Chapter 9
Promotional Writing
CHAPTER CONTENT
CHAPTER KEY POINTS
1. What are the basic word, language, and writing skills that distinguish brand
communication?
2. How is advertising copy written?
3. Which copy elements are essential to a print media pieces?
4. How can we characterize the design and tools of radio advertising?
5. What are the major elements of television commercials?
6. How do writers design Internet messages?
Chapter Overview
Words and pictures work together to produce a creative concept. However, the idea
behind a creative concept in advertising is usually expressed in some attention-getting
and memorable phrase. Finding these “magic words” is the responsibility of writers who
search for the right way to warm up a mood or soften consumer resistance. This chapter
describes the role of the writer and explains the practice of copywriting in different types
of media. It also describes the work of writers for other marketing communications areas,
such as public relations and direct response.
CHAPTER OUTLINE
THE WRITER’S ROLE IN BRAND COMMUNICATION
Advertising copywriting is a major job category but writers are also important in other
areas, such as public relations and direct marketing. All of these areas have specialists,
but in some agencies and corporate departments, writers are expected to handle all
different types of marketing communication.
The Language of Brand Communication
The most important word selection in marketing communication is the brand or
corporate name, and this responsibility can lie with the advertising department,
corporate communication, or an outside branding consultant
There is a science to letters, as well as words. Research has determined that
letters with a hard edge like T or K suggest effectiveness, X and Z relate to
science, and C, L, R, P and S are calming and relaxing.
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Sometimes more than just a name is created by marketing communicators. For
example, the “uncola” position was created for 7UP and, more recently, the True
Value hardware chain has proclaimed itself “masters of all things hardwarian,” a
phrase that suggests mastery of a traditional art or skill.
Slogans are a long term brand or corporate identity effort. They must be catchy
and memorable. It is a distinctive catchphrase that serves as a motto for a
campaign, brand, or company and is used across a variety of marketing
communication platforms and over an extended period of time.
The word taglineis often used to refer to a slogan, but technically it means a line
at the end of an ad that wraps up the creative concept. It’s more of a campaign
theme than a brand slogan, so it is less enduring than a slogan.
The best slogans have a close link to the brand name. A good slogan is enduring –
they are rarely changed. They also have to be original. A list of distinct and
memorable slogans is featured in the textbook.
Writing Styles
Writing in brand communication can be formal or informal, personal or impersonal, and
it uses all possible types of media. We discuss three types of promotional writing in this
chapter: advertising, public relations, and direct response.
Advertising
In almost all situations, advertising has to win its audience, which is no small
task, given that it usually competes in a cluttered environment and the audience is
generally inattentive and uninterested. For that reason, the copy should be as
simple as possible.
Every word counts because both space and time are expensive. Ineffective or
overused words and phrases waste precious space. Ad copy is usually written in a
conversational style using the language of real people. Copywriters try to write
the way the target audience thinks and talks, often with personal language and
direct address.
You can listen to the legendary David Ogilvy talk about his views on advertising
on Youtube.com.
Public Relations
A variety of styles of writing are used in public relations because that area uses so
many different types of communication tools. Publicity, for example, is designed
for new media and uses the basic stylistics of journalism, while corporate
publications may sometimes be more unconventional. Press releases and video
news releases are more like television news but corporate videos may function
more like films with action and dramatic stories.
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Public relations departments also produce brochures that can also vary from
informational to technical, depending upon the target audience. Public relations
departments sometimes produce public service advertising, as part of public
relations campaign.
Direct Response
There are also a number of media formats used in direct-response writing –
everything from direct-mail letters and brochures to online social media and
customer service or technical support. For that reason, the writing style can be
more or less formal, depending on the target audience.
Strategy and Legal Imperatives
One thing that is common to all forms of brand communication is that it always
has an objective and is designed to reach a particular audience. Beautiful writing
has to make strategy sing.
