CopywritingCopywritingAiden Yeh

Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages

HeadlinesHeadlines

The headlines contains the words in the leading position in the advertisement.

The words that will be read first They are situated to draw the most

attention.They appear in larger type (font) than

other parts of the ad

Role of the HeadlinesRole of the Headlines

Attract attentionEngage the audienceExplain the visualLead the audience to the body of the adPresent the key benefit

Use Power WordsUse Power Words

FreeNowAmazingSuddenlyAnnouncingIntroducingIt’s hereImprovedAt lastJust arrivedNew

Types of HeadlinesTypes of Headlines

Benefit headlineNews/informative headlineProvocative headlinesQuestion headlinesCommand headline

Benefit HeadlineBenefit Headline

Promises the audience that using the product will be rewarding

Simple statements – not cute or cleverGore-Tex FabricsKeep you warm and dry,Regardless of what fallsOut of the sky

Speak a foreignlanguage in 30 days or your moneyback.

Includes the name of the product

BenefitHeadline

News/Information HeadlineNews/Information Headline

Announces news or promises informationSea World’s It’s a Girl!

News/ Information

Provocative HeadlinesProvocative Headlines

Provoke reader’s curiosityTo stimulate questions or thoughtsProvides story appealLay’s Potato ad ‘Betcha can’t eat just one’

Question HeadlineQuestion Headline

Asks a questionEncouraging readers to look for answers

in the body of the ad“What makes out tires smarter & richer

than others?”

Command HeadlinesCommand Headlines

Orders readers to do something“Obey your thirst.”“Please don’t squeeze the Charmin”

SubheadsSubheads

Smaller texts that appear above or below the headline◦-above [kickers/overlines]◦Below [underlines

Also transmits key sales points fastCarries less important information than

the headlineSubheads are longer and more like

sentences than headlinesThey bridge the headline to the copy

Headline

Sub-headline

Body Copy or TextBody Copy or Text

InterestCredibilityDesireActions stepsCovers features, benefits, and utility of

the product or service

Body Copy StylesBody Copy Styles

Straight sellInstitutionalNarrativeDialogue/monologuePicture captionDevice

Straight SellStraight Sell

Straightforward, factual presentationPresents facts and clear solutionsGood for high think-involvement products

◦Citibank’s Service

Straight sell

Institutional CopyInstitutional Copy

Promote philosophy or merits of a company

Organization’s image Banks Insurance companies Public corporations Large manufacturing firms

Narrative CopyNarrative Copy

Tells a storyCreates a situation and uses the product

as a rescue or saver◦Insurance company (the man who dies but,

fortunately, had just renewed his policy)

Dialogue/Monologue CopyDialogue/Monologue Copy

Characters in the ad do the selling

Picture-caption AdPicture-caption Ad

Story with illustrations and captions

Device CopyDevice Copy

AlliterationsPunsFigures of speechRhymesHumorExaggeration

SlogansSlogans

Taglines/themelinesStandard statementsProvide continuity to a series of adsReduce advertising message strategy to a

brief, repeatable, and memorable positioning statement◦AT&T’s “Reach out and touch someone”◦Cereal ad “Breakfast of Champions”◦DeBeers ad “Diamonds are forever”

Picture Caption Copy

Slogan

Guess the type of headline

http://carlastedwell.com/girl.html

News/Informative

http://carlastedwell.com/print.html

Benefit

http://carlastedwell.com/brutal.html

Question

Command

Provocative

Provocative/Command

Practice Writing Headlines

Protective Helmets

Sensodyne

Protects

Product: Microsoft Office

TASK

Do a web searchLook for a print ad to analyzeIdentify the elements of the ad

◦What kind of headline was used?◦Was there a subhead and a slogan?◦Was the visual attractive?◦Was the overall lay-out creative? Does it make

the readers think? In what way?Embed your chosen ad into your blog post

(add the web link)