Lecture 1

TOPIC 1: INTRODUCTION TO ADVERTISING & COPYWRITING

 Copywriting and communication
 Definitions and Principles of Copywriting
 Copywriting techniques Past and Present
WHAT IS COPYWRITING?
 WHAT IS COPYWRITING?
“The advertisements which
persuade people to act are
written by men who have an
abiding respect for the
intelligence of their readers, and
a deep sincerity regarding the
merits of the goods they have to
sell”. Bruce Barton, Co-Founder,
Batten, Barton, Durstine &
Osborn (BBDO)
“Ads are not written to entertain.
When they do, these entertainment
seekers are little likely to be the
people whom you want. This is one of
the greatest advertising faults. Ad
writers abandon their parts. They
forget they are salesmen and try to be
performers. Instead of sales, they seek
applause”. Claude Hopkins, Scientific
Advertising
(Bell Publishing, 1960)
“Copy cannot create desire for a
product. It can only take the
hopes, dreams, fears, and
desires that already exist in the
hearts of millions of people, and
focus those already-existing
desires onto a particular
product. This is the copywriter’s
task: not to create this mass
desire—but to channel and
direct it”. Eugene Schwartz,
Breakthrough Advertising
(Boardroom, 2004)
“A copywriter is a salesperson
behind a typewriter.” Judith
Charles, Judith K. Charles
Creative Communication.
 WHAT IS COPYWRITING?

• Copywriting is the optimum use of language to

promote or persuade

• Copywriting is a mental process the successful

execution of which reflects the sum total of all
your experiences, your specific knowledge and
your ability to mentally process that information
and transfer it onto a sheet of paper for the
purpose of selling a product or service - Joseph
Sugarman, 2007
 ELEMENTS IN ADVERTISEMENT

PHOTO/
HEADLINE SUBHEADLINE CAPTION
DRAWING

PARAGRAPH
COPY LOGO PRICE
HEADINGS

RESPONSE
OVERALL LAYOUT
DEVICE
 ELEMENTS IN ADVERTISEMENT
1. Headline: To get your attention and draw you to
the subheadline.
2. Subheadline: To give you more information and
further explain the attention-getting headline.
3. Photo or Drawing: To get your attention and to
illustrate the product more fully.
4. Caption: To describe the photo or drawing. This
is an important element and one that is often
read.
5. Copy: To convey the main selling message for
your product or service.
 ELEMENTS IN ADVERTISEMENT
6. Paragraph Headings: To break up the copy into
chunks, thereby making the copy look less
imposing.
7. Logo: To display the name of the company selling
the product.
8. Price: To let the reader know what the product or
service costs. The price could be in large type or
could be buried in the copy.
9. Response Device: To give the reader a way to
respond to the ad, by using the coupon, toll-free
number or ordering information, usually near the
end of the ad.
10. Overall Layout: To provide the overall appearance
for the ad, by using effective graphic design for the
other elements.
ELEMENTS IN ADVERTISEMENT
WHAT IS COPYWRITING?
 PRINCIPLES OF COPYWRITING

vs

Blend content writing and copywriting into one

Super aggressive to sell you
beautiful article that’s simultaneously helpful to
something. They will use scammy
the reader AND makes the author money by
tactics or flat out lying to make sales
selling or recommending helpful products
 WHO IS COPYWRITER?

• Copywriter :
“A communicator who manipulates words/ images
and applies creative strategies within media. Those
strategies are balanced to integrate the marketing
and sales principles of a specific sector with a
literary style that may be informative, persuasive,
subliminal, or combination of all three. Through
doing this, a copywriter communicates products or
service benefits” (Gabay, 2003)
 TOP TRAITS OF COPYWRITER
High level of curiosity
Fascination with Images
Enjoys every aspect of Media
Recognizes both ends of argument
A natural leader
Interested in people, and what makes them tick
Sympathetic to peoples needs
Great Imagination
Takes creative but logical approach to technical
matters
Good sense of humor.
 ADVERTISING MODEL
1. There are 4 advertising models that been used
mostly by researcher:
a) AIDA model
b) AIDCA model
c) DAGMAR model
d) Lavidge & Steiners Hierarchy-of-effects model

2. These models are created to show what

behavioural steps customers has to pass
through when exposed to advertising and if the
communicating organization can lead the
customer through all these steps, the risk for
noise in the communication process decreases
even more. (Mackay, 2005)
 AIDA MODEL
1. AIDA was created by Strong in 1925.
2. It is a behavioural model that has as purpose to
make sure that an advertisement raise
awareness, stimulate interest, and leads the
customer to desire and eventually action
(Hackley, 2005).
3. The model is seen as a highly persuasive and is
said to often unconsciously affect our thinking
(Butterfield, 1997).
AIDA MODEL
Commands
Awareness Attention

