fragments, contractions, colloquialisms, and so on is perfectly acceptable. Yet you still want to maintain credibility, so not everything goes. When writing copy, you're walking a fine line between informality and incomprehensibility. Using sentence fragments According to the rules, "real" sentences must have complete subject-verb-object constructions; anything less is a "fragment" that must be rejected. Nonsense. As long as your fragments clearly communicate complete thoughts, they can be a perfectly acceptable part of your rhetorical tool chest for most assignments. When they're used thoughtfully, short fragments create pauses that bracket your ideas for greater emphasis. When they're used arbitrarily, they create confusion and disturb the rhythm of your writing.

Ending sentences with prepositions There are still some goose-stepping grammarians who insist that you can't end sentences with prepositions. They don't know what they're talking about. When it comes to this issue, they don't have a leg to stand on. Otherwise, this sentence would have to read, "They don't know the issues about which they are talking," or "They don't have a leg upon which to stand." Yes, ending sentences with prepositions is perfectly acceptable, as long as your intended meaning is clear and the preposition isn't redundant. For example, you might ask, "Where are you going?" but not, "Where are you going to?"

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Starting sentences with "and" or "but" Some people say you can never begin a sentence with the conjunctions "and" or "but." They're wrong. And plenty of grammar authorities agree. Sometimes leading with "and" or "but" is the most effective way to make an effective transition. (Yet you don't want to overdo it.) Using a thesaurus The bane of readers everywhere, the thesaurus encourages writers to apply gratuitously overblown rhetoric (like this) instead of plain language (like that). You're better off using your thesaurus as a doorstop than a writing aid. With rare exceptions, short, simple words are best. Be a straight talker, not a pompous interlocutor ("windbag"). Using contractions and slang Who says you can't use contractions? And dude, slang can be okay, too as long as you're using the right slang with the right audience. When in Rome, speak as the Romans do. Use Standard English with the business crowd. A word of caution, however: If you can't speak an insider's lingo with spot-on accuracy, don't even try. Just use simple, conversational English. Using active versus passive language In the active voice, the subject takes action. In "Caesar conquered Gall," the subject, "Caesar," is the agent of the action, "conquered." But this sentence was written in the passive voice, "Gall was conquered by Caesar," the agent of the action now becomes buried in the predicate. As a grammatical issue, the passive voice isn't necessarily wrong. But in most cases it's weaker, less emphatic writing. When you aim to encourage action, the passive voice undermines your impact. You want to make your products and services the agents of beneficial action in your prospects' lives. Think, "This product (subject) makes (verb) this happen (object)," not "This consequence was caused by this product." Applying correct spelling and punctuation You can get away with sentence fragments and slang, but incorrect spelling and punctuation undermine your credibility, making your company look stupid and eroding confidence in your professionalism. Don't proofread your own work. Yes, of course you should go over everything you write and make corrections before submitting your writing. In fact, reading your work out loud is a terrific way to uncover some typos, grammatical errors, and perhaps some misjudgments in rhythm and tone. But the writer's review should never be the final check before printing and publication. Writers are too

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close to their own work, and they'll either replicate their errors in the editing process or "read" into their review what they thought they wrote, instead of what's actually on the page. If you can, have a professional proofreader review your work. At the very least, have someone with excellent English language skills review it. Distrusting your word processor's spelling and grammar checkers Don't trust spelling and grammar checkers. Spelling checkers can't interpret the context of your word choices, so they can't, for example, distinguish among the correct uses of "there," "they're," or "their," or "it's" and "its." And the grammar checkers are notoriously incapable of interpreting complex sentences, often returning grossly incorrect advice. Rules to Bend or Break For copywriters, writing the way people talk is absolutely essential. Why? Because copy that is friendly, informal and conversational stands a better chance of getting prospects to click, call or buy. Which is exactly why sacrificing the following conventions can be in the copywriters best interest. Ending sentences with a preposition. To some a no-no, ending a sentence with a preposition can warm up your copywriting. Which sounds friendlier to you: Here is the information you requested or Here is the information you asked for? Beginning sentences with a conjunction. Beginning sentences with conjunctions (and, or, but, nor) is more common, even in journalism. Not only is it the way people talk, it can shorten sentence length, a plus in delivering sales messages. Other informal devices. Use contractions to warm up your message. Also, use sentence fragments. Not only do they shorten average sentence length, they add rhythm. And drama. Punctuation. Use punctuation to your selling advantage. Im inclined to use more dashes and an occasional exclamation point and ellipsis to add drama and excitement to the sales message. Commas can be pretty subjective, so I have a tendency to use the minimum amount to keep readers moving through the copy as quickly as possible.

Chapter 12 Different types of copy


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1. Advertorial
An advertorial is an advertisement written in the form of an objective opinion editorial, and presented in a printed publication usually designed to look like a legitimately and independent news story. The term "advertorial" is a portmanteau of "advertisement" and "editorial." Advertorials differ from publicity advertisements because the marketer must pay a fee to the media company for the ad placement, whereas publicity is placed without payment to the media company and with no control over the copy. Most publications will not accept advertisements that look exactly like stories from the newspaper or magazine they are appearing in. The differences may be subtle, and disclaimerssuch as the word "advertisement"may or may not appear. Sometimes euphemisms describing the advertorial as a "special promotional feature" or the like is used. Advertorials commonly advertise new products or techniquessuch as a new design for golf equipment or a new form of laser surgery. The tone is usually closer to that of a press release than of an objective news story: advertisers will not spend money to describe the flaws of their products. Many newspapers and magazines will assign staff writers or freelancers to write advertorials, usually without a byline credit. A major difference between regular editorial and advertorial is that clients usually have content approval of advertorials, a luxury usually not provided with regular editorial. A related practice is the creation of material that looks like traditional media (for instance, a newspaper or magazine) which is in fact created by a company to market its products. One familiar example are airline in-flight magazines which usually feature reports about travel destinations to which the airline flies. Product placement is another form of non-obvious paid-for advertising. This strategy was first popularized during the energy crisis of the 1970s. Mobil Oil felt its efforts to gets its side of the story out through the American press was failing. Political and media advisor Fred Dutton developed a strategy to publish Mobil Oil's opinion as an advertisement on editorial pages across the country. The strategy proved successful in getting its message out to both the public as well as politicians and Mobil Oil quickly became identified with this unique advertising strategy.

2. Infomercial

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Infomercials are television commercials that run as long as a typical television program (roughly 28 minutes, 30 seconds). Infomercials, also known as paid programming (or teleshopping in Europe), are normally shown outside of peak hours, such as late at night or early in the morning. The word infomercial is a portmanteau, which is formed by combining the words "information" and "commercial". As in any other form of advertisement, the content is a commercial message designed to represent the viewpoints and to serve the interest of the sponsor. Infomercials are often made to closely resemble actual television programming, usually talk shows, with minimal acknowledgement that the program is actually an advertisement. Infomercials are designed to solicit a direct response, which is specific and quantifiable, and are, therefore, a form of direct response marketing (not to be confused with direct marketing). The ad response is delivered directly to television viewers by infomercial advertisers through the television ad. In normal commercials, advertisers do not solicit a direct response from viewers, but, instead, brand their product in the market place amongst potential buyers. Infomercial advertisers may make use of flashy catchphrases (such as "Set it and Forget it"), repeat basic ideas, and/or employ scientist-like characters or celebrities as guests or hosts in their ad. Famous infomercial personalities include: Cher, George Foreman (with the George Foreman Grill), Daisy Fuentes, Jack Lalanne, Chuck Norris, Ron Popeil, Tony Robbins, Cheryl Tiegs, and Kevin_Trudeau. The book As Seen on TV (Quirk Books) by Lou Harry, Sam Stall and Julia Spalding highlights the history of such memorable products as the Flowbee, the Chia Pet, and Ginsu knives. Because of the sometimes sensational nature of the ad form, consumer advocates recommend careful investigation of the claims made within any infomercial ad and investigation of the company sponsoring the subject product of the infomercial before purchasing the featured product or products. Infomercials are for the largest part shown late night to early morning between 2:00am and 6:00am.

