Download COPYWRITING PART 1 - TYBMM- Burhani College

COPYWRITING PART 1
Burhani College – T.Y.B.M.M. – Sem V
(2011 – 12)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WHAT IS ADVERTISING?
In the good old days, much before the advent of radio, television or internet,
‘Advertising’ was defined as ‘salesmanship in print’. Advertising has evolved
since then … and how!
Today, print is just one of the various mediums used to advertise a brand. While the
above definition may seem too archaic, part of it, which emphasizes the
‘salesmanship’ aspect, still holds true. After all, the main objective – and it would be
no exaggeration to state that the sole objective – of advertising can still be summed
up in two words – ‘to sell’. Now, it may be to sell a product (like car, soap,
shampoo, noodles, etc.) or a service (like couriers, airlines, classes, etc) or an idea
(like Lead India Movement, Donate Blood, Family Planning, Vote for XYZ, etc.)
So, whether it is through print, television, radio, outdoors, direct mailers, e-mailers
or ambient media, the main objective of advertising or promoting a brand is ‘to sell’.
Hence, advertising can now be defined as ‘a form of mass communication used to
persuade an audience (viewers, readers or listeners) to buy a particular product,
service or idea. If ‘persuasion’ or ‘sale’ doesn’t happen, then copywriting has not
done its job.
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“Advertising is salesmanship mass produced. No one would bother to use
advertising if he could talk to all his prospects face-to-face. But he can't.”
– Morris Hite.
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------THE STRUCTURE OF AN AD AGENCY:
Broadly there are 6 specialised departments in any advertising agency, apart from the
HR, and Finance Departments
1. Client Servicing
2. Account Planning
3. Media Planning
4. Creative Department
5. Studio
6. Production
CLIENT SERVICING
The Client Servicing department is essentially the link between the clients and the
rest of the ad agency. The job of a client servicing executive (also known as ‘account
executive’) requires high degree of diplomacy and tact as misunderstanding may
lead to loss of an account. The main task of the account executive is to get a brief
from the client and then ensure that the creative team produces the advertising to
the client’s satisfaction. The account executive then gets the ad campaign, the media
schedules, budgets, etc approved from the client.
ACCOUNT PLANNING
The Account Planning Department is responsible for doing a realistic SWOT
(Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats) analysis of the given brand and
its competitors. For this, they also conduct research among consumers and
prospects with a view to get important consumer insights* which may help in the
creation of the campaign.
*also read ‘Importance of Consumer Insights’ and ‘How to develop an ear for consumer’.
MEDIA DEPARTMENT
The responsibility of the agency’s media department is to develop a media plan to
reach the target audience effectively in a cost effective manner. This is one of the
most important decisions since a significantly large part of the client’s money is
spent on the media time and/or space.
CREATIVE DEPARTMENT
To a large extent, the success of an ad agency depends upon the Creative
Department, which is responsible for the creation and execution of ad campaigns.
The Creative Department is headed by the Creative Director and is bifurcated into
two departments – Copy and Art.
The Copy Department is headed by the Copy Supervisor with a team of senior and
junior copywriters and proof readers reporting to him. The Art Department is
headed by the Art Director with a team of junior art directors and junior and senior
visualisers & graphic designers, reporting to him.
The Copy Supervisor and Art Director in turn report to the Creative Director.
STUDIO
After an ad campaign is approved, the files are sent to the Studio where a team of
graphic designers and touch-up artists make the final artwork.
PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT
The Production Department is responsible for hiring printers, photographers,
translators, stall designers and fabricators and others required to execute the
finished campaign idea.
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WHAT IS COPYWRITING?
Copywriting is a form of creative writing, wherein the writer weaves words to
express the benefits of a product, service or idea in such a way as to entice the
reader, viewer or listener ‘to buy’ it.
However, it should be noted that while ‘copywriting’ is about ‘creative writing’,
more than just writing, it is about ‘ideating’. Because an ad is more about the ‘idea’
than the ‘words’ used to express the same.
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“Good advertising does not just circulate information.
It penetrates the public mind with desires and belief.” – Leo Burnett.
