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Designing Advertising that Works to Your Farm’s Advantage
Direct Farm Marketing for Success VII Using Advertising to Your Farm’s Advantage
March 2014
Megan L. BruchMarketing Specialist
Advertising should…
Be developed to reach your target audience
Designed to portray the desired image of your product, service or operation
Portray a consistent image across materials
Before you begin…
Know and understand your target customer and their values
What benefits are they seeking?How do they make purchasing decisions?What information do they need to make
purchasing decisions?
Six Point Advertising Strategy
Use to help plan and focus adsDevelop comprehensive adEffectively communicate with customers
Six Point Advertising Strategy Worksheet
Enterprise Name:
Product: Type of Ad Developing:
1. Primary Purpose What results do you want or expect from the
advertising you are developing?
Six Point Advertising Strategy Worksheet
2. Primary Benefit What unique benefit can you offer customers
(consider your unique selling propositions)?
3. Secondary Benefit What other key benefits will customers receive from
your product or service?
4. Target Audience At whom (what target audience) are you aiming this
ad?
Six Point Advertising Strategy Worksheet
5. Audience Reaction What response do you want from your audience?
What do you want them to do?
6. Company Personality What image do you want to convey in the ad?
Designing Advertising that Works to Your Farm’s Advantage
Direct Farm Marketing for Success VII Using Advertising to Your Farm’s Advantage
March 2014
Amy Ladd, Lucky Ladd Farms
Advertising Communications
Advertising messages should be: Clear
Concise
Convincing
Consistent
Advertisements should be able to answer the following questions: WHO are you?
WHAT you do?
WHAT market do you serve?
WHAT is special about your business?
WHERE can I find you?
HOW do I initiate business with you?
Standard Design Principles
Typeface and Fonts Do not use more than two typefaces
Limit your use of bold, capitalization, underline and italics
Align text to the left
Dark ink on light back grounds are best
Standard Design Principles
White Space is good Space on page without words
Create by use of illustrative material, short paragraphs, headings, spaces above and below headings and lists
Photographs Quality is key
Show the experience
Crop photographs to showcase best light
Designing Print Advertisements
The Headline is the most important part of the advertisement
Three types of headlines (listed in order of best performance):1) Self-interest headlines – appeal to reader’s self-
interest and contain a personal benefit to the reader
2) News headlines – provide “news” they can use
3) Curiosity headlines – arouse curiosity; to be most effective they should be combined with self-interest or news
Designing Print Advertisements
The first paragraph of the copy must captivate the reader by using one of the following: A startling statement
News
A quotation
A story
The first paragraph should be short, continue the thought of the headline and state the most important benefits of your product or service
Designing Print Advertisements
The body of the copy should state the benefits of your product or service and emphasize how they are different, or better than you competitors
Unique Selling Proposition
Designing Print Advertisements
To strengthen your body copy do one or more of the following:
Mention the offer in the first paragraph
Emphasize “no obligation” and/or use the word “free”
Use testimonials
Create a sense of urgency
Include a call to action
Use a simple writing style
Make it easy for the customer to reach you and include the: Phone number, mailing or physical address, web address to a
landing page
Designing Print Advertisements
Layout Considerations Simple Layouts
Use the “Rule of Thirds”Short, powerful headline, copy that is easy to read with a few
words to explain the benefits, include and image that tells the story quickly and contact information
Inverted 6 TechniquePrinciple based on the fact that Westerners read from left to
right, starting at the top of the page and moving to the bottom.
Place elements contained in your ad on your page starting with the most important information at the top left. Place other elements starting clockwise, as if you have flipped a number six and are following its line.
