COPYWRITING: THE LANGUAGE OF ADVERTISING

Words and pictures work together to produce a creative concept. However, idea behind a
creative concept in advertising is usually expressed in some attention-getting and memorable phrase
Finding these “magic words” is the responsibility of copywriters who search for the right words to warm-
up mood or often consumer resistance.

Although advertising is highly visual, there are five types of advertisements in which words are
crucial.

1. If the message is complicated, words can be more specific than visuals and can be read over
and over until the meaning is clear.
2. If the ad is for a high-involvement product, meaning the consumer spends a lot of time
considering it then the more information the better, and that means using words.
3. Information that needs definition and explanation, like how a new wireless phone works, is
also better delivered through words.
4. If a message tries to convey abstract qualities, such as justice and quality, words tend to
communicate these concepts more easily than pictures.
5. Finally, slogans and jingles help lock in key phrases that cue a brand image or remind
consumers of a brand feature.

Words are powerful tools in advertising and the person who understands their beauty and power as well
as how best to use them in situations like these is the copywriter.

The Copywriter/Copywriters. A person who shapes and sculpts the words in advertisements is
called a copywriter. Get paid good money for playing very skillful word games. They are experts on
words, or, rather students of them. They know meanings and derivations, as well as the moods and
feelings of words and the reverberations and vibrations they create in a reader’s mind.

A successful advertising copywriter is a savvy marketer and a literary master, sometimes described as a
“killer poet.”

Versatility. A common trait of copywriters. Copywriters don’t have a style of their own because
the style they use has to match the message and the product.

Copy. The text of an ad or the words that people say in a commercial.

Creative Directors. The one who manages the creative process and oversees the work of the
copywriter/art director team.

ADVERTISING STYLE
In advertising, there is good writing and there is bad writing., just as there’s good and bad in
every other area of expression. Advertising has to win the audience, no small task given that it usually
competes with so much noise. For this reason, the copy should be as simple as possible. Simple ads
avoid being gimmicky or too cute; they don’t try too hard or reach too far to make a point.
 Advertising copy is tight. Every word counts because both space and time are expensive.
Ineffective words such as interesting, very, in order to, buy now and save, introducing, nothing less than,
waste precious space. Copywriters revise copy a hundred times to make it as concise as possible. The
tighter the copy, the easier it is to understand and the greater its impact. The “Practical Tips” feature
summarizes some characteristics of effective copy.

PRACTICAL TIPS
Writing Effective Copy

● Be succinct. Use short, familiar words, short sentences, and short paragraphs.

● Be specific. Don’t waste time on generalities.

● Get personal. Directly address your audience whenever possible as “you” and “your,” rather
than “we” or “they.”
● Keep a single focus. Deliver a simple message instead of one that makes too many points. Focus
on a single idea and support it.
● Be conversational. Use the language of everyday conversation.

● Be original. To keep your copy forceful and persuasive, avoid stock advertising phrases, strings
of superlatives brag-and-boast statements, and cliches.
● Use variety. To add visual appeal in both print and TV ads, avoid long blocks of copy in print ads,
instead. Break the copy into short paragraphs with subheads.

Tone of voice

To develop the right tone of voice, copywriters write typical user. If they know someone who fits
that description, then they write to the person as if they were in a conversation. If they don’t, then they
may go through a photo file, select a picture of the person they think fits the description, and develop a
profile of that personality.

Grammar

Copywriters also are attuned to the niceties of grammar, syntax, and spelling, although
sometimes they will play with a word or phrase to create an effect, even if it’s grammatically incorrect.

Adese

Formulaic advertising copy is one problem that is well known that comedians parody it. This
type of formula writing, called adese, violates all the guidelines for writing effective copy that we
described in the practical tips for wrting effective copy. Adese is stereotyped ad writing. It is full cliches,
superlatives, stock phrases, and vague generalities. Adese is also a brag-and—boast copy, which is “we”
copy written from the company’s point of view with the pompous tone.
COPYWRITING FOR PRINT

A print advertisement is created in two pieces: a copy sheet and a layout.

Copy Elements

Two categories of copy that print advertising uses:

1. Display copy includes all elements that readers see in their initial scanning. These elements are
headlines, subheads, call-outs, taglines, and slogan.
2. Body copy includes the elements that are designed to be read and absorbed, such as the text of
the ad message and captions.

How to Write Headlines

Most experts on print advertising agree that the headline is the most important display element.
The headline works with the visual to get attention and communicate the creative concept.

The Headline is a key element in print advertising. It conveys the main message so that people get the
point of the ad.

The Copywriter’s Toolkit

Headline: A phrase or a sentence that serves as the opening to the ad. It’s usually identified by larger
type of prominent position and its purpose is to catch attention.

Overlines and underlines: These are phrases or sentences that either lead into the headline of follow up
on the thought in the headline. They are usually set in smaller type than the headline. The purpose oof
overline is to set the stage, and the purpose of underline is to elaborate on the idea in the headline and
serve as transition to the body copy.

Body copy: The text of the ad. It’s usually smaller-sized type and written in paragraphs or multiple lines.
Its purpose is to explain the idea or selling point.

Subheads: Used in longer copy blocks, subheads begin a new section of the copy. They usually bold type
or larger than the body copy. Their purpose is to make the logic clear to the reader.

Call-outs: These are the sentences that float around the visual, usually with a line or arrow pointing to
some specific element in the visual that they name and explain.

Captions: A sentence or short piece of copy that explains what you are looking at in the photo or
illustration.

Taglines: A short phrase that wraps up the key idea or creative concept that usually appears at the end
of the body copy. It often refers back to the headline or opening phrase in a commercial.
Slogans: A distinctive catch phrase that serves as a motto for campaign, brand, or company. It is used
across a variety of marketing communication messages and over an extended period of time.