Interest

Desire

Action
 AIDA MODEL
1. For the advertisement to contribute to success
it has to be designed so that the customer
passes through all these four phases, with all
being equally important. The model implies that
advertising should inject memorable and
believable messages that will make costumers
triggered to act in a certain way (Brierley, 2002)
2. seen as the strongest advertising theory, but
has along with the others been criticised by
different sections of the advertising community.
 AIDA MODEL
3. Criticisms:
a) They claim that there is no evidence that
customers behave in this rational, linear way.
They mean that mass media advertising in
general fail to stimulate desire or action.
b) The model ignores the role of context,
environment and mediation in influencing
the effectiveness of the advertisement.
c) it represents only high-involvement
purchases. According to AIDA customers
always goes through this rational process
when buying products, but many says that
purchases more often are spontaneous.
 AIDCA MODEL
1. Modified by Clyde Bedell in 1940.
2. For advertising to sell it, it must follow these
'proved selling stratagems' as formulated by
Kitson in 1921.
 AIDCA MODEL
Once brand awareness has
been created, interest must
be aroused so the
consumer can learn more
about the brand.
The advertising must
convince the consumer of
the brand's superiority in
the marketplace once they
are aware of the brand and
its characteristics.
A consumer new to the
Attention brand must be made aware
of the brand's existence in
the marketplace.
Interest Both the physical and
emotional characteristics
must be described when
interest is being aroused so
Desire consumers develop an
appreciation of these
Characteristics.
Conviction Once the advertising has
fulfilled the first four steps
in the hierarchy of effects
the consumer will be
Action mentally prepared to buy
the brand.
 AIDCA MODEL
3. Criticisms:
a) no substantial evidence to support these
persuasion models, or any other, as being an
effective and accurate tool in measuring how
advertising works.
 DAGMAR MODEL
1. DAGMAR (Defining Advertising Goals for
Measuring Advertising Results) was created by
Russell Colley in 1961.
2. DAGMAR was created to encourage measurable
objectives for each stage of the communication.
3. DAGMAR focuses on the levels of understanding
that a customer must have for the organisation
and on how to measure the results of an
advertising campaign (Belch & Belch, 1995).
4. DAGMAR incorporated elements of Awareness,
Comprehension, Conviction and Purchase as
stages of the influence of advertising message
on consumer behavior.
 DAGMAR MODEL
The prospect must first
be aware of the
AWARENESS existence of a brand or
organization.
He must have a
comprehension of
what the product is COMPREHENSION
and what it will do Once the advertising has
for him. fulfilled the first four
steps in the hierarchy of
effects the consumer will
CONVICTION be mentally prepared to
buy the brand.

Finally he must stir

himself to action. ACTION
 DAGMAR MODEL
5. Criticisms:
a) Customers do not always pass through the
stages in a linear way.
b) It focuses too much on strategies.
c) Too concerned with quantitative
measurements on the campaign.
 LAVIDGE & STEINERS HIERARCHY-OF-
EFFECTS MODEL
1. Lavidge & Steiners created hierarchy-of-effects
model in 1961.
2. Created to show the process, or steps, that an
advertiser assumes that customers pass
through in the actual purchase process.
3. The model is based on seven steps, which as
with the other models must be completed in a
linear way.
4. The big difference between this model and the
others is not only the steps, but also the view
on how to pass them.
 LAVIDGE & STEINERS HIERARCHY-OF-
EFFECTS MODEL
Awareness Aware of its existence

Know what the

product has to offer. Knowledge

Have favorable attitudes

Liking toward the product.

Developed to the point of

preference over all other Preference
possibilities.
Couple preference with a
Conviction desire to buy
The step which translates
this attitude into actual
purchase. Purchase
 LAVIDGE & STEINERS HIERARCHY-OF-
EFFECTS MODEL
5. Critisicms:
a) no evidence on the fact that awareness of a
products leads to purchase, and the steps are
still unclear.
b) think that the model explains how the
customers will go from one step to another
and to point out the steps without explaining
them further is not seen as enough .
 REVIEW OVER THE DISCUSSED MODEL
AIDA AIDCA DAGMAR LAVIDGE &
STEINERS
Attention Attention Awareness Awareness
Interest Interest Comprehension Knowledge
Desire Desire Conviction Liking
Action Conviction Action Preference
Action Conviction
Purchase
Focus on the different Focus on the different Focus on the different Focus on the different
steps that a customer steps that a customer levels of understanding steps that a customer
must pass in the process must pass in the process that a customer must must pass in the process
on buying a product on buying a product attain for an organisation on buying a product
when being exposed to when being exposed to in the process of buying a when being exposed to
advertising. Should be advertising. Should be product after being advertising. Should be
passed in a linear way passed in a linear way exposed to advertising. passed in a linear way
but also recognises the but also recognises the The levels of but also recognises the
different levels of different levels of understanding must be different levels of
consideration that can consideration that can passed in a linear way. consideration that can
take place depending on take place depending on The advertising take place depending on
the products. the products. objectives must be the products.
measurable.
 COPYWRITING TECHNIQUES

PRINT ADVERTISEMENT PAST AND

PRESENT
 COPYWRITING TECHNIQUES

EVOLUTION OF TV COMMERCIAL FROM

1940S TO PRESENT
 COPYWRITING TECHNIQUES

1. Past Techniques
a) The ads may be informative and contain lots of
text.
b) Not too dramatic.
c) Straight forward
d) adverts were a reliable part of society
e) characters were built around products to
create a semblance of connection between
viewers and brands
i. i.e Marlboro
ii. Kellogs Cornflakes
COPYWRITING TECHNIQUES
 COPYWRITING TECHNIQUES

1. Present Techniques
a) The ads it’s a solution to the consumer’s problem.
b) Dramatic

2. Challenges in internet era

a) The copy must be relevant to the reader,
understand what keeps him or her up at night, and
address that need, desire, want, or fear in your ad.
b) respects their intelligence, does not talk down to
them, and conveys information they perceive as
valuable in solving their problem or making a
purchasing decision.
 TAKE HOME MESSAGE
1. Copywriting is a mental process the
successful execution of which reflects the
sum total of all your experiences, your
specific knowledge and your ability to
mentally process that information and
transfer it onto a sheet of paper for the
purpose of selling a product or service.
2. There are 10 elements in ad: Headline,
Subheadline, Photo or Drawing,
Caption,Copy, Paragraph Headings, Logo,
Price, Response Device, Overall Layout.
3. Advertising models: AIDA, AIDCA, DAGMAR
& LAVIDGE & STEINERS.