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The message is the heart of your advertisementby Linda WestphalDuring the development of an advertising piece—from concept, to the words on a page, to the design phase—the creative director (or copywriter if there is no creative director) must mentally keep track of the message as the piece moves through each stage of the development process. Why is this important? There are several reasons, but the most important: the message is the center or soul of an advertising piece. You may think this is a bit dramatic, but describing the message as the soul, or center, of an advertising piece is a perfect analogy. The ads and direct mail packages you have seen that appear empty or fail to create an urgency to know more about the product or service are lacking a message—somewhere in the process of creating the ad or mail piece the message was stepped on and is no longer visible to you. Not only must the creative director or copywriter ensure the message is alive at the end of the development process, he or she must also ensure only one message gets through. In other words, a second or third message should not be allowed to creep in during the process. The rule is, only one message per advertising vehicle. Yes, I know, at times it is difficult to resist the temptation to insert an additional message in a direct mail package that appears to have “extra space.” But every piece in the package—the sales letter, brochure, lift letter, and order card—must communicate the same message (written in a new way for each piece). All of this emphasis on one message has its rewards; it eliminates confusion and guarantees your prospects will receive your message. Message vs. appeal An advertising appeal is often thought to be the same as an advertising message. But the two are different and separate from one another. A message, for example, is defined as an idea that is written with inspiration and passed from the writer to the reader. In contrast, an appeal is the reason why the reader should buy what is being sold. One is a single idea, the other explains why. How do the advertising pieces you have recently written or read measure up? Do they each have a separate message and appeal? Using a well-known, successful ad, let’s look at an example of a message versus an appeal: Headline: “The Lazy Man’s Way to Riches” Message: It doesn’t take a genius to make a lot of money. Appeal: Make more money. If you are familiar with Joe Karbo’s “lazy man” ad, you will recall that the message flows throughout the entire piece. It is in the headline, the subhead, the body copy, and in the clip-and-send coupon. Here are three more examples: Headline: “They Laughed When I Sat Down At the Piano But When I Started to Play!—” Message: Even if others have doubted you, or you have doubted yourself, you can learn to play an instrument, and play it well. Appeal: Gain popularity. Headline: “Hand Woven By the Mountain People of New Mexico” Message: These are fine quality ties with unique workmanship; a true value. Appeal: Improve your appearance. Headline: “How to Get Enthusiastic Applause—Even a Standing Ovation—Every Time You Speak!” Message: There really is an easy way to learn how to be a good speaker. Appeal: Gain success. Today’s prospects will not take the time to search your advertising piece for its message, therefore, clarity, repetition, and balance and harmony with the appeal is critical for every message you communicate. Linda Westphal is a freelance copywriter who works with advertising agency creative professionals, business owners and other marketing professionals from her office in Sacramento, California. She can be reached at Linda Westphal Copywriting, P.O. Box 2033, Citrus Heights, CA 95611, (916) 752-5443, E-mail: LindaWestphal@earthlink.net, or visit her Web site at www.lindawestphal.com |
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Linda Westphal |