In addition, claims must be tested to meet the basic requirements of the truth. Are
consumers being led astray by health claims on food packages, websites, and
advertising? This is a public relations, as well as an advertising problem.
TYPES OF BRAND COMMUNICATION WRITING
We will start with copywriters because the other marketing communication areas also use
advertising as part of their campaigns. Furthermore, many of the advertising writing
practices apply to all forms of promotional writing.
The Ad Copywriter
The person who shapes and sculpts the words in an advertisement is called a
copywriter. Copy is the text of an ad or the words that people say in a
commercial. Copywriters begin with the strategy and creative brief. Then,
working with an art director and perhaps a creative director, the creative team
searches for Big Ideas that translate the strategy into a message that is attention
getting and memorable. A truly great Big Idea comes to life through the
interaction between the words and pictures.
Although advertising is highly visual, words are crucial in four types of
advertisements:
1. Complex. If the message is complicated, words can be more specific than
visuals and can be read over and over until the meaning is clear.
2. High involvement. If the ad is for a high-involvement product, meaning the
consumer spends a lot of time considering it, then the more information the
better, and that means using words.
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3. Explanation. Information that needs definition and explanation, like how a
new wireless phone works, is better delivered through words.
4. Abstract. If a message tries to convey abstract qualities, such as justice and
quality, words tend to communicate these concepts more easily than pictures.
Love of Language
A successful advertising copywriter is a savvy marketer and a literary master,
sometimes described as a “killer poet.” Many copywriters have a background in
English or literature. They love words and search for the clever twist, the pun, the
powerful description, the punch, the nuance, as well as the rhythm and rhyme of
speech.
In addition to having an ear for the perfect phrase, copywriters listen to the way
people talk and identify the tone of voice that best fits the target audience and the
brand.
Like poets, copywriters may spend hours, even days, crafting a paragraph. After
many revisions, others read the copy and critique it. It then goes back to the
writer, who continues to fine tune it. Copywriters must have thick skins, as there
is always someone else reading their work, critiquing it, and asking for changes.
Versatility is also a common trait in copywriters.
According to Professor Karen Mallia, copywriters can rejoice because even with
the new visual media, the power of words remains strong. She explains, “the
power of words does not rest in their volume, but in their clever combination. In
fact, the fewer the words, the more important every single one becomes. The skill,
she explains, is to “distill a thought down to its most concise, precise, and
unexpected expression. That’s the reason that great copywriters will always be in
demand.”
How to Write Effective Copy
The tighter the writing, the easier it is to understand and the greater its impact.
Simple ads avoid being gimmicky, full of clichés, or too cute; they don’t try too
hard or reach too far to make a point. The following list summarizes some of the
guidelines for writing effective copy:
Succinct. Use short, familiar words, short sentences, and short paragraphs.
Single minded. Focus on one main point.
Specific. Don’t waste time on generalities. The more specific the message, the
more attention-getting and memorable it is.
Personal. Directly address your audience whenever possible as “you” rather
than “we” or “they.”
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Single focus. Deliver a simple message instead of one that makes too many
points. Focus on a single idea and support it.
Conversational. Use the language of everyday conversation. The copy should
sound like two friends talking to one another, so don’t shy away from
incomplete sentences, thought fragments, and contractions.
Original. To keep your copy forceful and persuasive, avoid stock advertising
phrases, strings of superlatives and brag-and-boast statements, and clichés.
News. News stories are attention-getting if they announce something that is
truly newsworthy and important.
Magic phrases. Phrases that grab and stick add power and memorability.
Use variety. To add visual appeal in both print and TV ads, avoid long blocks
of copy in print ads. Instead, break the copy into short paragraphs with
subheads. In TV commercials, break up monologues with visual changes, such
as shots of the product, sound effects, and dialogue.
Imaginative description. Use evocative or figurative language to build a
picture in the consumer’s mind.
A story with feeling. Stories are interesting and they have a structure that
keeps attention and builds interest. But most importantly, they offer an
opportunity to touch emotions.
