This document discusses key aspects of copywriting, specifically related to headlines. It notes that headlines should attract attention, engage the audience, and present the key benefit. Common powerful words to use in headlines are listed. The main types of headlines covered are benefit, news/informative, provocative, question, and command headlines. Subheads are described as transmitting key sales points below the headline. The body copy should cover features, benefits and utility of the product or service and can be in straight sell, institutional, narrative, dialogue/monologue, picture caption, or device styles. Slogans are defined as providing continuity across ads and reducing the advertising message to a brief, memorable statement.
2. 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
Headlines
6. Promises
the audience that using the
product will be rewarding
Simple statements – not cute or clever
Gore-Tex Fabrics
Keep you warm and dry, Speak a
foreign
Regardless of what falls
language in
Out of the sky
30 days or
your money
Includes the
name of the
back.
product
Benefit Headline
12. Asks
a question
Encouraging readers to look for answers
in the body of the ad
“What makes out tires smarter & richer
than others?”
Question Headline
13. Orders
readers to do something
“Obey your thirst.”
“Please don’t squeeze the Charmin”
Command Headlines
14. Smaller
texts that appear above or below
the headline
◦ -above [kickers/overlines]
◦ Below [underlines
Also transmits key sales points fast
Carries less important information than
the headline
Subheads are longer and more like
sentences than headlines
They bridge the headline to the copy
Subheads
20. Promote
philosophy or merits of a
company
Organization’s image
Banks
Insurance companies
Public corporations
Large manufacturing firms
Institutional Copy
21.
22. Tells
a story
Creates a situation and uses the product
as a rescue or saver
◦ Insurance company (the man who dies but,
fortunately, had just renewed his policy)
Narrative Copy
29. Taglines/themelines
Standard
statements
Provide continuity to a series of ads
Reduce 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”
Slogans
45. Do a web search
Look for a print ad to analyze
Identify 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)
TASK