3. Jingles
These are catchy little tunes, which we pick up and hum quite unconsciously most of the times, like a refrain registered in our brain, which refuses to go away. Jingles make possible the association of memorable phrases with the product or with the company. As David Ogilvy once said, If you have nothing to say, sing it. A jingle with its repeat phrases has a far higher recall value than the visuals do. The signature tunes immediately conjure up their products. The music catches the attention of children and teenagers. It is important to know the target audience when

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composing a jingle. It is important to know the target audience when composing a jingle. The mood briefs are generally given to the jingle singer by the Agency. They tell whether a tune should be peppy or romantic, or joyous. They also give a profile of the target audience. Sometimes a story-board is given by the Agency to make the singer aware of the characters expected to be mouthing the jingle. Jingle composing, singing and making it work is highly creative art. Jingle composing involves co-ordination with client, composer, musician, recording studio, singer, voice over person and host of others.

Slogans:
A slogan is a small attractive phrase used in the ad to sum up the advertising message in a few words. Ideally the slogan should be short, preferably 5 to 7 words or even less than 5 words. The words must be simple, clear and easy to remember. It should be so designed that it can be repeated , perhaps a year or years together. The slogan should be such that it can be used in any media, whether on TV, radio, press and outdoor. Slogans are not easy to create. Sometimes, they just come along but most often slogans are the result of hard work of days together put in by the creative marketing people/advertising people. Great slogans are like great ideas, they don't come overnight. Basis for writing a slogan: Techniques/factors 1. Slogans can be based on the Quality of the product. Example: The best tobacco money can buy-Rothmans. 2. Slogan can be based on the Life of the company. Example: A trusted household name for over fifty years-Philips. 3.Slogans can be used to build Trust and confidence. Example: The name you can trust- Mafatlal. 4.slogans to guard against substitutes. Example: when its Philips, you can be sure. 5. Slogans emphasizing sales of the product. Example: India;s largest selling soft drink concentrate. Rasna. 6. Slogans emphasizing International reputation of the product. Example: The worlds favourite airline- British Airways. 7. Slogans can place emphasis on Advanced technology of the company.

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Example: In tune with tomorrow.- Bush. Example: Dunlop is Dunlop, always ahead. 8. Slogans emphasizing the use of the product. Example: A pocket doctor for aches and pains-Amrutanjan pain balm. Example: Real relief, real fast-Moov. 9. Slogans expressing Love and Affection Example: A gift for someone you love-Amul chocolates. 10. Slogans expressing Joy and happiness. Example: Happy days are here again.-Thumps up 11. Slogans emphasizing the choice of specific class. Example: The choice of new generation- Pepsi. 12. Slogans emphasizing the comfort and convenience. Example: Arrive in better shape-Cathay Pacific. 13. Slogans based on pride and possession. Example: Neighbours envy, Owners pride. 14. Slogans emphasizing name of the brand company. Example: Only Vimal 15. Slogan based on the headline of the ad. Example: Filter and tobacco perfectly matched-Wills. (headline: Made for each other), The twelve slogans of constructive persuasion: 1. Slogan are about you: Successful slogans tend to use the word you some where in the copy. 2. Slogan make promises 3. Slogans call for action 4. Slogans create ideals: Zindagi ke saath bhi Zindagi ke baad bhi. 5. Slogans are it: Go for it, Its here, you cant beat it. 6. Slogans are in a world of their own. Enter a new world of writing. 7. Slogan may rhyme: Top for shops, meals that appeal. 8. Slogans can be full of alliterations Supremely Scottish Salmon Buy better. Buy bigger, by far. 9. In order to sell, slogans dont have to be clever. The writers choice The best pen you can buy. 10. Slogans conveniently package everything in one sentence. Affordable reliability in your pocket.

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11. Slogans repeat key word patterns. The right price. The best quality. 12. The slogan is king The best; The one;the Answer, The shape.

Functions of Slogan:
1. Aid memory recall: It should be easy and pleasant to remember. I love you Rasna. 2. To describe the use of a product. The weekly update on the hospitality industry- Express Hotelier & caterer Magazine. 3. To suggest the products special advantage or unique benefit. " On time, every time. DHL. 4. To suggest increased use or frequency of use. 5. To stress the quality of the product Greater Reliability through Better Technology. Rane ( Madras Limited). 6. To build name and goodwill of the company. The worlds favourite airline. British Airways. 7. To stress market leadership Indias No.1 Radial. JK Tyre. 8. To emphasise international standards. World Champion Lubricants. Castrol.

4. Humor, fear and Sex Appeal Humour has always been a great way to sell, especially if used tastefully. one has traditionally seen humour being used to sell either FMCG or durables. Conventional wisdom had it that you don't use humour to sell serious products like insurance or products where the technology and value proposition seemed to be the hero. And of course the Government thought that the entire populace was a morose mass of morons who did not have a sense of humour. As they say, "you can think like only you can". That's why Centre Shock and Alpenliebe successfully used humour and other `serious' service industries didn't. Well, these days, the joke is on those who did not dare to use humour. For one, humour is light, elevating, rejuvenating and has great repeat value. On a more practical level, humour is a great differentiator, more so, when others don't have the guts to use it. Remember any advertising for batteries? Odds on,

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you have forgotten all the serious stuff about technical specs and the like. The Standard Furukawa advertising where the campaign used humour in small-sized print advertising (Why is a Standard battery like a mother-in-law? Because it goes "on and on and on".) The fantastic animation and humour packaged tightly with superb art direction for Amaron Batteries. From the `sing-song' narrative to the `ting-tong' sign off, the advertisement is a winner all the way. Hutch and Nokia have discovered the joys of entertaining customers not just with their products but also with their advertising. A recent TV commercial has an animated family that is `shrunk' to watch movies on their handsets. One would of course, wish that recognised songs are not directly lifted and used. Nokia, in fact, had another memorable commercial where an army of clowns scrambles to put a smile on a dreary customer's face. That's entertainment for you. Dominos and Reliance Infocomm have been using the amazing width of expression that Paresh Rawal can bring to any role he graces to keep their audiences smiling. Paresh really brings the RIM commercial to life with his persona. For many years (yes, private insurers have been advertising for about four years now) insurance companies thought that since they dealt with `morbid' subjects like death and injury, they should put on a black hat, hold a sickle in their hands and act as if the grim reaper had come to collect the insurance premium from the hapless customers. Fortunately, they seem to be breaking out of that mindset now. ICICI Prudential deserves to be congratulated for leading the charge in the right direction. The fact that its `Chintamani' advertisement in its TV and print versions is doing an encore this year proves that there is no `chinta', only money for ICICI and Lowe in persisting with this lighter approach. Tata AIG has also decided that a smile is a good policy and has created its second TVC in the `smile genre.' All in all, the message seems to be clear. Make the customer smile and you can laugh all the way to the bank. Pros and Cons of Using Humor Advantages 1. Aids attention and awareness 2. May aid retention of the message 3. Creates a positive mood and enhances persuasion 4. May aid name and simple copy registration 5. May serve as a distracter and reduce the level of counterarguing