To develop the right tone of voice, copywriters write to the target audience. If the
copywriter knows someone who fits the audience profile, he or she may write to
that person as if they were in a conversation. If the writer does not know someone,
one trick is to go through a photo file, select a picture of the person who fits the
description and write to that person.
Humor is a type of writing that copywriters use to create entertaining, funny ads.
The idea is that if the humor works, the funny copy will lend a positive aura to a
brand. It is particularly important to master funny writing if you are trying to reach
an audience that is put off by conventional advertising, such as young males. The
Practical Tips feature provides some suggestions on how to use humor in brand
communication.
Grammar and Adese
Copywriters are attuned to the niceties of grammar, syntax, and spelling, although
sometimes they will play with a word or phrase to create an effect, even if it’s
grammatically incorrect. To be avoided are meaningless wordsand words made
meaningless by overuse.
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Formulaic advertising copy is one problem that is so obvious that comedians
parody it. This type of formula writing, called adese, violates all the guidelines
for writing effective copy. It is full of clichés, superlatives, stock phrases, and
vague generalities.
The pompous, overblown phrasing of many corporate statements doesn’t work –
it does not get attention, it’s not memorable, and it is not read. We call it
your-name-here copy because almost any company can use those words and tack
their signature on the end.
Another type of adese is brag-and-boast copy, which is “we” copy written from
the company’s point of view with a pompous tone. Because people are so
conditioned to screen out advertising, messages that use this predictable style are
easy to ignore or parody if you’re a comedian.
Public Relations Writing
In public relations, news stories are written for both internal corporate media,
such as newsletters and magazines, and for external media, such as newspapers
and television stations. News and feature stories may be written and distributed in
a ready-to-publish format called a news release.
The primary criterion for a news story is newsworthiness. Editors judge news
value based on such considerations as timeliness, proximity, or impact. For news
stories, the traditional journalism “five W’s” is followed. In other words, the first
sentence clearly states the facts in such a way that the focus, as well as the
importance of the news, is immediately obvious.
Video news releases are distributed to broadcast media with footage that explains
the story. Feature stories are less reliant on news and more focused in human
interest. Although the formats may differ slightly, news and feature stories are
written for and distributed to print and broadcast media, as well as the Internet.
Direct Response Writing
Direct response messages are often longer and contain more explanation and
detail than other forms of marketing communication. That is because if the
message does not provide enough information and motivate the receiver to
respond in some way, the message is wasted.
Because direct response messages can be individually targeted, the more
personalized the message, the better. Most importantly, the message needs to
counter consumers’ reluctance to buy. Most will include copy intended to put the
buyer’s mind to rest. Guarantees and warranties are important, but other
strategies, such as testimonials, are used to reassure buyers about the company’s
reliability.
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WRITING FOR VARIOUS MEDIA
Different types of media have different styles, restrictions, and audiences. Writers adjust
their presentation to accommodate the stylistic differences of the medium.
Basics of Writing for Print Media
The two categories of copy that print uses are display copy and body copy (or
text). Display copy includes all elements that readers see in their initial scanning.
These elements – headlines, subheads, call-outs, and taglines – are usually set in
larger type sizes than body copy and are designed to get attention and to stop the
viewer’s scanning. Body copy includes the elements that are designed to be read
and absorbed, such as the text of the ad message and captions.
Although we have suggested that ad copy should be succinct, some respected
copywriters, such as David Ogilvy and Howard Gossage, were successful in
writing long copy ads that intrigued their audiences.
The most common tools in the print writer’s toolkit are:
The headline is a phrase or sentence that serves as the opening to the ad. It’s
usually identified by larger type or a prominent position, and its purpose is to
catch attention.
Overlines and Underlines are phrases or sentences that either lead into the
headline or follow up on the thought of the headline. They are usually set in
smaller type that the headline.
Body Copy is the text of the ad. It’s usually smaller sized type and written in
paragraphs or multiple lines. Its purpose is to explain the idea or selling point.