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Copywriters are a completely different breed compared to other writers, because
the ‘copy’ they write is not an end in itself. Unlike writing a novel, film, poem, lyrics,
article or a blog, copy written for a brand is not meant to entertain, tell a story or
report news. Though advertising copy also starts out with the same goals as the
other forms of writing i.e. to grab and hold people’s attention; the main difference
lies in the final goal of advertising copy – i.e. to ‘persuade’ and finally, ‘to sell’ a
product (like car, soap, shampoo, noodles, etc.), a service (couriers, airline, classes,
etc) or an idea (Lead India Movement, Donate blood, Family planning, vote for XYZ
party, etc.) to the target audience. If ‘persuasion’ or ‘sale’ doesn’t happen, then
copywriting has not done its job.
In short, copywriting is all about combining the power of imagination with the
power of words to produce communication that is powerful enough to convince the
reader, viewer or listener to buy a product, service or idea.
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“Good advertising does not just circulate information.
It penetrates the public mind with desires and belief.” – Leo Burnett.
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WHO IS A COPYWRITER? EXPLAIN HIS ROLE / RESPONSIBILITY.
A copywriter is a creative writer who weaves words to express the benefits of a
product, service or idea in such a way as to entice and persuade the reader, viewer
or listener to buy it.
The copywriter arguably plays the most important role in the creative department
of an ad agency. It is the copywriter who writes the tagline that not only captures
the essence of a brand, but also acts as the plank on which the entire ad campaign
for the brand is based.
Creative slogans and jingles on which entire campaign ideas have been based like
‘Youngistan ka wow!’ (PEPSI), ‘Darr ke aagey jeet hain!’ (MOUNTAIN DEW), ‘Hum
mein hain hero!’ (Hero Motocorp Ltd.) and ‘Har ek friend zaroori hota hain!’ (Airtel)
have been written by copywriters. The copywriter is responsible not just for writing
slogans or taglines, but to ideate and write for a host of things including:
 Scripts & jingles for radio spots & TVCs (Television commercials)
 Short, creative copy, including Headline, sub-headline, body copy and
captions for Print Ads, Hoardings, posters, etc.
 Long, detailed copy for brochures, leaflets, etc.
 Copy for BTL promotions including emailers, direct mailers, etc.
 Content for websites, etc.
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“A copywriter, like a lawyer, builds cases for clients by selecting truths (about
the brand) that are positive and omitting the ones that are negative.” – Paul
Silverman.
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Copywriters are a completely different breed than most writers because the copy
they write is not an end in itself. Unlike writing a novel, film, lyrics, article or a blog,
copy written for an ad is not meant to entertain, tell a story or report news. Though
advertising copy also starts out with the same goals as other forms of writing i.e. to
grab and hold people’s attention; the main difference lies in the final goal of copy –
i.e. to ‘persuade’ and finally, ‘to sell’ a product (like car, soap, shampoo, noodles,
etc.), a service (couriers, airline, classes, etc) or an idea (Lead India Movement,
Donate blood, Family planning, vote for XYZ party, etc.). If ‘persuasion’ or ‘sale’
doesn’t happen, then copywriting has not done its job.
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ATTRIBUTES / TRAITS OF A GOOD COPYWRITER
Copywriting is all about combining the ‘power of imagination’ and the ‘power of
words’ to produce communication that is ‘powerful’ enough to convince the reader,
viewer or listener to buy a product, service or idea.
Since copywriting is essentially about ‘creative writing’, the two essential qualities
of a good copywriter are:
1. CREATIVITY: A copywriter has to be creative enough to able to see things from
different perspectives and come up with fresh, original ideas that no other brand
has done before, especially rival brands in the same category.
2. FLAIR FOR WRITING: A copywriter should have a flair for writing. He should be
comfortable writing both long and short copy.
3. GOOD COMMAND OVER LANGUAGE(S): A copywriter has to have a good
command over the language, especially English and Hindi with a vast vocabulary,
impeccable grammar and spellings. Knowledge of regional languages, dialects and
lingos may be an added advantage.
4. GOOD LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING: A copywriter must be able to comprehend
things – especially new subjects quickly and thoroughly. The quality of ads depends
much on the understanding of the product and the ‘brief’.
5. VERSATILITY: A copywriter has to be versatile. He should be equally
comfortable writing creative scripts and jingles for TVCs & radio spots; pithy, smart
copy for print ads, hoardings, posters and long, informative copy for brochures,
leaflets, website, etc.
6. EYE FOR DETAIL: A copywriter should be sharp enough to spot copy errors.
There should be no spelling or grammatical errors in the copy.