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Disadvantages 1. Does not aid persuasion in general 2. May harm recall and comprehension 3. May harm complex copy registration 4. Does not aid source credibility 5. Is not effective in bringing about sales 6. May wear out faster Use of Humor FAVORABLE TOWARD HUMOR 1. Creative personnel 2. Radio and television 3. Consumer non-durables 4. Business services 5. Products related to the humorous ploy 6. Audiences that are: 7. Younger 8. Better educated 9. Up-scale 10. Male 11. Professional UNFAVORABLE TOWARD HUMOR 1. Research directors 2. Direct mail, newspapers 3. Corporate advertising 4. Industrial products 5. Goods or services of a sensitive nature 6. Audiences that are: 7. Older 8. Less educated 9. Down-scale 10. Female 11. Semi- or Unskilled 12. Payday uses a humorous print ad Fear Appeal Increases viewer interest in the ad and the persuasiveness of the ad. Used with health and beauty products, idea marketing, insurance. Most experts believe that a moderate level of fear is most effective. Advertising through Fear Fear is a great motivator and has been the basis of many successful advertising campaigns. Fear of not gaining what you hope to achieve, or losing what you have are powerful motivators. The insurance and health industries have made millions from this one.

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At times, weve all been motivated by fear. Fear appeals have been used extensively in marketing communications over the course of this century. The use of fear appeals is grounded in the belief that some form of arousal is necessary for individual behavior change to occur and that presentation of information alone is insufficient to change, or greatly influence, individual behavior. Fear is used to threaten or arouse fear in an audience in order to stimulate attitude change With the increase of technology and power of the media come more and more instances in which fear appeals are used. Not only are fear appeals used to sell products, but they are used to promote health, hygiene, and other things. In using fear appeals, some negative behavior is usually associated with a negative effect, like smoking and lung cancer, or a positive behavior, unpracticed, is associated with a negative effect, like brushing teeth and cavities. In the latter, the communicator will try to persuade the audience in avoiding the negative effect by practicing the positive behavior. The use of fear appeals in advertising has increased over the years, but the communicators have yet to harness the exact formula for producing consistent results time and again. The fear appeal is a somewhat risky approach to making a connection with the consumer. Most likely, using fear in advertising will make some connection with the audience. However, the problem lies in making sure that the audience leaves the ad with a positive connection towards your brand. Fear appeals are commonly seen in public service campaigns, such as antismoking or drinking and driving advertisements. However, fear appeals are also used on the consumer brand level as well. For example, breath mint ads often feature the consequences of having bad breath. The message to the consumer is I dont want to embarrass myself by having bad breath, therefore I should buy this breath mint. Consumers are likely to connect to this type of appeal if they were involved in a similar situation themselves. SEX APPEAL IN ADVERTISING For many products it is possible to find (or invent) a sexual connection. However, the sexual connection is much easier to set up for men than for women. Types of Sex Appeal 1. Subliminal techniques 2. Nudity or partial nudity 3. Sexual suggestiveness

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4. Overt sexuality 5. Sensuality Are Sex Appeals Effective? 1. Research Results reveals that: 2. Sex and nudity do increase attention. 3. Rated as being more interesting. 4. Often leads to strong feelings about the advertisement. 5. Brand recall is lower. 6. Often interferes with message comprehension Factors to Consider When Using Decorative Models 1. The presence of female (or male) decorative models improves ad recognition, but not brand recognition. 2. The presence of a decorative model influences emotional and objective evaluations of the product among both males and female audiences. 3. The presence of an attractive model produces higher purchase intentions when the product is sexually relevant than if it was not sexually relevant. 4. Attractive models produce a higher level of attention to ads than less attractive models. The sex appeal in advertising is not just about the physical act but also love, affection and friendship. Love is always a fantastic area of appeal because people either have it, want it or lost it. Another type of successful sex appeal is in the fashion industry. Wear this or this and youll have such and such sex appeal: be noticed more, stared at more, receive more compliments etc. On the surface, the sexy model in an ad undoubtedly draws attention to the advertising. However, in order for advertising to truly work, a connection must be made. Use of sexual imagery in advertising has been criticized on different grounds. Conservatives, especially religious ones, often consider it obscene. Many feminists feel it objectifies women (as women are more often portrayed in a sexual manner than men). Some claim it reinforces sexism.

5. Feel good Ads "Feel good" ads are those ads which do not have a specific call for a response: to buy something, to do something, to take action, or to vote. As this term is used here, "feel good ads" can describe the many different ads and sponsorships which generate good will, or create a feeling of warmth and pleasantness, so that we know and like the product or the company.

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Execution of humor in ads must be done carefully to ensure its appropriateness. More importantly, humor has some trouble in translation across international and cultural boundaries. An ad created for Anheuser Busch for Budweiser Beer showed ants carrying a bottle of Budweiser to their nest and tipping it up. A noise like a bottle opening is heard and the contents of the bottle drain into the ant nest. We hear loud music and the ground shakes in time to the music. The ad worked in all major markets of the world except one. The Chinese interpreted the commercial as featuring a pesticide to kill ants. In advertising, any individual "feel good" ad must be put into a wider context, as a small part of a larger ad campaign. For example, most ads targeted at kids not only seek an immediate response (kids or their parents buy something, now), but also to build long-term good will for "later" because kids will grow up to be adults. Note how often kids will say "When I grow up, I'm going to get a ...." People buy from people they know, and like. 6. Demonstration/ Demonstration advertising is designed to illustrate the key advantages of the product/ service by showing it in actual use or in some staged situation. Demonstration executions can be very effective in convincing consumers of a products utility or quality and of the benefits of owning or using the brand. TV is particularly well suited for demonstration executions, since the benefits a little less dramatic than TV demonstration ads can also work in print. 7. Testimonials Many advertisers prefer to have their messages presented by ways of testimonials, where a person praises the product or service on the basis of his or her personal experience with it. Testimonial executions can have ordinary satisfied customers discuss their own experiences with the brand and the benefits of using it. This approach can be very effective where the person delivering the testimonial is someone with whom the target audience can identify or who has an interesting story to tell. The testimonial must be based on actual use of the product or service to avoid legal problems, and the spokesperson must be credible. Apple Computer made effective use of testimonials as part of its Switch campaign, which features computer users from various walks of life discusing why they switch from Windows-based machines to Macintoshes. The people giving the testimonials in the ads are from various walks of life . Switch was an advertising campaign launched by Apple Computer on June 10, 2002. It featured what the company referred to as "real people" who had

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"switched" from the Microsoft Windows platform to the Mac. An international television and print ad campaign directed users to a website where various myths about the Mac platform were dispelled. The television commercials were directed by Errol Morris. 8. Light Fantasy: Creates a fantasy around the product or its use. Example: VIP Frenchie ads, showing a woman thinking of the Frenchie man saving her from a villain. 9. Slice of Life Advertising-copy technique where a real-life problem is presented in a dramatic situation and the item being advertised becomes the solution to the problem. Detergent manufacturers rely upon this advertising format heavily. These types of advertisements connect with consumers on a personal level. The ads usually portray a family scene occurring (a "slice of life") during a typical day. These advertisements create a positive feeling about specific products in the minds of consumers because they can relate to these everyday situations which they too face. Widely used in print advertising formats, this execution shows a real life problem and what the person in the ad does to overcome it. This execution is a combination of the demonstration and the testimonial executions. Ads for consumer products use this method effectively. An example is a housewife who is having trouble cleaning her kitchen floor, with a product offered which can solve this problem.

