With each passing year, I think copywriters are turning into writers who copy. I’ve always defended my profession claiming that what we write is original, authentic and very much involves the creative side of the brain. I’m starting not to buy into that bullshit myself any more.
You see, I’ve written for cars I never drove, products I never used, facilities I never enjoyed, places I’ve never been to, events I’ve never attended and even beers that I never drank (oh what a sin!). And how do I manage to pull enough crap out of my arse to keep clients happy? I turn to Google.
Google is increasingly becoming my ally in writing. At first, I used it as a research tool, but now even clients are saying “just Google it”. While Google is a valuable resource, it can never replace the real, tangible, tactile experience of testing, using or consuming a product that needs to be advertised.
The future of copywriting perhaps?
How am I supposed to gain that unique insight when all I do is base my thoughts on what has already been written? Would one buy a car solely based on his or her research on Google, without even bothering to test drive? I didn’t think so. How can I make a compelling argument when I have not seen or at the very least be properly briefed about the product?
If all copywriters were to research and refer on Google to form thoughts, opinions and even insights; then the ad writing profession will surely lose its appeal. Because after all, we will all become to the true sense of the words: nothing but copy writers.
Afterthought:
Yes, Goggle is indeed a blessing. It has made my job a lot easier, with the sheer abundance of data and materials. But I still believe writers should be provided with varied resources (and of course time) to develop insightful, compelling ideas.
Is ‘No’ such a bad word? Very much so it seems. A ‘No’ is more often than not taken as an outright rejection, a negative response or even the mark of a lazy ass. A ‘No’ is denial of service, frowned upon in business and something you never say to your boss or clients or parents or teacher or spouse. If fact, it’s a big ‘No-no’ to say ‘No’ to pretty much anyone you come into contact with; it’s considered rude, obnoxious and self-serving. I wonder why the word even exists since it’s so disliked.
A Yes is seriously overrated... no?
Please forgive me if you feel that I am rambling, but is it really not-so-nice to say ‘No’? Are there instances where a ‘No’ can be a good thing? There sure are:
When trying to quit
Saying ‘No’ should be an addict’s mantra. Be it a recovering alcoholic or a credit card totting shop-a-holic; saying ‘No’ keeps them clean. A ‘Yes’ in this instance could ruin lives and destroy families, to say the least.
When pressured to choose
We’ve all gone through this. A friend whom we look up to, that tries to lead us into temptation. Be it that guy who gave us our first smoke, or the dude we shared a joint with; saying a simple ‘No’ was all it needed.
When quality needs to be maintained
If saying ‘yes’ means quality has to suffer, then you might as well say ‘No’. When there is a bottleneck tensions rise, nerves fray and minds clouds. When there’s just too much to do, it is respectable to say ‘No’. You may lose a few bucks, but you gain a glowing reputation.
And how does all this relate to advertising you ask? Absolutely nothing, yes, that’s right NO-thing.
We addies like to use quite a number of words in our day-to-day hustle and bustle. But do we know what they really mean?
If I were to ask you the definition of the word “Concept”, would you be able to answer me from the top of your head? (No Googling now, please). I bet that not many of us will be able to clearly define the word “Strategy” either, yet we are so fond of using it like a superlative. Or how about the word “Copy”? I am always amused at how the plural term for copy can become ‘copies’… alamak!
Behold the death of ad-ignorance!
So allow me to set a few things straight. Let’s get Ad-ucated!
Concept
A concept is “an abstract or general idea inferred or derived from specific instances” … what!? Okay, that’s just one of the many definitions of concepts out there. Granted, it was not a good one, but the point is there are possibly hundreds of ways to define “Concept”; be it in general or under the context of advertising. For me, a concept is an idea that engages, then inspires and finally compels action. And concepts are not just limited to creative ideas; novel execution or delivery ideas can also be regarded as concepts too. Basically, a concept is as unique as the problem it is trying to solve. So the next time you hear someone regurgitating dictionary-like definitions, permission to smack em’ granted.
Strategy
This is a simple one, due to its military origins. A strategy is a plan to WIN. It’s basically the actions taken to outdo, outwit and outperform the competition. I’ve always believed strategies are tactical and require actionable methods. Meaning, it cannot be NATO (No Action, Talk Only). For a strategy to work it has to be in the battlefield: provoking the competition, taking no prisoners and advancing market share. Strategies are also great as a holistic plan, where some battles can be lost in view of winning the war.
