Ad Copywriting Part 2 Media Writing - Lecture Notes Week 12

Just a little bit more on copywriting

• Headlines

• Taglines

Elements of ads

• Headline

• Sub-headline

• Body copy

• Slogan

• Visual

• = ALL work together cohesively

Basic elements of an (print) Ad

Other elements

• Sub-headline (if necessary)

• Kicker: the final sentence that gives them the information they want, compliments the audience or reinforces their behavior as product users.

Visual

Body copy

Logo/address

Slogan

Headline

Headlines

• Purpose of the headlines is to grab the reader’s attention.

• Headlines promise the consumer a benefit.

• Headlines relate to the product.

• Headlines are lively and full of authority.

• They tie in well with the opening of the body copy.

Subheads

• Subheadlines (subheads) are used to support hanging headlines.

• Smaller in (font) size than headlines.

• Possibly longer in length than headlines.

• Support and reinforce the headline’s message.

• Include important information not communicated in the headline.

• Communicate key selling points or information quickly.

• Stimulate more complete reading of the whole ad.

• The longer the body copy, the more appropriate is the use of subheads.

Where to start: Body copy or Headline first?

• Depends on you:

• Some work on headlines and visuals first.

• Some write text to see what develops and once the headline appears, the body copy text is re-written to fit the headline.

• Whatever you do, THINK VISUALLY

• Remember that basically all advertising is a relationship between language and imagery: words are tied to pictures.

Writing Headlines: Think Visually

• What is the Strategy? Your Big Selling Idea? What is the overall objective of the Ad? The tone? Brand character? Any mandatories?

• Visualise the product performing, being used etc.

• Visualise the user, the benefit, the value, the action you want the prospects to take etc.

Put all these together in a dramatic or appealing way.

Types of Headlines

1. Present news • It’s new, now, improved, etc.

2. Make a (brand/product) claim (on benefits/values) • What’s good, better, best etc. • What you get • How you feel

3. Identify the brand/product • This is what I am selling • This is the product • This is the brand value

4. Offer advice (to the target prospects) • Take it from us. • Did you know?

Types of Headlines (cont)

5. Inspire curiosity

• What does it mean?

• Really?!

6. Give a command

• Do and you will receive.

7. Offer a challenge

• Try it.

• Make a change.

8. Establish tone and emotion

• Evokes empathy, shock, guilt, joy etc.

Headlines that “Command”

Headlines that “Give Advice”

Headlines that “Present News”

Headlines that “Give Benefits/Make a Claim”

Headlines that “Identify the Brand”

Headlines that “Inspire Curiosity”

Headlines that “Offers a Challenge”

Headlines that “Establishes a tone”

An Unsuccessful Headline…

…could be one that

• Aroused curiosity but nothing else

• Did not appeal to target prospects

• Did not relate to product or brand

• Did not work well with visual and body copy

• Focused on negative instead of positive

• Was not credible/believable/convincing

• Was not specific (too vague)

Slogans/Taglines

• The slogan (or tagline) is like a closing headline that lives on for a long time.

• A good slogan is • Brief

• Concise

• Memorable

• Encapsulates the brand image

• Inspires belief, action, or both

• When in doubt about the slogan • Sell

• Use the U.S.P.

Writing Slogans

• A good slogan:

• Conveys a product or brand’s major characteristics to the target market.

• Responds to the customer’s expectations of the product.

• Presents an image or personality of the product or brand.

• States ONE compelling idea.

• Should not be similar to the slogans already created for other products and brands.

Examples of Slogans/Taglines

• Just Do It (Nike)

• Now Everyone Can Fly (Air Asia)

• Expect More. Pay Less. (Target)

• The World on Time (Fed Ex)

• Have a Break Have a Kit Kat (Kit Kat)

• Always the Smarter Choice (Digi)

• Connecting People (Nokia)

Ethical and Legal issues in Media Writing

Defamation Harming someone’s reputation – by exposing him or her to contempt, hatred, ridicule or spite.

It can result in large damage against media companies and the possibility of lost employment for writers and editors.

Defamation Law regards a person’s reputation as a piece of his or her property.

It can be slander (transitory, i.e. spoken or gestures) or libel (written or in permanent form – including broadcast content).

Defamation law provides a check for media power.

In Malaysia…

• Under the DEFAMATION ACT 1957

• Details: http://www.agc.gov.my/Akta/Vol.%206/Act%20286.pdf

The Plaintiff’s Case Publication

The libelous statement must be published. Either print, TV, radio, letter, or the Internet.

Identification

Identify the libelous person.

Defamation

Prove that the story IS about that person and has harmed his/her reputation.

Classic areas include false statements about

1. Political beliefs

2. Illness

3. Business practices/professional competence

4. Criminal activity (using the word “allegedly” may not save you”)

Fault

Plaintiff must show how the writer was at fault in some way. Most of the time its’ negligent/carelessness until it’s proven as actual malice.

Damages

Plaintiff must prove that he/she has been harmed in some way. Damages can be shown, such as revenues decreased, broken contracts, dismissed from work etc.

“Red flag” Words adulterer AIDS victim alcoholic ambulance chaser atheist attempted suicide bad morals bankrupt bigamist blackmail bordello briber brothel cheat collusion communist con man corrupt coward drunk death-merchant divorced (when not) drug addict druggie embezzler ex-convict fascist fink fixed game fool fornicator fraud gambling house gangster

gay grafter herpes hit-man homosexual hypocrite illegitimate illicit relations incest incompetent infidelity influence peddler informer insane intemperate intimate Jekyll-Hyde personality junkie kept woman Ku Klux Klan lewd lascivious liar mental disease mental incompetent molester moral degenerate murderer Nazi paramour paranoid peeping Tom perjurer

pervert pimp plagiarist price cutter profiteer pockets public funds prostitute rapist recidivist rogue sadist scam-artist scandal monger scoundrel seducer short in accounts shyster sneak stuffed ballot boxes underworld connections unethical unmarried mother unprofessional unsound mind vice den villain viper

Important rule to media writers…

• To avoid defamation suits: • State facts

• Do not make conclusions

• E.g. • Instead of saying that some one is corrupt, it is better to say the

person failed to respond to an allegation that he had received a sum of money from a contractor.

• Or instead of saying that there was a cover-up of certain cases by the police, it is safer to say that the case remained dormant and unsolved for many years despite leads provided by the public.

• Source: 2008. Facing up to libel suits, The Sunday Star, 01 June.

Copyright & Trademarks

Copyright acts as an incentive to creators.

The law states the work(s) must be “fixed in a tangible medium”. This means it must exist in some relatively permanent form. Paper, radio, canvas, film, even hard drive.

Ideas or events cannot be copyrighted.

Corporate Copyright: Who owns the copyright when a writer creates work as an employee?

End