Designing Print Advertisements
Photos of people can create empathy with readersWomen respond better to other femalesMen respond to sex in advertising more than
women
Use a border to define your ad
Example ofPrint
Advertisement
Example of Print Advertisement
Example of Print Advertisement
Example of Print Advertisement
Example ofPrint
Advertisement
Designing Billboard Advertisements
Simple Layout
Less is more
Clear express on one idea
Short copy
Use simple words with quick and easy comprehension
Limit or eliminate punctuation
Use seven words or less
Consider Viewing Time
Does your message effectively communicate within 5-10 seconds
Typical audience is traveling at 65 miles per hour
Designing Billboard Advertisements
Large fonts and text You want your ad to be read as far away as possible
Bold, straight fonts work best
Avoid cursive, script or thin fonts
Sans Serif is easiest to read
Allow adequate spacing between letters, words and lines to improve visibility
Drop shadows can help readability
Designing Billboard Advertisements
Contrasting colors High contrast is key
Colors that work best: black, white, red, yellow and blue
Black text on yellow rates best
Colors to avoid: brown, earth tones and pastels
Designing Billboard Advertisements
Use a single image
One large image to attract reader’s eye is best
Example – One bottle verses six
Take small object ad enlarge rather than make large object small
Example jewelry verses house
Simple background
Background should not interfere with image, copy or logo
Too much blank space is not necessarily better; fill space with larger fonts, image and logo
Designing Billboard Advertisements
Call to Action
Clear and concise Is the necessary information provided to respond
Balanced Logo
Create a balance between the image and the logoLogo is typically not as big as imageAllow no less than 1/8 of the board size for logo
Example of Billboard Ad
Example of Billboard Ad
Example of Billboard Ad
Example of Billboard Ad
Example of Billboard Ad
Example of Billboard Ad
Example of Billboard Ad
Example of Billboard Ad
Designing Radio Advertisements
Use straightforward language What you say is more important than how you say it
Focus on customer benefits
Make believability your goal Avoid bragging your boasting
Be authentic
Select a single topic as the focus of your ad Then load on the features and benefits
Create a storyline with your ad Tell stories to illustrate and explain your points
Designing Radio Advertisements
Use specifics
Listeners believe and respond better to specific statements than to generalities
“Product A is designed to do X” is not as strong as saying “Product A does X”
Write to the pace people talk
30-second ads should run about seven to eight lines or 60 to 70 words
60-second ads approximately 14 to 16 lines
Include pauses
Cut extra verbiage
Rewrite elaborately constructed sentences
Tell listeners what to do
Create a sense of urgency with a defined call to action
Radio Ad Rules to Remember
Use radio to complement other advertising “Look for our coupon in Friday’s paper”
Make sure your name is repeated three times Match your ad to the format of the stations you
are airing on You wouldn’t use new-age music in the background of
an ad on a country music station
Avoid using clichés and overused phrases Makes your ad seem contrived and artificial
Radio Ad Rules to Remember
Don’t expect the ad to make the sale; use it to make the contact
Don’t advertise products with a bunch of disclaimers
Don’t fast-talk the prospect
Don’t use weak attempts at humor
Don’t use incomprehensible jingles
Don’t talk to yourself “We’ve been in business 25 years…We’re excited over our new
inventory…We’re open until 10 PM”; instead turn every statement into a consumer benefit such as “Shop ‘til 10 nightly!” if you want to hold the listeners attention
Examples of Radio Advertisements
Buchan’s Blueberry Hill -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7XOE1KHRok
Upland Farmers Market - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ut_Yphi-_gc
Finger Lakes Wine Country -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gBJh5Ao_us
Cobblestone Farms - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3Dx9S7bPwU
Greenbelt Farmers’ Markets -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbjSRCkaVRc
Designing Television Advertisements
Represent your brand clearly Both verbally and visually
Create a storyline The best commercials don’t just sell a product or service; they tell a story.
Stories can be heartfelt, or contain humor and satire; the important thing is to create a storyline your audience can relate and connect to
Develop a signature character or theme These should be used consistently throughout your ads
Keep it simple Keep overall concept and storyline of your commercial simple since you only have 30 to
60-seconds to get your message across
Don’t cut corners Quality is an essential element of an effective TV ad
Don’t break the bank but do use a professional film production team
Designing Television Advertisements
Appear in your own commercials Show your enthusiasm and passion
Consider comfort level – if one person from your business appears in the commercial but their communications seem forced or unnatural then select another person to be the spokesperson or representative. You may discover that neither you, your employees not anyone else in your family can sell your business they way you envision and then it may considering hiring a professional
Highlight your place of business Action shots of your business operations, footage of customers
shopping in your store or hauling products to another location
Designing Television Advertisements
Focus the camera on your product or service You can never go wrong by showing an item and price in a
TV spot.
Line your products up in an attractive display, use computer graphics to show the prices and use a voiceover to explain your unique selling proposition and benefits
Consider what products will you make the most profit on
Consider what products you are trying to move the most of
Basic Elements Used in TV Commercials
Audio Audio is the sound track that augments and
enhances the visuals, the sell copy, description and story you want to tell.Voice-over
On-camera actor
Background music
Sound effects
Basic Elements Used in TV Commercials
Video Video is the visual component of the commercial. These
pictures are what the views see. The goal of your visual component is to capture the eyes and attention of the viewers.
Video can be of virtually anything Action shots of your business operations
Footage of customers shopping in your store
Hauling products to another location
Be careful not to get carried away and detract from your message
Basic Elements Used in TV Commercials
Computer Graphics Computer graphics are the final elements to a TV commercial.
