Learn how to evaluate ads based on six simple criteria

1. Writing that sells
Creating content and evaluating ads

2. Elements of an ad
• Product category
• Ad execution
• Brand
• Message

3. What Will Your Business Stand For?
• In order to have a unique selling proposition (USP), you
can’t be known for everything.
• Choose what your business will stand for and what
you’ll be known for. By doing that, you’ll become known
for that unique quality and stand out from the crowd.
• So what will your business make a stand for? What will
you be known for? Or what makes your current
business unique?

4. How to Develop Your USP
• What products or services are you selling?
– Boxes and moving supplies.
• Who is your target audience?
– Local homeowners who are moving, and don't have a lot of time to look
for used boxes in order to pack.
• What does your business do well?
– We provide quick, responsive service while making the purchasing
process easy for our customers.
• What is your most important customer-focused business goal?
– Helping our customers get the moving supplies they need quickly,
easily, and affordably.

5. USP: Next Steps
Our example company that sells moving boxes
may identify the potential customer's problem
as not being able to easily locate the proper
containers when they are packing their
belongings and preparing to move.

6. Identify the Differentiators
• This step focuses on identifying what it is about your solution to
your customer's problem that is different, or better than, the
solution your competition offers. The value you identify here will be
one of the primary reasons why your customers will choose you
instead of a competitor.
• The potential differentiators of our moving supply company may be
that they offer sturdier boxes, less expensive boxes, complete
packing solutions, same-day delivery, or exceptional customer
service.

7. Make a Promise
• This step combines the most important elements of the previous
steps into a concise statement that embodies the value your
company has to offer. Keep in mind that your USP essentially
implies a promise, or a pledge, you are making to your customers.
• The moving supply company, for example, may create a USP that
says simply, "Sturdy Boxes in 24 Hours," aimed toward their
overwhelmed customers who are getting ready to move, and
quickly need boxes that won't collapse.

8. USP: The Words
• In a nutshell, developing your USP means:
• Appealing to the prospects pain
• Showing them how you’re the best person to
solve their pain
• Give them a reason to care

9. USP: The Words
• Only
• Fastest
• Best
• Largest
Or use offers like:
• Order by 2pm, delivery by 3pm
• Bottom-of-the-bottle guarantee
• 7,698 parts in stock
• Unlimited, on-site training
•
•

10. USP: The Words
Fluff doesn’t sell. Specifics do.
Don’t say:
• “Best customer service”
• “Lowest priced plans”
• “Largest selection in town”
Instead:
• Dedicated support specialist 24/7
• Plans start at $4/month
• 50,357 parts in stock

11. Negative space

12. A picture paints…

13. Minimal copy

14. All headline

15. Logo and call to action

16. All copy, no headline

17. Getting your attention

18. Keeping your attention

19. But does it work?

20. Billboard advertising

21. Interactive advertising

22. App-based advertising

23. Product placement

24. Your retirement income plan

25. What would happen to her if
something happened to you?

26. Auto insurance at lower rates

27. Turn your careful driving into money

28. What traditional ads look like
• Illustration 65 %
• Headline 10 %
• Copy 20 %
• Logo5%

29. How well do you know your customers?
So now this is the part that allows you to describe your
product or service in greater detail. This is known as
your copy block.
There is no question that you should be testing
headlines – seeing which ones work – and which don’t.
Don’t forget the call to action here.

30. How well do you know your
customers?
So now this is the part that allows you
to describe your product or service in
greater detail. This is known as your
copy block.
There is no question that you should be
testing headlines – seeing which ones
work – and which don’t.
Coupon box to
be added to the
side of the ad
when you want
to include a
discount,
promotion or
limited time
offer.
25% OFF
Don’t forget the call to action here.

31. How well do
you know
your
customers?
So now this is the
part that allows you
to describe your
product or service in
greater detail. This is
known as your copy
block.
Coupon box to be
added to the side
of the ad when
you want to
include a discount,
promotion or
limited time offer.
25% OFF
Don’t forget the call to action here.
There is no question
that you should be
testing headlines –
seeing which ones
work – and which
don’t.