10. Reason why copy: "Reason Why" was the answer of Kennedy to what makes people purchase a particular good. "True 'Reason-Why' copy is logic plus persuasion plus conviction, all woven into a certain simplicity of thought-pre-digested for the average mind, so that it is easier to understand than to misunderstand it. In addition, the growing importance of national advertising of branded products produced a perfect condition for growth of "reason-why" adverting. The need to stimulate interest and desire seemed to be fully satisfied by "Reason-Why" ads, which aimed to present the consumer with convincing arguments to purchase the advertised brand. Ads had the task of pointing out the distinctive characteristics of a brand and explaining its superiority. In this sense, "reason-why" advertising was the appropriate method of implementing a strategy of product differentiation.

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11. Fund raising copy: The fund raising copy is all about inspiring potential donors to believe in a cause. The copy says unexpected things in elegant ways, which moves readers and stirred thier emotions, which angered them or made them proud, a copy which they want to read from beginning to end. But fine words alone dont make for good fundraising copy, as Smith knows. Its how you use them that count. Remember the old Roman aphorism, When Cauis spoke in the Senate the people said, That was a remarkably fine speech, but when Marcellus spoke they shouted, Let us now march on Byzantium!. For Marcellus powerfully put words had moved his listeners not to sympathy but to action. You need to know to write more clearly, more convincingly and more accessibly with clarity and precision. 12. Comparative copy: Comparative advertising, as a special form of advertising, is a sales promotion device that compares the products or services of one undertaking with those of another, or with those of other competitors. All comparative advertising is designed to highlight the advantages of the goods or services offered by the advertiser as compared to those of a competitor. In order to achieve this objective, the message of the advertisement must necessarily underline the differences between the goods or services compared by describing their main characteristics. The comparison made by the advertiser will necessarily flow from such a description. Function of comparative advertising Comparative advertising should enable advertisers to objectively demonstrate the merits of their products. Comparative advertising improves the quality of information available to consumers enabling them to make well-founded and more informed decisions relating to the choice between competing products/services by demonstrating the merits of various comparable products. Based on this information, consumers may make informed and therefore efficient choices. (These statements are true only if the comparative advertising is objective.) Comparative advertising which aims to objectively and truthfully inform the consumer promotes the transparency of the market. Market transparency is also deemed to benefit the public interest as the functioning of competition is improved resulting in keeping down prices and improving products. Comparative advertising can stimulate competition between suppliers of goods and services to the consumer's advantage.

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Chapter 13 Copy for different audiences: 1. Copy for Children


Why understanding a childs mind is important for a marketer As a primary market, children have access to money from various sources and spend part or all of it on themselves. They generally spend on products like By: M H Lakdawala 86

beverages, books, confectionery, snacks and sports gear. Many brands are now affordable, and brand messages are flashed continuously on various television channels. As influencers, they play a key role in the purchase process by making requests or demands for certain products. Some products like cars, air-conditioners, refrigerators and washing machines (normally an adult domain) catch their fancy and they would like to own them. This segment has been fuelled by factors like double-income parents willing to meet their kids demands (maybe as a substitute for their attention, time etc), and easy access to market information via the media and peer pressure.

Yet another segment formed by them is the future market. Wooing them early with market programmes enable companies to convert them into loyal customers when they reach market age. Kids have been used in a number of advertisements to provide an emotional platform so that the ad has a chance of being unique. Also the presence of a child communicates family and not individual values. Some common positioning ideas used in TV commercials have been: Kids being naughty, defying parents (eg, Videocon Internet TV where he creates havoc at a movie shooting), Doing things differently (Carrier air-conditioners making teenagers drinks freeze), Concern/love and fulfillment of wishes by parents (Kissan Tom Tom Sauce, where the father spruces up the kids lunch). However, in order to target them effectively it is essential to have a thorough understanding of who they are. Kids-Link, the market research arm of Kidstuff Promos & Events, carried out a number of focus group discussions among SEC-A, seven to 15-yearold boys and girls in Delhi on various aspects. People who matter most in life A majority of seven- to 12-year-olds said it was parents and siblings with an appreciable number conveying that teachers and cousins also played a key role. Among 13- to 15-year-old boys, other than parents and siblings, advice from friends with experience in the profession they wished to choose also mattered. Teachers played a key role in imbibing moral values. The girls had almost similar views; but they said We are more formal with teachers; parents are almost like friends.

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A brand can play a key role in kids lives by understanding who matter most to them and then trying to create a relationship based on that insight. For intance, the Maggi ad showed kids coming to their mother saying, Mummy, bhookh lagi, an Annapurna Iodised Salt ad shows teachers playing a game with the students, while a grandmother is seen telling her grandchildren not to take short-cuts in an ad for Himalaya Chyavanaprash. Biggest fears or worries The seven- to 12-year-olds are petrified by lions, snakes, ghosts and lesser evils like the class teacher, specially when they havent done their homework, losing a good position in class, exams, board exams and friendships breaking up. For the boys, the stress was more performance-related: How to be a successful man, how to come first in class, difficulties in my career and studies, what if Im not able to do what my parents expect from me, board exams. Some others were pollution, not owning a cellphone and losing near and dear ones. The girls were perturbed by failure in achieving anything you want, failing in board exams, relationship with parents, fight with mothers losing friends and World War III. Fears and worries are powerful emotions and marketers who can help comfort a child by resolving a fear will have gained a loyal patron. The most important thing in life Fun, fame, money, doing good to others, becoming a cricketer, discovering what scientists have yet not discovered, becoming a doctor to help the poor, are some of the most vital things in the life of seven- to 12-year-olds. For 13- to 15year-old boys it was simple: Money only or money and fame. The girls were more explicit with answers like fame, respect, money and satisfaction. Technology in their lives Most seven- to 12-year-olds are familiar with a PC and use it for e-mail, games, project work and surfing sites like cartoonnetworkindia.com, classteacher.com, pitara.com and _ealiz.com. Computers are mostly used in school as only a few had PCs at home. Among 13- and 15-year-old boys, the PC applications were nearly the same as seven- to 12-year-olds. Some pointed out chatting with cousins and working on different software as additional use. Some popular sites were rediff.com, indiatimes.com, yahoo.com, egurucool.com and espn.com. Majority used PCs at school, some at home and few at cyber cafs. The girls responses were similar to the boys. They used the PC mostly for chatting, e-mail and games. Some singled out playing cards, using PaintBrush software and collecting news and articles. Favourite sites were yahoo.com, indiatimes.com, hotmail.com and baazee.com. Children today are much more sophisticated and computer literate than we were. In order to sell to them,

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marketers need to understand implications of technology in their lives for example, it has made them less social to some extent. Some favourite brands Seven- to 12-year-olds Cornetto:-because the cone is very crisp Boomer: because its sweeter and softer (than other gums) MAX Candy: because there are so many different types Frooti: because its mango and natural Head & Shoulders: because it keeps hair silky Sunsilk: because it nourishes Doy: because it comes in different colours and sizes Band Aid: because of free stickers MRF Cricket Bat: because it has a firm stroke 13- to 15-year-old boys Cadbury Dairy Milk: because its tasty Nirulas ice cream: because the flavours are very nice and there is variety Alpenliebe: because it tastes good Hero Cycles: because they are cool, better than others and run very faster Britannia: because of its wide range of biscuits Reebok: because they are durable and fashionable Benetton: because its cool 13- to 15-year-old girls Pepsodent: because it is in fashion and I like the ads McDonalds burger: because its very tasty and they are the best Top Ramen Noodles: because they taste good Temptations chocolate: because it is tempting Lakme: because it is the best Dominos pizza: because they are yummy Compared to adults, kids are less capable of processing product information, and they have lesser product experience to realize in their decision-making process. They search for bits and pieces of information that they can make sense of and tend to develop brand loyalty based on these. Marketers need to understand how kids receive brands while targeting them. Essentials to keep in mind while writing copy for Children: While writing copy for kids we need to adapt the marketing programmes. Based on their nuances they need to be treated specially. Some simple steps are: 1. Keep the positioning simple and childlike: The communication message must be based on simple ideas and appeal to the kids imagination. By: M H Lakdawala 89