Subheads are used in longer copy blocks to begin a new section of the copy.
They are usually bold type or larger than the body copy. Their purpose is to
make the logic clear to the reader. They are usually used by people who scan
copy.
Call-outs are sentences that float around the visual, usually with a line or
arrow pointing to specific element in the visual that they name and explain.
Captions are sentences or short pieces of copy that explain what you are
looking at in a photo or illustration. Captions are not used very often in
advertsing because the visuals are assumed to be self-explanatory.
Taglines are short phrases that wrap up the creative idea or creative concept.
They usually appear at the end of the body copy and often refer back to the
headline or opening phrase in an ad.
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Call to action is a line at the end of an ad that encourages people to respond
and give information on how to respond. Typically, the response information
is an address, e-mail address, toll free number, or a web address.
Display Copy
The headline is a key element in print pieces. It conveys the main message so that
people get the point of the message. It also works with the visual to get attention
and communicate the creative concept. Headlines come across best when a picture
and words are working together.
People who are scanning may read nothing more, so advertisers want to at least
register a point with the consumer. The point has to be clear from the headline or
the combination of headline and visual. That is particularly true with outdoor
boards. Researchers estimate that only 20 percent of those who read the headline
in advertising go on to read the body copy, so if they take away anything from the
ad, it needs to be clear in the headline.
Headlines need to be catchy phrases, but they also have to convey an idea and
attract the right target audience. Agencies copytest headlines to make sure they
can be understood at a glance and that they communicate exactly the right idea.
Split-run tests (two versions of the same ad) in direct mail have shown that
changing the wording of the headline while keeping all other elements constant
can double, triple, or quadruple consumer response.
Because headlines are so important, some general principles guide their
development and explain the particular functions they serve:
Target.A good headline will attract only those who are prospects.
Headlines should be used to tightly target the right audience.
Stop and grab. The headline must work in combination with the visual to
stop and grab the reader’s attention.
Identify. The headline must also identify the product and brand and start
the sale.
The headline should lead readers into the body copy.
Change scanning to reading. The headline should lead readers into the
body copy. For this to happen, readers have to stop scanning and start
concentrating. This change in mindset is the reason why only 20 percent
of scanners become readers.
Headlines can be grouped into two general categories: direct-actionand
indirect–action. Direct action headlines are straightforward and informative and
often link the brand with a benefit. They are highly targeted, but may fail to lead
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the reader into the message if they are not captivating enough. Indirect-action
headlines are not as selective and may not provide as much information but may
be better at drawing the reader into the message and building a brand image.
Some common types of direct-action headlines are:
Assertion: An assertion is a headline that states a claim or a promise that
will motivate someone to try the product.
Command: A command headline politely tells the reader to do something.
How-to heads: People are rewarded for investigating a product when the
message tells them how to use it or how to solve a problem.
News announcements: News headlines are used with new-product
introductions, but also with changes, reformulations, new styles, and new
users. The news value is thought to get attention and motivate people to
try the product.
Some common types of indirect-action headlines are:
Puzzles: Used strictly for their curiosity and provocative power, puzzling
statements, ambiguities, and questions require the reader to examine the
body copy to get the answer or explanation. The intention is to pull
readers into the body copy.
Associations: These headlines use image and lifestyle to get attention and
build interest.
Sometimes indirect headlines are called blind headlines because they give so
little information. A blind headline is a gamble. If it is not informative or
intriguing enough, the reader may move on without absorbing any product name
information. But if it works as an attention getter, it can be very effective.
Next to the headline, captions have the second-highest readership. In addition to
their pulling power, they provide information. Copywriters also craft subheads
that continue to help lure the reader into the body copy. Subheads are considered
display copy in that they are usually larger and set in different type than the body
copy. Subheads are sectional headlines and are also used to break up a mass of
gray type into a large block of copy.
Taglines are short catchy phrases and particularly memorable phrases used at the
end of an ad to complete or wrap up the creative idea.
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