32. How well do you know your customers?
So now this is the
part that allows you to
describe your product
or service in greater
detail. This is known as
your copy block.
Coupon box to be
added to the side of
the ad when you
want to include a
discount, promotion
or limited time offer.
25% OFF
Don’t forget the call to action here.
There is no
question that you
should be testing
headlines – seeing
which ones work –
and which don’t.
Serif
Sans Serif
Point size
Bold Italics

33. Tone of Voice
In the foothills of the Himalayas you will see slopes
covered with Indian Rose Damascene with an exquisite
smell. Here we found Pawan and his family who have
been growing and distilling roses for many generations
while also supporting local rose farmers.
Pawan knows the soil, he knows the plants, and the way
he tests their qualities is as natural as breathing.
He smells the roses, knows the precise moment to pick
them and use their petals for immediate distillation.

34. Audience
Express values
Since when is an accounting firm?
“bold, clear and positive”

35. Audience
Brand life vs. shelf life
“Marketing materials that are
meant to be long-term or short-
term and therefore, consumed
over different channels”

36. Guidelines for Brand Communication
Brand Essence
Mission, values, purpose
What makes the brand unique?

37. Guidelines for Brand Communication
Word Bank
Collection of suitable words
What types of words should you use?

38. Guidelines for Brand Communication
Company dictionary
Identify and define industry-specific jargon
Why you should opt for plain English

39. Guidelines for Brand Communication
Brand Hierarchy
House of brands? Branded house?
Unilever vs. Coca-Cola
How do the brands relate to each other?
How can they have same core values but
unique personality?

40. Guidelines for Brand Communication
Sample copy
Show clear examples of what works
and what doesn’t

41. “Kevin is rude but…”

42. Identifying Value proposition
• Accessibility “build a diversified investment portfolio”
• Newness “get the latest smart phone”
• Performance “More powerful, faster”
• Customization “A plan built for you”
• “get the job done” “Let us worry”
• Design “Stand out in a crowd”
• Status “A special sense of belonging”
• Price “No frills”
• Cost reduction “Turnkey solution”
• Risk reduction “Guarantee”
• Usability “Download right from your phone…”

43. Pro Roofing Contractors
You found Toronto’s most dedicated roofers.
A leaking roof can create a lot of damage very fast.
You cannot afford that. We are here to provide you
with professional work, expert advice and the best
value for the money. Pro Roofing has helped
hundreds of homeowners in Toronto and Greater
Toronto Area get and maintain beautiful roofs. Take
a look at the types of roofs we install for our clients.

44. How many of these headlines are questions?
• ask a question – “Do you have…?”
• excite curiosity - “How to …”
• issue a challenge – “Can you get…”

45. Set clear goals - Objectives and bottom line
 Specification of a product or a service so that it is
understood by the right target audience
 Promotion of a product or a service so that the
appropriate target audience makes an order
 Creation of interest and demand on the shopper’s
side
 Building awareness of products and services
 Building the right company and brand image

46. Luxury, performance or safety?
• Enjoy bold, spirited styling with an air of sleek
confidence
• Raw power is unleashed precisely through a
short-throw, 6-speed manual…
• Preventative safety features like Dynamic
Stability and Traction Control (DSTC) help you,
the driver, avoid accidents by evading them

47. Key message (s)
What is the one thing I want my audience to know?
Concise: avoid jargon and acronyms
Active: make every sentence active
Positive: talk about what you can do, not what you can't
Short: one memorable sentence, 10-15 seconds to say.
Specific: address a particular challenge and audience

48. What Are Buyer
Personas?
Buyer personas are fictional representations of your ideal customers.
They are based on real data about customer demographics and
online behavior, along with educated speculation about their
personal histories, motivations, and concerns.
?

49. How Are Buyer
Personas Created?
Buyer personas are created through research, surveys, and interviews of
your target audience. That includes a mix of customers – both “good”
and “bad” -- prospects, and those outside of your contact database who
might align with your target audience. You’ll collect data that is both
qualitative and quantitative to paint a picture of who your ideal customer
is, what they value, and how your solution fits into their daily lives.
?