Example: Boomer chewing gum with the jingle Boom boom boomer and Boomer Man, the super hero. 2. Give them instant gratification: Kids are overjoyed by instant gratification, however small the gift may be. Tattoos with candy, dinky cars with Maggi noodles and cricket bats with Milo are some examples of freebies that have successfully driven sales among kids. These premiums appeal to kids who are constantly seeking excitement and novelty on a short-term basis. Also collectibles work well in peer groups, which are strong among kids. 3. Reach their height and sell to them: Retail outlets selling to kids need to realize that children who come to their store must be made comfortable for instance, give a sweet to every kid who comes in. 4. Display products at their level so that they can conveniently interact with them. Kids love bright colours and cartoon characters make sure your store has those. 5. Copywriters should always take into account the level of knowledge, sophistication and maturity of the audience to which their message is primarily directed. 6. Younger children have a limited capacity for evaluating the credibility of information they receive. They also may lack the ability to understand the nature of the information they provide. Copywriters, therefore, have a special responsibility to protect children from their own susceptibilities. 7. Realizing that children are imaginative and that make-believe play constitutes an important part of the growing up process, copy writers should exercise care not to exploit unfairly the imaginative quality of children. 8. Advertising should not stimulate unreasonable expectations of product quality or performance either directly or indirectly. 9. Recognizing that advertising may play an important part in educating the child, advertisers should communicate information in a truthful and accurate manner and in language understandable to young children with full recognition that the child may learn practices from advertising, which can affect his or her health and well being 10. . Copy writers are urged to capitalize on the potential of advertising to influence behavior by developing advertising that, wherever possible, addresses itself to positive and beneficial social behavior, such as friendship, kindness, honesty, justice, generosity and respect for others. 11. Care should be taken to incorporate minority and other groups in advertisements in order to present positive and pro-social roles and role models wherever possible. Social stereotyping and appeals to prejudice should be avoided. 12. Although many influences affect a child's personal and social development, it remains the prime responsibility of the parents to provide guidance for children. Advertisers should contribute to this parent-child

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2. Copy for women- Homemakers, modern women


It's no longer just the men who decide whether the house needs a plasma TV, more shelves, a new bath, or even a remodeled kitchen. Women are buying a majority of all consumer-electronics and home-improvement goods today, besides the weekly groceries. In the process women are dramatically changing how products are designed and marketed in India. Research is starting to show that women trust editorial content more than ads. As a response. Hence marketing representatives are meeting with the editors of Good Housekeeping, Real Simple, CosmoGirl, Essence, In Style, O, Parents, and Working Mother, among others. Women shop differently from the way men does: Females research more extensively and are less likely to be influenced by ads. "Today's woman is the chief purchasing agent of the family and marketers have to recognize that. Banks and financial-service companies have created entire departments that market investment products exclusively to women. Indeed, it would be a mistake to ignore this fast-growing segment of wealthy individuals. This deeper-pocketed female consumer's aspirations and taste have given rise to the new "mass luxury movement," where the mainstream public has become aware and acquisitive of designer and brand names previously solely in the domain of the affluent. Karl Lagerfeld, the doyen of haute couture, designed pieces for mass retailer H&M that sold out in hours, and discounter Target (TGT ) has such names as Isaac Mizrahi, Cynthia Rowley, and Liz Lange in its stable of designers. Brands like Coach (COH ) are making handbags and key chains at lower price points, and Mercedes (DCX ) and BMW (BMW ) are putting out cars that middle-class consumers can afford. . iPOD EXAMPLE. Marketers warn that retailers and manufacturers assume that marketing to women is as easy as changing the color of a product to pink. "If you're serious about reaching the female consumer, you have to care about her and get to know what she desires. It's critical they understand the female consumer's needs and dissatisfactions, and come up with ideas and solutions. Apple's success with the iPod mini is any indication, such optimism is well founded. Women are lapping up a majority of the multicolored minis, contributing significantly to Apple's dramatic sales increase. Whether their efforts involve retraining sales staff or redesigning products, companies that pay attention to the female consumer could hit the mother lode.

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Factors to keep in mind while writing copy for women While writing copy pay more attention to style and form. The female consumer is very busy and has a complex web of duties. Not that reaching this type of shopper is without challenges. The female consumer is very busy and has a complex web of duties that makes her less than readily available. Copy should be crisp and right on target. "Women do a lot of homework beforehand and aren't willing to be dazzled by the copy which doesn't give any practical information. Women are defining the new value equation -- combine the practical with the aesthetic. The increased spotlight on the female shopper is even starting before the marketing and selling phase in some cases. Computer maker are coming out with lighter laptops in nontraditional colors. Few have launched a line of tools ergonomically designed to suit a woman's smaller hand. (And they come in blue, not pink.). This empowered woman hasn't escaped the notice of Harley-Davidson (HDI. It added a section on its Web site for female bikers, with tips on appropriate gear and how to ride safely. Harley says it was responding to the growing popularity of motorbikes among women: Sales to women grew to 10%, or 23,000, of all bikes sold in 2003 vs. just 2% in 1985 She's the dominant influence in nuclear family household.. She's the chief purchasing agent of the family. She's extremely brand-attuned and does a lot of research before buying. She can't afford to buy everything and will decide where to trade up or down. She decides when her family needs a vacation and where they should go. She's the dominant influence in a two-person household. And she's also into home improvement in a big way. She looks around, and she has a hierarchy of things that she wants to do. Her top priorities are a new bath or kitchen. Her bathroom is her sanctuary, a Jacuzzi (JJZ ) gives her the chance to be alone and relax. And the Viking oven will help her be the heart and soul of the family by helping her prepare meals better, faster, and to perfection when everybody gets together at the dinner table. She's a source of inspiration -- she thinks big in wanting to improve the quality of life for her family. Her ideas and bigticket purchases have completely turned around the home-improvement business. Her sense of ethics is very strong, and if a product is faulty, she will not only never buy from you again but also tell all her friends. SHARPER ON PRICES. Recent research shows that they're on par with men in their ability to understand gadgets and are also early adopters. However, the difference is that they're more likely than men to shop around for better prices and demand reliability, ease of use, and style. Keep going back to the question of how women reveal themselves. When do they relax, when do they share, and when do they come up with quickthinking answers?

