Copywriting involves writing text to advertise or market a product. There are four main types of advertising: complex, high involvement, explanation, and abstract. Effective copy is succinct, single-minded, personal, keeps a simple focus, and uses conversational language. Copy for print includes display copy like headlines and body copy for the main message. Headlines can be direct or indirect action. Television copy uses techniques like action, demonstration, storytelling, and emotion. Planning involves storyboards and considering visual and audio tools. Copy for the internet thinks of the medium as interactive and focuses on standing out amid online clutter.

1. Copywriting

2. copywriting
• is the act of writing copy (text) for the purpose
of advertising or marketing a product,
business, person, opinion or idea.
• The addressee (reader, listener, etc.) of the
copy is meant to be persuaded to buy the
product advertised for, or subscribe to the
viewpoint the text shares.

3. Four types of advertising:
• Complex – message is complicated
particularly making argument words can be
specific than visual
• High involvement – using the words
• Explanation – need def & explanation – used
words
• Abstract – if message try to convey abstract
qualities such as justice & quality, words can
communicate the concept easily than pictures.

4. How to write effective copy
• Be succinct – use short, familiar words, short
sentences & short paragraph
• Be single-minded – focus on one main point
• Get personal – address your audience as “u”
rather than “we” or “they”.
• Keep a single focus – deliver a simple message
• Be conversational – use language of everyday
conversation
• Be original – keep your copy forceful and
persuasive

5. • Use news – to get attention
• Use magic phrases
• Use variety
• Use imaginative description
• Tell a story – with feeling
How to write effective copy

6. How is copy creates for print?
• Two categories of copy that use – display copy
& body copy
• Display copy – all elements that reader can
see in their initial scanning – headlines,
subheads, call-outs, tagline & slogans.
• Body copy – that design to be read and
absorbed such as text of message ads &
captions

7. Headlines
• Two categories : Direct action & indirect action
• Direct action headlines:
– Assertion – headlines states a claim or promise that
motivate someone to try the product
– Command – headlines politely tell the reader to do
something
– How-to heads – people are rewarded for investigating a
product when the message how to use it or how to
solve the problem.
– News announcement – news headlines are used with
new-product introductions, but also with changes,
reformulations, new styles and new uses to get
attention & motivate people to try product.

8. Headlines
• Indirect-action headlines:
– Puzzles – used strictly for their curiosity
provocative power. Puzzling statements,
ambiguities and questionnaire require the reader
to examine the body copy to get the answer or
explanation. The intention is to pull reader into
the body copy.
– Associations – headlines use image and lifestyle to
get attention and build interest.

9. Subheads, slogans & taglines
• Technique of memorability:
– Direct address e.g. think global
– A startling or unexpected phrase e.g. NYNEX campaign:
“if it’s out there, it’s in here” .
– Rhyme, rhythm, alliteration – uses repetition of sound
e.g. wall street journal’s slogan “the daily diary of the
American dream”
– Parallel construction – uses repetition of the structure
of a sentence or phrase.
– Cue the product e.g. wheaties: “breakfast of the
champion”.
– Music – e.g. “ho ho ho”.
– Combination (rhyme, rhythm, parallel) e.g. slogan for
take pride in America “It’s your land, lend a hand”.

10. Body copy
• Text of the ad, and it’s primary role to maintain
the interest of the reader.
• Develop the sales message, states the
argument, summarizes the proof .
• Approaches:
– Straightforward
– Narrative
– Dialogue
– Explanation
– Translation

11. Tools of radio copywriting
• Voice, music & sound effects
• The practice of radio copywriting:
– Keep it personal – should use conversational language.
– Speaks to listeners interest – specialized program to target
market.
– Wake up the inattentive – to breakthrough & capture
attention in the first three second with sound effects, music,
sound, commands or something unexpected.
– Make it memorable – listener remember what are you
selling, commercial should mention name of product
emphatically and repeat it.
– Include call to action e.g. “Got milk?”
– Create image transfer - radio ad sometimes designed to link
TV commercial.

12. Write television copy
• Technique:
– Action: when watch
television > walking,
talking, moving world
that gives the illusion of
being three dimensional
– Demonstration: seeing is
believing. The essence of
persuasion are high
because we believe what
we see with our own eyes
Message design:
Uses the effect of action
& motion to attract
attention and sustain
interest. All action are
easier to present on TV.
If have strong sales
message that lends itself
to demonstration, e.g.
how to deliver the
message – TV is ideal
medium for message

13. – Storytelling: narrative to
take advantage of
medium’s strengths
– Emotion: ability to touch
feeling with real-life
situation e.g. humor,
anger, fear, pride,
jealousy and love come
alive on the screen.
 ability to present a plot &
action that lead to a
conclusion which product
plays a major roles.
 Emotional appeal are found
in natural situation with
which everyone can identify.
E.g. Kodak and polaroid
used strategy for precious
moment that remembered
in photographs.
Write television copy

14. Tools of television copywriting
• Two primary toolkits:
i) Visual (video & motion)
ii) Audio (music, video & sound effects)
• Other TV tools – setting, casting, costumes,
props, and lighting

15. Planning of TV commercial
1. Scenes and key frames ( the shot that stick in
the mind and becomes the image of viewer
remember when think about the
commercial).
2. Scripts, storyboards (visual plan or layout of
the commercial) and photoboard (uses
photographic still instead of art to illustrate
the progression of image)

16. Copywriting for the internet
• To create great copy for the web, copywriter must
think it as interactive medium and open up
opportunities for dialogue with the consumer.
• Online advertising has primarily focused on
websites & banners, although advertiser are
using new forms that looks like magazine or TV
ads.
• Banner & other form of online ads have to stand
out amid the clutter on a typical web page &
arouse the viewer’s interest.