Copy
Like seriously people, there is no such this as “copies” or worse still “copys”… period! If there were, it would be more accurate to call me a Copieswriter for the sheer amount of copy that I write. “Copy” in terms of advertising, editorial and/or publishing is an irregular noun, which has the same singular and plural form. Which means, it’s okay to say something like “The copy for project A and B has to be summarised”. But there’s one exception to this rule, a very important one at that. The word “copy” ideally should not be followed by one and/or a combination of the following: now, ASAP, urgent, today, revise, amend or change.
Could a piece of advertising communication really kill? I am not interested in ads that have made a killing in the creative circle or anything like that. I’m thinking about ads that could really land someone in ICU or worse, 6 feet deep.
Yes, I am talking about ads that can literally kill. We all know how bad advertising can be sometimes: misleading, over-promising, irrelevant, annoying, irritating, in-your-face, and the list goes on. But those kinds of ads can be easily ignored, and wouldn’t cause more than an inconvenience.
Excuse my morbidity, but I have been fascinated by this subject matter for quite a while now. Simply because I am quite certain that the act of creating ads can be seriously injurious to health, to the extent of being fatal. Surely many of those who make ads have given their lives to the rumble and tumble of the industry, and continue to do so to this very day.
If an ad can kill the makers, it should be able to take down an audience or two. Could someone – while taking in the aesthetic beauty of an ad, made by the very people who literally give up their lives for it – actually meet their maker?
I think I have found an answer in this wonderful billboard for Wonderbra:
Errrrr... excuse me, but the full effect could be deadly.
You see, it’s a 3D billboard that depicts a very ecstatic model decked out in a Wonderbra . The thing is, if you put on a pair of 3D glasses and view the billboard, it actually accentuates the model’s boobs. I must give the guys who created this visually pleasing billboard the thumbs up… well done!
But then they go and place this billboard at a busy intersection in central London. Now, all it needs is some idiot to drive pass, clumsily trying to put on a pair of 3D glasses, and then crash into oncoming traffic. The full effect will indeed be experienced.
Advertising is the war. Copy is the weapon. Words are the ammunition.
Although copywriters are equipped with an arsenal of words to use as he or she pleases, there are quite a number that are ever-popular in ads. These are usually everyday words, mindless superlatives and hard sell calls-to-acts. I must add that I have been a chronic repeat offender myself. But then again, not all the words you see or hear in an ad are from the writers; if you know what I mean.
Ad words are sometimes nothing but empty promises
Here’s the top 5 words used in ads and what they actually mean, in no particular order:
1. Exclusive
If you think you’re going to get special, preferential or any form of private privileges, you’re wrong. The word exclusive is added to make things look more desirable than they actually are. I mean, if you really want to be exclusive, would you advertise in a website that gets like 1 million hits a day?
2. Enjoy
This one’s an evergreen favourite and probably the all-time, most used ad word. “Enjoy the experience. Enjoy the offer. Enjoy the freedom. Enjoy the splendour”… I could like go on forever. It’s a word used to get you thinking about enjoying yourself, hopefully with the product somewhere in the picture.
3. Free
This word is a dirty little fellow. One rule of thumb to keep in mind when you see this word is that there’s never such a thing as a free lunch. Nothing is free, period! The cost of whatever is “free” has already been added to the amount you are going to pay. So unless the ad is referring to air, be wary.
4. Amazing
This is probably the easiest superlative to use for a writer, simply because anything can be amazing. This post could be amazing, or maybe your internet connection or that client who’s an amazing pain in the ass. See? Something amazing need not be advertised if it truly is.
5. Hurry
Hurry! Offer ends XX Month 2010. So you are supposed to call, click or visit to purchase this exclusively enjoyable and amazing product that comes with a free gift before a particular date. Hurry means they aren’t selling enough as it is or think you are a sucker to fall for such a cheap trick.
Man that was fun. I think I’ll do it again sometime.
You know why, after all these years, some advertising don’t change?
A smiling family promotes a Home Loan as the camera swoops over a mesmerizing lakefront property.
A frowning, headache-afflicted executive on his office desk reaching for a bottle of Cure-all Pills. He is instantly relieved in the next scene.
A couple eagerly downs a can of Soft Drink, for a slight moment savours the beverage and finally gives it the thumbs up.
The Subconscious is in here somewhere...
These are all very clichéd visuals or concepts, but you still see them more often than you would want to. And you will continue to see them for as long as humans rule the earth. Why?
While our learned mind may dismiss these visuals as childish, unbelievable and overdone, there’s another part of our brain that’s intently taking note. It’s the part of the brain that always has an open channel to the outside world. It never filters, it doesn’t judge and neither does it rationalise. You can’t control it nor turn it off. And this is your subconscious.