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10. They just don't like stupid-funny advertising. Women are funny, women are neat and women are different. But if you have -- to use a pun -- broad stroke opinions of them, then you relegate them to stupid roles. 11. Women progress through their thoughts in a very contextual way. They're not linear. 12. Study women and listen to them. 13. Most importantly, the research demonstrate that women are actually consciously avoiding altogether brands that unrealistically portray images of women in their advertising. Women are tired of being bombarded with advertisements that use unrealistic images to portray their gender 14. Overwhelmingly, women are willing to make purchasing decisions based on the images used in advertising. Ads portraying women who have digitally perfected physiques or who lead seemingly carefree lives are not resonating with many female consumers. Studies found that companies whose advertising portrays the depth and variety of women's lives in a realistic way, meaning images of women actually doing jobs versus posed pictures of women who may or may not be participating in the activity, will be rewarded." 15. Several surveys have suggested that women want to see a part of themselves in advertising images. But now it can also be proven that women are consciously avoiding brands that unrealistically glamorise women or portray their lives in an idealized way, which should be vital information for the business of advertising. 16. Women clearly reward marketers who understand how to portray women in a frank, rather than romanticized way. The result showed how, overwhelmingly, advertisers who present diverse, reality-based images that reflect professionalism and ageing got the most positive responses. An important finding was also the physical disconnection between the women who are usually portrayed in ads and the average woman in terms of size. The new average body that respondents want to see in advertising is a larger woman.

3. Copy for senior citizens


Society will change because of population aging. The baby-boom generations age now ranges from 42 to 60. As the demographic bulge works its way from mid to late life, businesses will beas Dick Stroud, author of The 50-Plus Market statescompelled by economic logic to shift their center of gravity from the younger generation to the older generation. Matures believed that a lifetime of commitment was required to accomplish their goals. Duty came before pleasure. The job to be done required that they postpone their own gratification. Matures prospered by thinking and doing together. Progress was assured as long as everyone followed the rules of the

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road and moved united in the same direction. Matures developed this unity by conforming to a larger system of values that emphasized hard work as its own reward, financial security through savings, the good of the group before that of the individual, and a belief that the good life had to be earned. Though Matures have always had to sacrifice to meet the demands of conformity, they have also always succeeded. Therefore, conformity and fitting in have been linked for them to success. In developing successful strategies for the mature market, both rational and emotional appeals must be understood and exploited. Growing old is a physical as well as an emotional condition. Some women, for example, buy face cream because the product softens their skin or reduces roughness. These are entirely rational decisions based on the products ability to perform some function. Indeed, the mature market actually enjoys a high degree of discretionary income. Research shows that some attitudinal or psychographic segments in the mature market are more brand loyal than others and their loyalties are to specific classes of products, not to all products across the board. The mature market is extremely varied and will only reward marketers who are willing to deal with its complexities and pursue a targeted strategy. 1. Special needs 2. High discretionary incomes 3. Spare time

But how can copy effectively target senior market? 1. "The key elements are to keep message direct," advises Hayward. "The over-50s are experienced consumers, so they don't want to read flowery language. You also need to give them a lot of information. Seniors have a lot of time on their hands and so you must be prepared for answering many more detailed questions than you would for 20-year-olds." 2. Attracting the over 50's requires not only adapting the advertising message, but a long-term strategy. "You need a global vision,". "There is no point for example, for a telephone company to create a new product for seniors if it doesn't train a person to look after them. To be successful in this market, you need to think not only about marketing but also training staff, proper communication, perhaps setting up a hotline and also values. A lot of companies thinks that is a lot to think about!"

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3. Copy writers must avoid depicting older consumers in negative ways. Even Matures who are not as active and healthy as they would like to be dislike advertising assaults that remind them of their problems. 4. Copy writers commonly err by emphasizing the biological age of their consumers. A few years ago, a major personal-products company introduced a shampoo aimed at older women. The advertising explicitly mentioned that the product was designed especially for women over 40. There may be perfectly good reasons to switch to a different shampoo as you age, but the emphasis on age ensured that the product would be unpalatable to any self-respecting 40-plus-year-old. e.g. A series of TV ads that Disney World aired is a prime example of how to appeal to Matures without pandering to them. In one of these ads, Boomer parents are pictured at home with their children, wondering aloud about what on earth their parents could be doing at Disney World. Then the camera shifts to the faces of two happy, healthy older people in the Magic Kingdom. They are playing golf, swimming, dancing late into the night. For Matures, the ad makes a strong appeal to their conviction that they have earned a rich and full retirement - and are still young enough to enjoy it. 5. Marketers can reach this practical, hard-working generation as they enjoy their retirement but not by selling products for "old people." They have to be smarter than that. Focus instead on themes that leverage the way Matures are motivated to buy. 6. Play to the notion that this generation overcame daunting odds to achieve their successes. Don't be loud or brash; they already get the point. After working hard and sacrificing for so many years, they have reached a level of financial comfort and a time in their lives where they can feel freer to spend money on themselves . . . because they've earned it. 7. For most of their peak consuming years, Matures have foregone the extras. But this is not to say that Matures never spent money. Indeed, their spending built our contemporary consumer marketplace. Their style of spending, however, reflected the more cautious, disciplined values of their savings-focused outlook. Even as Matures spent, they actually saved a lot of money. And much of this spending was for others anyway, especially their children. 8. As they age, satisfied and secure, Matures will begin to spend more money on themselves. But they won't turn into profligate spendthrifts in the mold of their Boomer children. Research shows that consumers 65 years old and older are the least likely to be cutting back on food purchases, shopping less, or adhering more strictly to a budget. They are also less likely to buy large, economy sizes or cut back on eating out. Part of this, of course, reflects older consumers with less flexibility in their lives. But it mostly shows that Matures have reached a level of financial comfort. 9. Nevertheless, [Matures'] interest in pleasurable or exciting experiences for their own sake is low. They are not now and never have been as hedonistic as Boomers. They want to enjoy life, but they don't want to go

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overboard. The overriding attitude here is that they have enough money to enjoy their retirement, and they plan to do so - wisely and responsibly. 10. Restaurants trying to attract Matures should invest in better lighting, inside and outside. Matures will feel safer driving into a bright parking lot, and they will be less likely to fall. Besides, we all want a clean, well-lighted place

4. Copy for Executives:


Here are a few tips to keep in mind while writing copy for corporate executive. 1. Be prepared. This is the most important strategy if you want to successfully sell to an executive. Research the company before your meeting. Visit their website. Ask for an annual report. Talk to people within the organization if possible. Gain as much information as you can before writing copy for executives. 2. Avoid details. The majority of executives are not interested in the details. Executives are big picture thinkers so be prepared to discuss your product/service on a macro level. 3. Respect their time. The most precious commodity to an executive is time. The average senior-level businessperson has at least 52 hours of uncompleted work on their desk at any given time. Plus, they usually have only one or two of unscheduled time in a typical week. Most executives get to the point very quickly and expect others to do the same. Be direct, concise, and to the point. 4. Have A Relevant Message. Deliver A Real Solution That Solves A Critical Challenge 5. Business people are often so tied to their businesses or products that they get tunnel vision and fail to look at their copy from their readers' perspective. 6. Be benefit-rich, of course. But more important, be ego-driven when describing those benefits. 7. Appeals to Their Ego Executives people are still the ones okaying the deal, whipping out their credit cards or signing the checks. And executives always buy for personal, selfish reasons. 8. Copy using convoluted, complex, highfalutin language doesn't sell product to executives.