Can be used to emphasize certain key points Words
Prices
Logos
Website
Can flash on and off, wipe or crawl across the screen, spin or explode into the frame or do any number of eye-catching effects
Be careful not to get carried away and detract from your message
Shooting Commercials
Decide where to shoot your commercial On-location or in studio
The location you choose depends on what your selling and determining what location(s) can add the most visual appeal to your commercial
If shooting off your farm such as at the local farmers market then make sure in advance that you don’t need permission
Preparing for the shoot Scout locations for the best camera positions and backgrounds
before the video crew arrives
Who makes up the video crew The video
Shooting Commercials
Who makes up the video crew The video crew of a local TV station may consist of a production
assistant and the cameraperson
If you hire a professional crew then it may consist of a director, a cameraperson, a sound technician and perhaps a grip or two
The filming process The camera person will film footage of the different locations you
have already selected
Scenes may not be filmed in order; you may start with the final scene and work your way to the beginning
Some of the scenes filmed will contain either scripted or unscripted appearances by you or someone else representing your business
Editing Commercials
Video editing is a very technical and precise talent therefore editing a TV commercial is best handled by a professional
The video editor, has a copy of your script and will assemble all the pieces of audio, video and graphic effects into a finished commercial
The video editor is there to make you look good so listen to their suggestions
Examples of TV Advertisements
Highland Farmers Market -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hjf03U3et4w
Farmers Market - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdcHAU7Wr-o
Valley View Farms Garden Center & Nursery -https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=501647063181044
Tsugawa Nursery - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wo8HV7i1DoU
White House Fruit Farm - http://vimeo.com/61535721
Designing Online Advertisements Text Ads
Simple links with a few lines of text provided along with the link
Designing a text ad mainly involves writing one or two lines of compelling copy to provide users with an incentive to click the link
Display Ads Generally graphic ads that display on a website within
a designated area
May contain a graphic, a video or a Flash animation
Identified by the size and shape of the ad
Designing Online Advertisements
Types of Display Ads Banner Ads – span the width, or portion of the width of a web
page
Skyscrapers – ads that are taller than they are wider and are displayed vertically, generally in the left or right sidebar of a web page
Box Ads – rectangular or square box ads appear in various location within a web page
Pop-up and Pop-under Ads – appear either on top of or under the active browser window and are generally not optimal in terms of user engagement as they are often targeted by pop-up blockers
Interstitial Ads – ads that appear between requested web pages
Designing Online Advertisements
Popularity of Display Ads
Display ads that are 300 x 250 have the highest click-through rate
Banner ads measuring 728 x 90 come in secondAds measuring 468 x 60 have the lowest click-
through rate
Designing Online Advertisements
Effectiveness of Ad Placement Google AdSense developed a “heat map” to demonstrate the
most effective placement areas on a web page for display ads
The most effective area is the top center of the page body
The “hottest” are for ad placement is just above the primary content of the page, centered directly above the content
Other effective areas include the top half of the left sidebar area, the area within the page body to the immediate left of the primary content and the area just below the top navigation menu
The least effective areas are the top right hand corner above the top navigation panel and in the lower area of the right sidebar
Designing Online Advertisements Keep copy simple and un-cluttered with visuals
Loud banner ads are jarring and unappealing to users
Make sure your display ad has a clearly defined frame Extend graphics to the edges
If your ad is white, then put a 1 pixel gray border around the ad
If your ad is color then still put a subtle border around the edges
Keep file sizes small According to Google Adwords, under 150 kb, the smaller the better
Use correct file formats .JPG, .PNG, .GIF, or Adobe Flash files
Keep in mind that flash banner ads are not supported on all devices
Designing Online Advertisements Make text readable
Make headline and body copy different size Headline and copy should be four lines or less Avoid use of cursive, script or extremely thin fonts
Make sure the design is consistent with your other branding A banner ad should be visually similar to the site they
direct users to Stay on brand with colors, fonts and copy
Use imagery well, but only when you need it Choose relevant images, graphics or photos to enhance
your message and that are directly related to your product or service
Online Display Ad Elements
A value proposition
A value proposition showcases your product of service and provides attention with special offers and prices such as:“High Quality,” “50% OFF,” “Limited time offer,” or “Free!”
It should take up the most space in your ad and be the first thing that your viewers’ eyes are attracted to
Online Display Ad Elements Your company’s logo
Should be visually dominant but not as dominant as your value proposition
Call to action Usually made of text or a button with phrases like: “Click Here,”
“Learn More,” “Watch Now,” or “Register Here.” It should be a standout focal point of the ad, prompting viewers to
click it A banner ad’s value is determined by the number of clicks it
generates; therefore, it’s incredibly important to incentivize users to engage
The best banners have a clear call to action that explains to users EXACTLY what they should expect when they click the ad
Use bright or contrasting color for your call of action
Example of Online Display Ad
Example of Online Display Ad
Example of Online Display Ad
Example of Online Display Ad
Example of Online Display Ad
Summary for Advertising Design
Include a Call to Action
Branding is Important
Continuity Across All Advertising Mediums
Keep Messages Short and Simple
Link to a Dedicated Landing Page
Use Consistent Colors, Images and Messages
Images Should Support Message
Hire an Expert When You Need One
Buying Advertising that Works to Your Farm’s Advantage
Direct Farm Marketing for Success VII
In cooperation withA program of the
Amy LaddDirect Marketing ConsultantLucky Ladd Farms
Email: [email protected]: (615) 274-3786Website: http://luckyladdfarms.com