Preparing Print Ad Preparing Print Ad CopyCopy

Copy & It’s ObjectivesCopy & It’s Objectives

Text of a print advertisement Text of a print advertisement that provides readers with that provides readers with informationinformation

Part of the ad that tells you Part of the ad that tells you about the product or the about the product or the businessbusiness

It’s the sales message in printIt’s the sales message in print

Factors Affecting Print Ad Factors Affecting Print Ad CopyCopy ProductProduct Target audienceTarget audience CompetitionCompetition Business’s promotional Business’s promotional

objectivesobjectives Objectives of the specific adObjectives of the specific ad Characteristics of the adCharacteristics of the ad Legal consideration Legal consideration

Factors Affecting Print Ad Factors Affecting Print Ad CopyCopy

ProductProduct Affects not only what you say about a Affects not only what you say about a

good or service but also how much good or service but also how much you sayyou say

Example: You can present a great deal of Example: You can present a great deal of information about items such as information about items such as automobiles or insurance, however, automobiles or insurance, however, perfume or personal-care products have perfume or personal-care products have fewer features to describefewer features to describe

Factors Affecting Print Ad Factors Affecting Print Ad CopyCopy

Product-Questions that can be Product-Questions that can be asked about the product in order asked about the product in order to decide what to say:to decide what to say: What is the product?What is the product? What does it offer?What does it offer? How does it work?How does it work? Is it new, luxurious, unusual, unique, Is it new, luxurious, unusual, unique,

inexpensive, or practical?inexpensive, or practical? Gather every available scrap of Gather every available scrap of

information about the productinformation about the product If possible, use the product If possible, use the product

yourself in order to learn about it yourself in order to learn about it from personal experiencefrom personal experience

Factors Affecting Print Ad Factors Affecting Print Ad CopyCopy Target audience (T.A.)Target audience (T.A.)

Consists of the consumers who are Consists of the consumers who are most likely to use the productmost likely to use the product

Questions to ask in order to write Questions to ask in order to write copy that will attract the T.A.copy that will attract the T.A.

Who are the prospects most likely to Who are the prospects most likely to purchase the product?purchase the product?

Why should they consider buying it?Why should they consider buying it? What motivates consumers in What motivates consumers in

general, and this audience in general, and this audience in particular, to make buying decisions?particular, to make buying decisions?

Factors Affecting Print Ad Factors Affecting Print Ad CopyCopy

Target audienceTarget audience If the T.A. is another business, If the T.A. is another business,

the buying decision will be based the buying decision will be based on facts about the producton facts about the product

If the T.A. is ultimate consumers, If the T.A. is ultimate consumers, they can often be persuaded to they can often be persuaded to make buying decisions through make buying decisions through the use of emotional appealsthe use of emotional appeals Example: Teenagers may be Example: Teenagers may be

motivated by copy that appeals to motivated by copy that appeals to their desire to look good and to be their desire to look good and to be accepted by their peersaccepted by their peers

Factors Affecting Print Ad Factors Affecting Print Ad CopyCopy

CompetitionCompetition You need to study competitors You need to study competitors

advertisementsadvertisements You need to determine what other You need to determine what other

products are competing with your products are competing with your for the T.A.for the T.A. May be brands of the same type of May be brands of the same type of

product, such as Diet Coke and Diet product, such as Diet Coke and Diet PepsiPepsi

May be competitive products that are May be competitive products that are completely different from yours, such completely different from yours, such as candy and flowers for certain gift as candy and flowers for certain gift giving occasionsgiving occasions

Factors Affecting Print Ad Factors Affecting Print Ad CopyCopy You need to determine what You need to determine what

advertising techniques your advertising techniques your competitors usecompetitors use

Determine what features or Determine what features or benefits your competitors benefits your competitors have emphasizedhave emphasized

Your copy should convince Your copy should convince readers that your product is readers that your product is the one that will be meet the one that will be meet their needstheir needs

Factors Affecting Print Ad Factors Affecting Print Ad CopyCopy

Business’s promotional Business’s promotional objectivesobjectives Business’s usually have specific Business’s usually have specific

objectives for their promotions that objectives for their promotions that affect the copy in all their adsaffect the copy in all their ads

Copy in each ad should fit the Copy in each ad should fit the firm’s objectivesfirm’s objectives

Objectives might involve:Objectives might involve: Informing consumersInforming consumers Persuading consumers to purchasePersuading consumers to purchase Reminding consumers of a business’s Reminding consumers of a business’s

existenceexistence

Factors Affecting Print Ad Factors Affecting Print Ad CopyCopy

Objectives of the specific adObjectives of the specific ad Know what an individual ad’s copy is Know what an individual ad’s copy is

intended to accomplish in order to intended to accomplish in order to know what the ad should sayknow what the ad should say

If the ad is part of an ad campaign, If the ad is part of an ad campaign, the copy must be compatible with the copy must be compatible with that of the ad campaignthat of the ad campaign

Example: Campaign might be used to Example: Campaign might be used to introduce a new model of automobile. All introduce a new model of automobile. All ads in the campaign would follow the ads in the campaign would follow the same theme, but each individual ad might same theme, but each individual ad might highlight a different feature or benefit, highlight a different feature or benefit, such as performance, comfort, safety or such as performance, comfort, safety or luxury optionsluxury options

Factors Affecting Print Ad Factors Affecting Print Ad CopyCopy Objectives of the specific adObjectives of the specific ad

If the ad is a one-time ad, If the ad is a one-time ad, what is the specific purpose?what is the specific purpose?