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9. Follow the "3 C's" Rule: Express your offer as Clearly, as convincingly and as compellingly as possible. 10. Be enthusiastic. Be energetic. Be excited about your offering, because your job is to transfer that excitement into the minds of your buyers. 11. Use words, phrases and imagery that help paint vivid mental pictures. When executives can visualize the process of doing what you want them to do, including the enjoyment of the benefits of your offer, you drive their actions almost instinctively. 12. You need to make them feel important. Write as if you were speaking WITH your prospect, right in front of them, in a comfortable, conversational manner. 13. When you do, your copy will imply that you understand them, you feel for them and their "suffering" (for which you have a solution), and you're ready to nurture and take care of them. 14. Forget things like "best," "fastest," "cheapest" and other, broad claims. Because the worst thing you can do, second to making broad claims, is to express those claims broadly. 15. If you want to tell people how better or different or superior or unique your offering is, make sure you express those claims in your sales message in a way that directly benefits your buyer and appeals to her ego. 16. Being different is important. But don't focus on how better or unique you are. Focus on how that uniqueness directly benefits executives; even to the point they can almost taste it. 17. Again, Executives buy on emotion. They always have and always will. They only justify their decision with logic, and rationalize their feelings about your offering with logic. 18. Even when selling to multinational, Fortune 500 corporations, the buyers are people, not companies. Purchasing agents are people. Decision-making committees are made up of people. Even C-level executives with 6- or 7-figure incomes are people. 19. An executive always buy for personal desires, selfish reasons and selfinterested motives. Why? Because people are people. Period. It's been that way for millions of years. Your job is to express your offer in terms that trigger their emotions, press their hot buttons, jerk their tears, tug at their heartstrings and nudge them into taking action. If not, you're only telling. Not selling.

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5. Copy for Youth


With 45 per cent of the Indian population below the age of 19, there is a huge opportunity for companies to catch it young and make it stay, as it gets older. With the 100-million or so 17-24 year olds in a position to earn money and exercise greater decision-making power in the next few years, now is a good time to start a conscious `catch them young' strategy to hook into this generation and secure the future. At the very minimum, it is about making your advertising more young and MTVish, but that is only the tip of the iceberg: It is about getting them to experience your brand early so that they begin to develop an affinity for it, so that when they become mainstream consumers, they view you more favourably than others. The larger task, is to create special `Generation Next' products and services, which are more in tune with them than a one-size-fits all offering. An even larger task would be to become a part of their lives, something that they identify as theirs, or something that understands them better than anything else before, Youth populate the markets of the future, while having a tremendous amount of discretionary spending power today. They also have a huge influence on their parents' purchases. Almost all consumer brands being launched (as well as existing brands) need to engage in youth marketing campaigns if they want to create brand loyalty and long-term success for this giant demographic. Look around, and you will see several examples of youth marketing: SF Jean's new `oil and grease' collection, HBO's `Generation Me' programme slot, Barista's `coffee collection' of Elle 18 cosmetics, Lipton Iced Tea's sponsorship of a Mumbai youth theatre group, and magazines such as Femina Girl, Seventeen and JAM (Just Another Magazine). The usual suspects - the cola majors - have gone beyond catchy taglines and celebrity endorsements. Pepsi has a dedicated `pepsizone' on Yahoo! and premiered its `What's there?' and 7Up Fido campaigns on it. It has an integrated mobile-Internet platform for 7Up, with downloads of picture messages, ring Certainly, MTV - whose primary audience is 15-24-year-olds and secondary audience is 24-34 year olds - can claim to be among the early movers in marketing to the youth. Since the launch of its India-specific service in 1996, the music channel has extended its dialogue with the youth by way of online, onground and off-air activities and research. The channel has music albums, apparel and accessories and a co-branded credit card. MasterCard Asia judged the MTV Citibank Card, launched in April 2001, the best youth programme in the

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Asia Pacific region. It garnered over 50,000 members in the first 15 months of its launch, and was followed up with a translucent credit card, meant to reflect the "values of clarity and transparency" that are upheld by the youth. This is particularly important for a company that is perceived as older, or catering to an older segment, as in the case of Maruti, TVS Motor, or Kinetic. Maruti recently launched a limited edition of two-door Zen cars, and marketed them as "very private" vehicles with which to "announce your single status." Kinetic and TVS have created a separate category of scooterettes: TVS upgraded its Scooty with the Scooty Pep, with more youthful styling and metallic colours. The Kinetic Zing and Zing Rockin' have a cola can holder, an FM radio and a mobile phone charger; the Zing is priced at Rs 25,000, which makes it affordable to a larger consumer base, says Sulajja Firodia Motwani, Joint Managing Director, Kinetic Engineering. Certainly, it is harder for a consumer durable major or an auto company to target the youth because there is a price inflection point. While some companies have tried - like Mirc Electronics did, with its Candy range of televisions - it is difficult to create a lower-priced offering that is also aspirational and desirable. But there certainly is a space for FMCG majors to create youth-oriented categories, like Colgate has done with Fresh Energy Gel, and HLL has done with the Axe range for young men. "Till a few years ago, one-size-fits-all products did well, and very few marketers actually segmented the market. But now they've realised they don't need to do it that way. In fact, Hindi film-makers seem to have realised the benefit of segmenting: rather than make family dramas with something for everyone, the smart ones are also making slick movies for the urban youth, spending just a couple of crores, and marketing them savvily and recovering their money sooner." Indeed, far too many advertisers assume the youth are irresponsible and just out to have fun, but they are also extremely savvy when it comes to spending, are strongly opinionated, have a high social conscience and are focused on their careers. Marketing to them will require a change in mindsets; this generation's attitude is very different toward such issues as consumption vs. savings, accessing credit vs. living within your means, consumption hierarchy and priorities, and even what constitutes a necessity and a luxury. "A big trap is the belief that the liberalisation generation will rock to the tune of fun and frivolity. But the truth couldn't be further: they are a regular, boring, workhard generation, in a hurry to achieve material goals so that they can play hard, as well. Essentials for writing copy for youth:

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1. One of the most responsible ways to approach the youth market is to convey information in a clear, straightforward fashion. 2. When deciding on the creative, the team debated using language and imagery that would give it 'cool' credentials. 3. There are many reasons behind the phenomenon coined in marketingspeak as KGOY (kids growing older younger), and it is certainly not all down to advertising and marketing..Rather than telling them "you should do this", instead show them and treat young people with respect or credit their intelligence. If you adjust copy writing so that it is teen-oriented, they don't feel they're being exploited. Good marketing is all about changing the product into something that teens are actually looking for.' 4. Youth attitudes: Marketers who believe that edgy, risque images are the most effective way of reaching an audience of young adults may not be as in tune with the youth of today as they would like to believe. 5. New research from OMD Insight suggests that young people are exhibiting a growing sense of responsibility for their actions. The research forms part of OMD's ongoing ROAR youth marketing project, which is now in its 10th year. The study compares the views of 15- to 25-year-olds in 2005, with 15- to 25-year-olds in 1995.The study shows that today's young people are purposely going out to get drunk less, are more aware that drugs are equally, if not more, dangerous than alcohol, more of them believe smoking to be 'stupid' and they demonstrate a greater awareness of what is going on around them. They also feel more charitable toward their environment, both immediate and global. 6. Marketers aiming at Gen-Y frequently assume they respond to brands with hip, edgy statements that cut through media clutter and push the boundaries of style and taste.

