The advertisement copy refers to the written contents of the advertisement including its text and headline. This article explains about A Good Advertisement Copy with discussion by Features, Types, and Benefits. It can refer to as the heart of advertising and should draft with utmost care; otherwise, all the money invested in carrying out the advertisement campaign will go to waste.
Explanation and Learn, A Good Advertisement Copy: Features, Types, and Benefits.
In the words of William J. Stanton “The copy in an advertisement is defined as the written or spoken material in it, including the headline, coupons and advertiser’s name, and address as well as the main body of the message”. Simply stated advertisement copy means the total structure relating to the message which the advertiser wants to convey by using any medium of advertisement.
The advertisement copy should prepare in such a manner as to leave everlasting impression on the reader. The job of drafting the copy should entrust to an expert. The reader should not only read but understand and believe the contents given in the advertisement copy.
It should properly work and cover every detail about the product. Various considerations or essentials of a properly drafted advertisement copy are as under.
The Concept of the study Explains – A Good Advertisement Copy: Features of a Good Advertisement Copy, Types of a Good Advertisement Copy, and Benefits of a Good Advertisement Copy.
The Features or Characteristics of a Good Advertisement Copy:
These also know as salient features or characteristics of a good advertisement copy.
It Should Be Simple:
The first important ingredient of an advertisement copy is that it should write in simple language. It should be capable of proper understanding. They should not use ornamental and tough words rather short, simple and properly understandable words.
It Should Be Capable Of Holding The Reader’s Attention:
An advertisement copy should be capable of holding the attention of the reader. It should present in such a manner which attracts the consumer immediately.
The following methods may undertake to hold the attention of the reader:
- Headlines should properly word and attractive. It should be short and easy for the reader to remember.
- Use of pictures and sketches should be in direct relation to the product to advertise. A good sketch and drawing will be greatly helpful in explaining the product.
- An attractive border may insert around the advertisement copy to distinguish it from other advertisements. Underlining the keywords and leaving blank space at the bottom of the copy is also helpful in drawing the reader’s attention.
- Quoting the price of the product in the advertisement copy is also helpful in holding the attention of a reader. This would be more helpful if the price of the commodity is low.
- The insertion of reply coupons in the advertisement copy is also helpful in attracting the people.
It Must Be Suggestive:
The advertisement copy should be capable of suggesting the reader about the utility and use of the product. Effective slogans can use to give suggestions to people. For example, in case of camp Cola, it is written in the advertisement copy that “life is full of camp cola times”, similarly in case of State Bank of India, it is advertised, “protect your future with State Bank of India”. All these slogans have suggestive value. Suggestions may also give with the help of certain pictures in the advertisement copy.
It Should Have Conviction Value:
The advertisement copy shall be able to have an everlasting impression on the reader if the suggestions are backed by convincing arguments. The reader should not have any doubt on the quality of the product. He should fully convince and satisfied. Exaggeration in explaining the qualities’ of a product must check. An appeal about the outstanding features of the product must make. It should state in simple language so that the reader could understand easily.
In the case of Chelpark fountain pen ink, it is written that it cleans your pen while writing, contains clean x for better pen protection. Similarly in case of Forhan’s toothpaste, “it is ideal for the gums” and “protects your teeth” some organizations assure “money-back guarantee” to convince the people about the quality of the products.
It Should Educate The People:
The advertisement copy should tell the people about the use and operation of a product. It should also impart new uses of a product with which the people are not familiar. An advertisement copy containing information about the use, sources from where the product can obtain, price and services available along with the product is greatly helpful in enhancing the demand and enlarging the sales.
For example, in the case of Hawkin’s pressure cooker, a booklet is also given to the buyer containing methods of preparing various vegetables, soups, and puddings, etc. with the help of the cooker. Similarly, in case of a refrigerator, a booklet containing various directions about proper use and preservation of the refrigerator are giving.
It Should Have Memorising Value:
The advertisement copy should prepare in such a manner that a reader gets the everlasting impression about the product. It can successfully create by repeating the advertisement time and again. Repetition projects the permanent image of the product on the reader’s mind. Trademarks and brand names can use successfully for achieving this end. Dalda, Thums-up, Bournvita, and Surf have successfully achieved memorizing value. The names of these products are very common among people.
It Should Be True:
An advertisement copy should be truthful. It should not misrepresent and conceal the facts about the product. Rather it should lay down the limitations in the product. For example, a cloth merchant should specify the fading of color and shrinkage of yarn, if it is so. If these limitations are not brought to light, the buyer eventually comes to know about them after using the product. This will shatter the confidence of the buyer in the product and the very aim of the advertisement defeat.
