Originally from Communication Arts in 1963 by BBDO's Fred Manly with illustrations by Hal Riney. Still relevant today on two fronts. There are times when single minded, brilliantly focused messages work. And rules are meant for breaking if we are to invent new ways of engaging. This is a lesson I am sharing at BU College of Communications, in Fundamentals of Creative Development. A little history from 50 years ago.

1. NINE WAYS
TO
IMPROVE
AN AD
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2. PRESENTED IN
FUNDAMENTALS
OF
CREATIVE
DEVELOPMENT
EDWARD BOCHES
CM 417
FALL, 2012
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3. ORIGINALLY
BY
FRED MANLEY
BBDO
ILLUSTRATIONS
BY HAL RINEY
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4. FROM
COMMUNICATION ARTS
1963
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5. THIS AD IS INEPT
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6. Always show the product
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7. Be positive
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8. Name in headline
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9. Include people enjoying the product
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10. Be newsworthy
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11. Make that headline prominent
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12. Avoid negative connotations
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13. Tell the reader where to buy it
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14. And, of course, localize
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15. Think one.
You can lie on a bed of nails, but you can’t lie
on one nail
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16. CONCLUSION
The world of advertising is But there remain two relevant
certainly not what it used to lessons in this wonderful
be. demonstration from nearly 50
years ago.
We make fewer and fewer
print ads. One, there is a timelessness,
and at times appropriateness,
Complexity in story telling -- to the classic ad that
from the likes of TV series to brilliantly conveys one point.
transmedia marketing
programs -- is often more By giving away less, it
effective than the single entices us to learn or care
minded focus that prevailed more.
in the years after the Creative
Revolution of the 1960‘s. And two, rules are made for
breaking. Especially if we
And in an age of social media are to invent new ways of
and mobile technology, utility solving problems, attracting
is replacing message based attention, and involving our
marketing all together. communities.
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