50. How Do You
Socialize A
Buyer Persona?
So you’ve done the research and conducted all the interviews …
you’ve finally figured out who your buyer persona is. Congratulations!
But how do you communicate that new understanding of your target
customer with your entire organization? After all, if your sales and
marketing teams don’t understand who they’re speaking to, it’s hard
to craft a message that really resonates.
?

51. This is Susan
BACKGROUND:
•Head of Human Resources
•Worked at the same company for 10 years;
worked her way up from HR Associate
•Married with 2 children (10 and 8)
DEMOGRAPHICS:
•Skews female
•Age 30-45
•Dual HH Income: $140,000
•Suburban
IDENTIFIERS:
•Calm demeanor
•Probably has an assistant screening calls
•Asks to receive collateral mailed/printed

52. Susan
GOALS:
•Keep employees happy and
turnover low
•Support legal and finance teams
CHALLENGES:
•Getting everything done with a
small staff
•Rolling out changes to the entire
company
HOW WE HELP:
•Make it easy to manage all
employee data in one place
•Integrate with legal and finance
teams’ systems

53. Susan
REAL QUOTES:
•“It’s been difficult getting company-wide
adoption of new technologies in the past.”
•“I don’t have time to train new
employees on a million different
databases and platforms.”
•“I’ve had to deal with so many painful
integrations with other departments’
databases and software.”
COMMON OBJECTIONS:
•I’m worried I’ll lose data transitioning to
a new system.
•I don’t want to have to train the entire
company on how to use a new system.

54. How Exactly do we Evaluate Ads?
Keeping in mind that creativity is purely
subjective, there are some objective
measurements that can help predict a creative
concept’s effectiveness.
Follow these six simple guidelines to know if
you’ve got a winner:

55. How Exactly do we Evaluate Ads?
1. Will it grab attention?
The first order of business for any creative
concept is to attract the attention of the
reader (or viewer) and compel them to spend
a few moments with your message. It helps if
it’s original, and different from the other
messages around it. It helps if it’s clever or
emotional and engages the mind.

56. Attention Grabbing
McDonalds Austria

57. How Exactly do we Evaluate Ads?
2. Is it directed at the target?
Remember, you are not the target. Your
potential buyer is the only one you need to
think about. Does the concept resonate with
the things the customer cares about and
needs?

58. Targeted

59. Targeted

60. Targeted

61. How Exactly do we Evaluate Ads?
3. Is the concept on strategy?
All advertising should be based on a sound
marketing strategy. You should know what
you’re trying to do, who you’re talking to, and
what core message holds the best promise for
success.

62. On Strategy
“ Dear Young People”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=t0e9guhV35o

63. How Exactly do we Evaluate Ads?
4. Is it benefit oriented?
Is the creative built around what problem it
can solve for the customer, or what advantage
it can give them? Beware concepts that just
tout a feature, without interpreting how that
feature represents a benefit for the reader.

64. Benefits Oriented
• https://www.adsoftheworld.com/media/film/first

65. How Exactly do we Evaluate Ads?
5. Does it support the brand? Does it create
awareness?
Most companies have an identity in the
marketplace, contributing to a consistent
image and perception among customers. Does
the concept support the brand? Does it fit
within the framework of the corporate
personality? It doesn’t have to look exactly
like everything else, but it should be
compatible.

66. Brand Awareness

67. How Exactly do we Evaluate Ads?
6. Is there a call to action?
Does the ad or concept ultimately
communicate what you want the reader to
do? Are you asking for the sale? Are you
asking for people to look at your company in a
different way? What is the action or attitude
shift you want to take place, and is the
creative moving the reader towards that
action?

68. Call to Action

69. Call to Action

70. The 20 most important copy tips
1. Demonstrate knowledge
2. Use short sentences
3. Do not overwhelm
4. Run from pompous words
5. Educate
6. Use a great headline
7. Strike a nerve

71. The 20 most important copy tips
8. Know your audience
9. Focus on benefits
10.Magnetize
11.Make an impact
12.Be client-centred
13.Show your image
14.Bring out your personality

72. The 20 most important copy tips
15.Know how the message translates
16.Be organized
17.Be consistent
18.Proofread
19.Test your copy
20.Edit and then edit some more

73. • https://www.adsoftheworld.com/taxonomy/brand