Call to Action: This is line at the end of an ad that encourages people to respond and gives information
on how to respond.

Headlines are so important, some general principles guide their development and explain the particular
functions they serve:

● A good headline will attract only those who are prospects

● The headline must work in combination with the visual to stop and grab the reader’s attention.

● The headline must also identify the product and brand, and start the sale.

● The headline should lead readers into the body copy.

Types of Direct Action Headlines

● Assertion. An assertion is a headline that states a claim or a promise that will motivate someone
to try the product.
● Command. A command headline politely tells the reader to do something.

● How-To Heads. People are rewarded for investing a product when a message tells them hot to
use it or how to solve problem.
● New Announcements. News headlines are used with the new-product introductions, but also
with changes, reformulations, new styles, and new uses.

Type of Indirect Action Headlines

● Puzzles. Used strictly for their curiosity and proactive power. The intention is to pull readers into
body copy.
● Associations. These headlines use image and lifestyles to get attention and build interest.

Sometimes these indirect headlines are called “blind headlines” because they give so little information.
A blind headline is a gamble.

How to Write other Display Copy

Next to the headline, captions have the second highest readership. Copy-testing data shows that
attention is drawn immediately to the captions under illustrations. Captions also serve an information
function. Copywriters also crafts subheads that continue to help lure the reader into the body copy.
Subheads are sectional headlines and are also used to break up a mass “’gray” type in a large block
copy. Taglines are short catchy phrases and a particularly memorable phrases used in the end of an ad
to complete or wrap up the idea. Slogans which are repeated from ad toad as part of the campaign or a
long-term brand identity effort, also may be used as taglines. These are the other techniques
copywriters use to create catchy slogans.

● A starting or unexpected phrase.

● Rhyme, rhythm, alteration.

● Parallel construction.

How to Write Body Copy

The body copy is the text of the ad. It develops the sales, message, states, and argument,
summarizes the proof, and provides explanation. It is the persuasive heart of the message.

These are as many different kinds of writing styles as there are copywriters and product
personalities, but there are also some standard styles:

● Straightforward. Factual copy is usually written in the words of an anonymous or

unacknowledged source.
● Narrative. Tells a story, first person or third person.

● Dialogue. Lets the reader “listen in” on a conversation.

● Explanation. Explains how something works.

● Translation. Technical information, such as the written for the high-tech and medical industries,
must be defined and translated into understandable language.

Print media Requirements

These are a variety of media in the print category.

Newspaper. Newspaper advertising is one of the few types of advertising that is not considered
intrusive.

Magazines. Magazines appear less frequently than newspapers and, therefore, there is time for better
quality ad production.

Directories. Publications that provide contact information, such as phone numbers and addresses, often
carry display advertising.

Posters and Outdoor Advertising. Posters and outdoor boards are primarily visual although the words
generally try to catch consumers attention and lock in an idea, registering a message.

Product Literature. Sometimes called collateral materials because they are used in support of an
advertising campaign, brochures and pamphlets provide details about a product, company, or event.
How to Write Radio Copy

Ads that are broadcast on either radio or television are usually 15. 30, or 60 seconds in length.
Therefore, it must be simple enough that the consumer can grasp the message.

Characteristics of Radio Advertising

● Personal.

● Interest-based.

● Inattention.

● Retention.

● Call to action.

● Ephemeral.

The Tools of Radio Copywriting

● Voice. Probably the most important element in radio advertising.

● Music. An important radio advertising element because it lets consumers sing the selling
message.
● Sound effects. The sound of seagulls and the crash of waves, the clicking of typewriter keys, and
the cheers of fans at the stadium all create images in our minds and cue the setting.

Radio Commercial Planning.

Radio commercials are usually written for 30-, 45-, and 60-second timeframes, although 10- and
15-second spots may be used for brand reminders or station identification.

How to Write Television Copy

Television in unlike radio or print in many ways, but mostly because it is medium of moving
images. The challenge for the advertiser is to fuse the images with words to present not only a creative
concept, but also a story.

Characteristics of Television Ads

● Action.
 ● Demonstration.

● Storytelling

● Emotion.

The Tools of Television Copywriting

Television copywriters have two primary tools:

● Audio.

● Visual toolkits.

Video. We are more aware in what we seeing than anything else. So the creative team makes sure the
visuals deliver the Big idea.

Audio. The three audio elements of television, as in radio, are music,, voices,, and sound effects, but
they are used differently in television commercials because they are connected to a visual image.

Set. Is where the action takes place.

Talent. The most important element is the people.

Casting. Finding the right person for each role.

People can be cast as:

● Announcers

● Spokespersons

● Character types

● Celebrities

Planning the TV Commercial: Scripts and Storyboards

A print advertisement is created in two pieces:

 ● Copy sheet

● Layout

Commercials are planned with two similar documents:

● Script prepared by the writer

● Storyboard drawn by the art director

Storyboard. The visual plan or layout of the commercial, shows the number of scenes, the composition
of the shots, and the progression of the action.

Script. Written in two columns, with the audio on the right and the video on the left.

WRITING FOR THE WEB

This new medium is more interactive than any other mass medium, not only does the viewer
initiate the contact, viewers can send e-mail in many if not most Web sites. This makes Web advertising
more like two-way communication, and that’s one of its primary strengths and a major point of
difference from other advertising forms.

Some of the tricks used in Web copywriting, particularly for banners and Web advertisements.

● Banners. The most common form of online advertising. Usually, small box ads containing text,
images, and perhaps animation.
● Web Ads. Similar to traditional advertising. Designed to create awareness and interest in a
product and build a brand image.