Your subconscious is smart (yes, it’s smarter than you). While it may find everything entertaining, its convincing skills are subtle and eloquent. It never makes direct references nor employs hard-sell tactics. It taps into your deep emotional needs and gently places hints so as to help influence your future decisions.
The subconscious is not being a jerk by trying to convince you to buy badly advertised products. It’s just being itself, or being human to be precise. We all have needs throughout our lives and we all want it to be fulfilled. So the subconscious constantly sifts through its memory banks and suggests things that may satisfy our needs.
This was why tobacco advertising was so effective back in the day. They knew they had a product that killed people, so they used healthy, good-looking and most importantly happy people in their ads. Visuals of beautiful people looking content and relaxed were enough to ‘sell’ cigarettes, despite smokers being aware of the well-known ill effects of smoking. They got their cravings satisfied and the added bonus of assurance that they look cool, happy and content.
Remember that time that you bought something and then realised you hated the product’s ad? Well, now you know it’s no accident.
That’s it isn’t it? The full circle of making a sale, and perhaps earn a few more leads at the end of it. No complicated marketing or advertising mumbo jumbo; just plain clear and simple.
It's a deal!
Whether you’re selling a product, writing copy, pitching for a new client or looking for a girl/boyfriend (minus Refer of course), these steps could help you close the deal or at least put you in the right path:
Know You
I remember in college when A.I.D.A. was drummed into my skull. Getting Attention, then creating Interest, which leads to Desire and ultimately Action in the form of a purchase. But for AIDA to work, the prospect must Know You or better still Like You. Would you pay attention to someone you don’t know, no matter how hard he’s trying to get your attention? Even of you do, would you actually buy from him? So for a sale to happen, you must take the effort to introduce yourself to your prospects. And if they want to Know You more, then you begin to work on the next step.
Like You
Okay. Now your prospects know who you are. It’s time to develop the relationship and get them to Like You. Freebies are good, but not a great way as most prospects can see through your gimmick. You should instead begin to persuade them in a compelling manner with hard facts thrown in. Anticipate a problem that requires solving or a need that has to be filled. If a prospect likes what she’s hearing, she’ll most probably begin to Like You as well.
Trust You
Trust is a powerful influencing factor. You can get people to join a cause, divulge their innermost feelings, get into bed with you and of course, spend their money buying your product or service. But just because someone Likes You, doesn’t mean he or she Trusts You. Here’s where the saying “Seeing is Believing” comes into play. Any form of visual representation of your product or service in action could do wonders to alter your prospects perception. Testimonials or endorsements are also good, as others’ trusting behavior could lead your prospects by example.
Contact You
When someone, on their own accord gets in touch with you, then you’ve pretty much done the job. Your prospects may Contact You for a number of reasons: to enquire, take up an offer and hopefully to purchase. The ball is now at your court to live up to their expectation: either by solving a problem or fulfilling a need. No hard-sell is required at this stage (or any of the previous steps for that matter) as your prospect – believe it or not – Knows You, Likes You and Trusts You. Now, it’s all about turning your prospects into customers by giving them exactly what they want.
Refer You
This is the bonus round so to speak. You can do without it, but it will be such a waste. Because referrals are great for building trust. More often than not, you can skip the Know You, Like You and sometimes Trust You steps through referrals. If a satisfied customer passes the word to his friends about your wonderful product or service, then your job becomes so much easier. Peer to peer “word of mouth” is still the most effective form of advertising, nothing beats it, nothing ever will.
I don’t watch many movies, especially in the cinema. There’s just nothing like watching a good DVD at the comfort of your home. No whispered conversation from the couple next to you who couldn’t get a room. No irritating noise from the act of gently opening a plastic snack pack. No cell phones going off in a mind-numbing Canto pop tune during a dramatic scene. And most important of all, no kids wailing at the top of their lungs begging to be fed (or smacked!)
So, against my tradition, I went to the movies with a couple of friends to catch Inception. I must admit I got suckered in by one of the coolest trailers I’ve watched in recent times. And the fact that it was directed by Christopher Nolan, who created a masterpiece in Memento. Hmmm… this is turning into a review of sorts, I must get to the point.
I interrupt this post to bring you a trailer:
The premise of this movie is quite fascinating:
That an idea is the most resilient parasite. That an idea from the human mind can build cities, transform the world and rewrite the rules. That an idea is also contagious and unstoppable once incepted.