Is it announcing a retailer’s Is it announcing a retailer’s after Christmas sale?after Christmas sale?

Introducing a new snack food?Introducing a new snack food?

Objectives of the specific Objectives of the specific adad

Characteristics of the adCharacteristics of the ad You need to know how much space You need to know how much space

in the ad has been allocated for copy in the ad has been allocated for copy The amount of copy you need to The amount of copy you need to

write is limited by the amount of write is limited by the amount of space it will occupyspace it will occupy

Copy must coordinate with the other Copy must coordinate with the other elements of the as such as the elements of the as such as the headline and the illustrationheadline and the illustration

Example: If a headline addresses a Example: If a headline addresses a problem such as dandruff, then the copy problem such as dandruff, then the copy must provide a solution to the problemmust provide a solution to the problem

Objectives of the specific Objectives of the specific adad

Characteristics of the adCharacteristics of the ad Kinds of publications in which the ad Kinds of publications in which the ad

will appearwill appear Will the ad appear in one or more Will the ad appear in one or more

magazines or newspapers?magazines or newspapers? If so, study the style and editorial If so, study the style and editorial

content, or subject matter, of the content, or subject matter, of the publicationspublications

Look at the ads currently appearing Look at the ads currently appearing in the publications to give you an in the publications to give you an idea of the kinds of copy other idea of the kinds of copy other businesses feel will appeal to readersbusinesses feel will appeal to readers

Characteristics of the adCharacteristics of the ad

Legal considerationsLegal considerations Advertising is regulated by:Advertising is regulated by:

Federal, State, and local lawsFederal, State, and local laws Groups within advertising Groups within advertising

professionprofession Independent organizationsIndependent organizations

Characteristics of the adCharacteristics of the ad

Legal considerationsLegal considerations This means that your copy may be This means that your copy may be

examined by government regulatory examined by government regulatory agencies, the medium consumer agencies, the medium consumer presenting the ad, competitors, activists, presenting the ad, competitors, activists, and anyone who is interested in honest and anyone who is interested in honest advertisingadvertising

Claims or proof of false or misleading Claims or proof of false or misleading advertising can cause unfavorable advertising can cause unfavorable publicity and lawsuits for the business publicity and lawsuits for the business

Example: Alpo Per Foods, Inc. won a $12.1 Example: Alpo Per Foods, Inc. won a $12.1 million lawsuit against Ralston Purina million lawsuit against Ralston Purina Company for its false advertising. Ralston Company for its false advertising. Ralston had made health claims for its Purina had made health claims for its Purina Puppy Chow that were not supported by Puppy Chow that were not supported by factsfacts

Copywriters describedCopywriters described

Advertising copyAdvertising copy

They work in the They work in the advertising department of advertising department of business or in advertising business or in advertising agencies agencies

Copywriters describedCopywriters described

Copywriters and creativityCopywriters and creativity They can be as creative as They can be as creative as

they like, but their creativity they like, but their creativity should have a purpose should have a purpose

The challenge of copywriting The challenge of copywriting is to motivate the reader to is to motivate the reader to take some kind of actiontake some kind of action

Copywriters describedCopywriters described

Commonly accepted principles Commonly accepted principles of good copywriting:of good copywriting: Make ad copy concise and easy to Make ad copy concise and easy to

read and to understandread and to understand Get to the pointGet to the point Use active voice and present tenseUse active voice and present tense Involve the readerInvolve the reader Be positive and enthusiasticBe positive and enthusiastic Provide specific factsProvide specific facts Offer benefitsOffer benefits Promote credibilityPromote credibility Convey a principal themeConvey a principal theme

Copywriters describedCopywriters described

The words should be:The words should be: SimpleSimple ShortShort Part of the readers vocabularyPart of the readers vocabulary Write the way you would talk to Write the way you would talk to

someonesomeone

Step-by-Step Procedure for Step-by-Step Procedure for CopywritingCopywriting

1.1. Collect informationCollect information

2.2. Study the informationStudy the information

3.3. Generate ideasGenerate ideas

4.4. Prepare an outlinePrepare an outline

5.5. Write the first draftWrite the first draft

6.6. Evaluate copyEvaluate copy

7.7. Obtain feedback and Obtain feedback and rewrite or refine copyrewrite or refine copy

Points to Evaluate in Print Points to Evaluate in Print Ad CopyAd Copy Accuracy of facts in the Accuracy of facts in the

copycopy Wording of copyWording of copy Anything that might cause Anything that might cause

legal problemslegal problems Ways the copy can be Ways the copy can be

improvedimproved Errors in spelling, Errors in spelling,

punctuation, and grammarpunctuation, and grammar