Chapter 14
Use of Non-Verbal communication in advertising
Pictures in advertising are very expensive. Not in cost of good art work alone, but in the cost of space. From one-third to one-half of an advertising campaign is often staked on the power of the pictures. Anything expensive must be effective, else it involves much waste. So art in advertising is a study of paramount importance. Pictures should not be used merely because they are interesting. Or to attract attention. Or to decorate an ad. Ads are not written to interest, please or amuse. You are not writing to please the masses. You are writing on a serious subject - the subject of money spending. And you address a restricted minority. Pictures in many lines form a major factor. Omitting the lines where the article itself should be pictured. In some lines, like Arrow Collars and most in clothing advertising, pictures have proved most convincing. Not only in picturing the collar By: M H Lakdawala 100

or the clothes, but in picturing men whom others envy, in surroundings which others covet. The pictures subtly suggest that these articles of apparel will aid men to those desired positions. Advertising pictures should not be eccentric. Don't treat your subject lightly. Don't lessen respect for your self or your advertisement by any attempt at frivolity. People do not patronize a clown. There are two things about which men should not joke. One is business, one is home. An eccentric picture may do you serious damage. One may gain attention by wearing a fools cap. But he would ruin his selling prospects. Then a picture, which is eccentric or unique, takes attention from your subject. You cannot afford to do that. Your main appeal lies in headline. Over-shadow that and you kill it. Don't, to gain general and useless attention, sacrifice the attention that you want. Don't be like a salesman who wears conspicuous clothes. The small percentage he appeals to are not usually good buyers. The great majority of the sane and thrifty heartily despise him. Be normal in everything you do when you are seeking confidence and conviction. Generalities cannot be applied to art. There are seeming exceptions to most statements. Each line must be studied by itself. But the picture must help sell the goods. It should help more than anything else could do in like space, else use that something else. Many pictures tell a story better than type can do. In advertising of Puffed Grains the picture of the grains were found to be most effective. They awake curiosity. No figure drawing in that case compare in results with these grains. Other pictures form a total loss. We have cited cases of that kind. The only way to know, as is with most other questions, is by compared results. Should every ad have a new picture? Or may a picture be repeated? Both viewpoints have many supporters. The probability is that repetition is an economy. We are after new customers always. It is not probably that they remember a picture we have used before. If they do, repetition does not detract. Do color pictures pay better than black and white? Not generally, according to the evidence we have gathered to date. Yet there are exceptions. Certain food dishes look far better in colors. Tests on lines like oranges, desserts, etc. show that color pays. Color comes close to placing the products in actual exhibition. But color used to amuse or to gain attention is like anything else that we use for that purpose. It may attract many times as many people; yet not secure a hearing from as many whom we want. The general rule applies. Do nothing to merely interest, amuse, or attract. That is not your province. Do only that which wins the people you are after in the cheapest possible way.

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Pictures in Advertisements 1 It is more effective than words. 2 They support the copy. 3 In visually oriented ads, they serve as the copy with only the headline appearing as the copy. 4 They are demonstrative. 5 They can make us understand technical details. 6 Associations and images are created. 7 They evoke moods. 8 Colour photographs give high fidelity to the products. 9 Background and atmosphere can be shown effectively with their use Colour Preferences in Advertising Photograph In Advertising Photograph the most preferred colour by both exes is blue, though for women 'red' sometimes is the first, and blue stands second. In general, adults have a preference for blue and red (or any shade of red-pink, rose, crimson, maroon etc.) According to psychologists, the ranking of colours for girls runs like first, red and then yellow, green and blue in that order. As they advance in years, blue comes up in ranking, yellow dipping down. The average adult has a liking for blue, red, green and yellow in that sequence. The colour used in advertising must have brightness, the right degree of contrast and an aesthetic appeal. The choice of the right colour creates identification and makes for the right type of atmosphere. Colour advertisements are eye pleasing. However, colours that are chosen must give the right psychological suggestion. Colour at times gives structural motion to the ad copy. There is no alternative to colour when advertising a premium product or a prestige product.

CREATIVE BRIEF Once an effective appeal is found, the advertiser should prepare a creative brief, typically covering one or two pages, it is an elaboration of the positioning statement, and it should include: a. Key message b. Target audience c. Communication objectives d. Benefits to promise e. Supports for the promise

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f. Media to be used. Note boxes will expand to accommodate verbiage. Try to keep Creative Brief as concise as possible.. (Client Name) Creative Brief Format Agency/Graphic Designer: ____________________________________

Agency Phone:______________ Fax: _____________ Email: ______________________ AgencyAddress: ______________________________________________________________ Street City State Pin Code Project Summary: Clear, concise description of project keep brief.

Target Audience: Whom are you trying to attract? Be specific.

Key Messages: One or two key thrusts those most important to the projects success.

Key Benefits: Whats in it for the audience?

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Background/Competitive Positioning: Briefly discuss the competition, market realities, obstacles, etc.

Communication Strategy: Indicate any specific elements to be included (logos, key visual images,key words and phrases, key contact information, specific internet links etc.)

Desired Message Tone: How do you want the message perceived -- creative, fun, warm, active?

Project Timeline: Indicate major milestones.

Anticipated Budget:

Other: Add any key information not covered under the above items.

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Prepared by : _________________________________________Date:___________________ _____ Accepted by: Agency/Graphic Designer Signature: ______________________________ Title: ______________________________ Date: ______________________________ SAMPLE CREATIVE BRIEF: The Client Servicing Executive has to write this 10-point brief in this format and hand it over to the creative team who will work on the ad campaign or the television commercial based on this. The executive writes this brief based on the briefing given to him by his client. We take one example that the client is BPL Music Systems. 1. Background: BPL Music Systems or an Audio product that is two-in ones is an important segment of BPL. (British Physical Laboratories). Apart from this BPL manufactures washing machines, televisions, microwave ovens too. They have built an image as being a customer friendly company and they are known well for their excellent- after-sales service. BPL Music Systems were leaders about four years ago, but the invasion of foreign music systems has affected their brand and market-share badly. The leader today seems to be Sony. The campaign run by BPL for their music systems last year helped to a certain extent by creating brand awareness and building an identity of the product as a very personal part of the user-in the sense most of the people referred to BPL music systems as an emotional part of their lifestyle. But now with a whole range of foreign brands like Sony, Panasonic and Aiwa, BPLs image is fizzling out very slowly. 2. Communication Objective-For the year 2004, the ad campaign including the press, outdoor advertising that is hoardings and bill boards and the television commercials have one basic objective-that is to rejuvenate the brand of BPL Music Systems in the mind of the consumers (people). The message should bring out the customer friendly qualities of BPL audio systems and convey the

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message that despite the foreign brands, the BPL music system shall remain your best friend for Years The quality of being loyal to an Indian brand has to be conveyed very strongly. 3. Key Insight: BPL Music Systems will never let you down, while the foreign brands may fizzle out soon, but the Indian product like the BPL system shall be part of your life forever. 4. Target Audience: Urbanites in the age group of 20 to 50-male and femaleupwardly mobile-middle and upper middle class. 5. Desired Response/ Action from the Target Audience: To consider buying BPL music system instead of a foreign brand. 6. Support: The client-servicing executive has to give any research figures data and even ads of the competitors to the creative team that will help them to get a better idea. The servicing exec can even take the creative team to the showroom and show them the models of the product or even watch the customer behaviour inside the shop. 7.Task at hand: To present a five ad press campaign that will be in colour in all the mainstream papers across the country starting April 2004 and it will run upto June 2004. All the premier magazines like India Today and Outlook too are part of the media plan. Commercial slots in channels like the popular serials are being booked. The creative team should also work out a story-board for the television commercial which will be on the same lines as the press campaign. 8.Personality and tone of the communication: Though we wish to present the BPL music systems as Indias favourite brand, but do not make the campaign very desi-it should have the grace and dignity-something like the asian paints ads where the traditional culture of warmth so representative of India comes out well. The BPL music systems should be promoted as part of your life inseparable companion 9.Mandatory Requirements: A complete colour finished campaign has to be presented to the client along with the story board for the commercials. Point of purchase materials like stickers, streamers that can be put up inside outlets have to be designed. 10.Time Frame-presentation to the client on January 22 at 2 pm-the presentation will be made to the chief marketing and publicity and his team.

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