Types of a Good Advertisement Copy:
As told earlier, the method or style of presentation is to do with how the message presents. It speaks of the different types of advertising copies to arrest, inform, impress and impel the reader; certain elements are to be present in a copy such as attention, suggestion, meaning, conviction, sentiment, education, and instinct.
Good Advertisement Copy is classifying in several ways in their types. However, the most practical one is to classify into six types as:
- Institutional.
- Reason why?
- Human interest.
- Educational.
- Suggestive and.
- Expository.
Now, explain each one;
Institutional Copy:
Institutional Copy neither sells nor the products neither the service but the name of the business house. The aim is to build the sound edifice of a reputation for the selling house. It seeks to build goodwill through its philosophy, objectives, and policies towards public so that the prospects remember it.
Reason Why Copy:
Reason Why Copy offers reasons as to why the customer expects to buy a product or service of the advertiser. It appeals straight to the intellect or the judgment of an individual than emotion or impulses. It attempts to prove the product superiority using evidence in the forms of performance test, records, testimonials, guarantees and the like.
Human Interest Copy:
Human Interest Copy appeals to the emotional and the senses than intellect and the judgment, sympathy, affection, love, fear, humor, curiosity and other emotional appeals are used to the sense of sight, touch, taste, smell, and hearing.
It tells about the product about the people instead of conforming to the facts about the products. It takes several forms of which four are very significant namely, “fear”, “humorous”, “story” and “predicament” copy.
Suggestive Copy:
Suggestive Copy tries to suggest or pinpoint or convey the message of the advertiser directly or indirectly to the readers. Much is left to the reader to infer the ad message. Like a poem, suggestive language is freely used where the hidden meaning is to pick by the readers. Such a copy can be “direct” or “indirect” suggestive copy. The first tells directly about the products or services of the company while the latter does indirectly.
Expository Copy:
Expository Copy is the open copy that exposes, unlike suggestive copy. It is so open that the facts are given in a very simple and clear way so that there is no need for interpretation. The information given is so clear and concise that hardly it takes the reader’s brain. It makes possible effortless grasp and acts.
Advertisement Copy is the soul of an advertisement. An advertisement copy is all the written or spoken matter in an advertisement expressed in words or sentences and figures designed to convey the desired message to the target consumers.
In print media, an advertisement copy is made-up of head-line, sub-headlines, the body of the copy, illustration logo-type, slogan, and the brand name. Strictly speaking, the written content of an ad copy is the product of the collective efforts of copy-writers, artists and the layout-men.
As well as, Copywriter and artist must collaborate to provide an advertisement though copywriting precedes or succeeds the artwork and the layout.
The Benefits of A Good Advertisement Copy:
Whether a copy is effective or ineffective is a matter of personal judgment. It is very difficult to judge as its evaluation is purely subjective and perceptive. However, a good or effective copy is one that succeeds in reaching the target consumers to create favorable benefits towards the product and the producers, impelling an action on the part of the consumer to buy.
A good advertisement copy has the following Benefits:
It is brief:
Brevity is the soul of wit. Most readers are interested in shorter advertisements. Being brief is not dropping words or chopping sentences. It is the meticulous work of eliminating and substituting the words without jeopardizing the meaning. This cuts to the core, it is to the point to cover all.
It is clear:
A clear copy is one which is easily and quickly read and grasped by the readers. It is unambiguous and self- explaining. It is one that clicks fast. Clarity gives clue to interpretation. How a copy is interpreted is dependent on factors like local traditions habits, customs, and nationality. Clarity adjusts to these points.
It is apt:
A copy is apt that matches the needs and counts of the prospects. Writing an apt copy is the art of putting in the words that create a strong desire to possess the product where the product features or the qualities satisfy the consumers’ desire to possess. The Copywriter is to place himself in the position of a customer to make it apt. He is to use the most suitable USP.
It is personal:
A personal copy is specific where generality dismisses to do away with ambiguity. A personalized copy centers on the prospect. It presents something of interest to the prospect. It’s an individualized appeal copy. It is written from “prospect” to “product” rather than “product” to “prospect”. The copy has “your attitude”.
It is honest:
Credibility or believability of an advertisement message is decided by the extent of honesty. An ad to be good must be truthful. Misleading and miss-presented facts made in the copy only damage the reputation of selling the house. One of the surest ways of winning the hearts of the consumers is, to be honest. “Honesty”, here, implies “commercial honesty” and not the “judicial”.
It is conforming:
Every ad copy is to conform to standards, rules, and regulations acceptable to the advertising media and the laws of the land. Anywhere in the world, no copy is acceptable to any media that offends the morality, declines decency and ravages religious susceptibilities of people.
That is why; we have not come across ads on cigarettes and alcohols on radio and television. No advertiser can violate the provisions of the Act of Names and Emblems, Drugs Acts of 1940, 50, and 54.