From an advertising context, here’s how it goes:
That no matter how resilient your idea may seem at first, it will most probably get shot down; so prepare backups. That a creative idea from your mind will go through many days of building, transforming and rewriting before it can see the light of day. That your idea may be infected by crappier sub-ideas, which you can do nothing to stop.
So an ad idea that you conjure – be it for a print ad, TVC, jingle, website, billboard or the like – will become fragmented, distorted, skewed and maligned by the time it’s ‘on the air’. After about 12 years in the advertising, direct marketing and interactive industries, I have pretty much gotten used to this. Let’s just hope I don’t get tired of it.
It’s time for a nap… and possibly pleasant dreams.
Is there such a thing as an original creative idea anymore? Or are all the world’s creative concepts these days are just re-hashes of what’s been done before? How can one be sure that an idea – whether for a print ad, website or TVC – has not been thought of previously by someone on the other side of the world?
Hmmm… I think I’ve never written a whole paragraph consisting of only questions. That’s unquestionably (pun intended) a first.
Check out these videos and share your thoughts:
Actually, this reminds me of the music industry as well. Search for “I Miss You Song” in Google and you get like a gazillion of tracks with the same title.
The same concept, but different execution. Is originality dead?
P.S. Both ads however are brilliant to say the least. The kind of ads that make you want to work in advertising, hoping one day you would conceive such ads.
You know, back in the day, friends used to ask “What the hell is Facebook?”. Now they ask “Are those all of your Facebook friends?”. How times have changed. Truth be told, I don’t have many Facebook friends. Reading all my 126 friends’ status updates is already a chore, even after blocking the feeds of quite a few (Sorry, I’m really not bothered about what you had for dinner last night).
Well not all of my Facebook friends are my actual friends. Out of the 126, I probably hang out with 5 and another 15 are my colleagues. So the remaining are acquaintances of acquaintances, long lost classmates, hi-bye pals and the like. So the term ‘Friend’ in Facebook is very vague indeed.
This is also true for Facebook Brand Pages. 1,000 ‘Likes’ or ‘Fans’ doesn’t mean that the brand is adored by 1,000 people. There will be many genuine fans, but there will also be the disgruntled, the avenger, the unhappy, the dissatisfied, the curious and the competitor’s spy. Hence, it’s very possible that a Facebook Brand page will be decorated by negative comments sooner or later.
A Facebook Brand Page can turn out to be hell for your brand
And since I promised a guide of sorts in my previous post, here’s what I call the Rough Facebook Brand Page Guidelines or RFBPG in short:
1. How much power?
Right from the start, you have to decide how much power you want to put in the hands of your fans in terms of voicing their opinions. As a default, bar fans from making wall posts so that dissenting comments (if any) are less obvious. They will however be able to comment on your posts, but it will be buried within the particular post’s thread and not appear in the main wall.
2. It’s OK, let them post on the wall
If you feel barring people from making wall posts defeats the purpose of having a Facebook page, then go ahead. The pro of this is that positive wall posts by fans will be very obvious. But once the negative comments starts pouring in, you’d wish you never went with this option. However, once you allow fans to post on your wall, NEVER EVER bar them should the going get tough. The repercussions will be challenging.
3. I’ve got a negative comment, now what?
Well first of all… congrats! Not for the negative comment, but the fact that you’ve only got 1 negative comment. Now here’s where the real work begins. Negative comments are tricky and often unique to the person posting them. Find a solution and respond as soon as possible, remember to thank them for their valuable feedback. If it’s a comment you can’t handle – like a product defect – respond with the number of your customer service hotline.
4. Nah! I’ll just ignore, the comments will go away.
Do this at your own peril. Just one product complaint will – I REPEAT, WILL – attract other fans to join the upheaval. Negative comments must be nipped in the bud. Even if you can’t offer an immediate solution, engage the fans to show that you are listening. If a complaint has snowballed, contact the complainants in person and try to work out the problem. Never ignore negative comments, you’d be asking for trouble.
5. I thought Facebook Brand Pages are for fans to share brand experiences?
But your fans don’t know that. Disgruntled consumers think all brand channels are game to voice their opinions. Instead of bringing up the matter to customer service, Facebook allows for the ease and relative anonymity to make product complaints. So make it clear that the page is created for sharing product experience and that all product complaints should be directed to customer service. Remember to display customer service contact details up front. This may not eliminate negative comments altogether, but at least the majority of fans will think twice before posting brand-bashing comments.
The 5 steps above are just general guides, and I do not guarantee its effectiveness. The most important of all is to respond sensibly and fairly quickly, and please never leave negative comments unattended. Do remember to never sound accusatory or defensive when responding. After all, the consumer is always (supposed to be) right.