7. GOOD SENSE OF HUMOUR: The role of humour in advertising can never be
overstated. But, to be able to write humorous ads or TVCs, the copywriter himself
should have a good sense of humour.
8. A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCES AND OBSERVATIONS: Ideas come
from one’s own reservoir of knowledge, experiences and observations. Eg. for
Vodafone, the idea of associating the line “Wherever you go our network follows”
with a child and a pug-dog, came from the observation that a pet dog always follows
his master, wherever he goes.
The more additions a copywriter makes to his wealth of knowledge, experiences
and observations about different situations, people, places, things and relationships,
the easier it gets for him to come up with that big idea. Hence, a good copywriter
should be a voracious reader, an avid traveler, a film buff, a music lover, a sports
freak and should have many hobbies and interests.
9. Inquisitiveness and curiosity: A copywriter should be inquisitive about the
brands he is asked to work on. He should ask many questions to be in a position to
know the whats, hows, whys and wheres of the product or service. As Einstein once
said, “To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old problems from a new
angle requires creative imagination.”
10. Team man: They say, a writer’s job is a lonely man’s job, but a copywriter’s job
isn’t. At some point of time, the copywriter has to share his ideas with his art
partner who will after all give shape to the idea in terms of a layout. Then, he has to
share the idea with the Creative Director, then the Client Servicing Team and finally
with the client.
11. Time management: Advertising is all about coming up with good ideas in good
time. Along with his art partner, he should be able to come up with great ads or
campaigns within the given deadline.
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------PRINCIPLES OF COPYWRITING
1. Say something different OR say the same thing differently.
Today, every space a brand occupies is cluttered – whether it is ‘shelf space’, ‘media
space’ or the ‘consumer’s mind’. There are 2 ways to make a brand stand out in the
clutter.
(i) Say something different: Highlight the USP of the brand. Example: Tata
Docomo’s campaign highlighted a unique offering – per second billing, something no
other brand was offering at that time.
(ii) Say the same thing differently: For a brand with no functional difference, say
the same thing differently. Example: Vodafone highlighted its powerful network
by showing a pug that followed its master – a boy – wherever he went.
2. Use interesting, attention-getting headlines
If the headline isn’t interesting, it doesn’t matter what the body copy says. It is only
when a reader finds the headline of an ad interesting that he goes on to read the
subheadline, followed by the body copy.
3. Use the KISS (Keep It Simple, Silly!) formula:
Keep your copy short, simple and clear. Use simple, lucid language your target
audience can easily understand. Don't leave your reader second-guessing your copy.
4. Focus on the reader, not the product
Answer the consumer’s question ‘What’s In It For Me?’ not by boasting about the
product, but by highlighting how it could make the consumer’s life better. Pepper
your copy with facts about the brand, but let the focus be on the reader, not on the
product or service. Use personal pronouns like ‘you’, ‘we’ and ‘us’ to add a sense of
warmth to your copy.
5. Target only your ‘Target Group’, not everyone
The more focused your target group, the better your chance of meeting their needs
and convincing them. Don't try to sell to everyone!
6. Use the "That's Right!" Principle
Get your target audience to agree with you. Tell them something they know already.
Get them to say to themselves, "That's Right!" Example: A print ad for Tropicana
Juice says – “Your daily schedule leaves you exhausted. Well, “that’s right!”
7. Move Quickly from Intro to the Pitch:
Don't waste your reader's time trying to "warm them up". People are busy
creatures. If they lose interest, you lose a prospective customer.
8. Be Sincere:
The more sincere you are, the better your chance of building a ‘selling’ relationship.
Example: The sincerity and genuineness of Air Sahara comes across in the ad that
says – As hard as we may try at this time of the year, there are chances of flight delays
due to weather conditions. Every step is taken to help passengers get to their
destinations on time. To make this process easier, we need your help too.
9. Don't Contradict Yourself:
Double-check your copy. You might unknowingly contradict yourself, leaving the
reader suspicious, thereby destroying the credibility of the message.
10. Make Your Product Irresistible
Dress it up. Make it sound like the cream of the crop. Make it impossible for the
reader to even consider any other brand.
13. Flattery will get you everywhere
Yes, everyone likes to hear a little flattery. The keyword here is ‘little’. Don't overdo
it! Example: The tagline for Loreal says, “Because you’re worth it.”
14. Be Personable
Let them know that there is a kind, honest and real person behind the page. People
would rather deal with people, not companies, corporations or conglomerates. Add
the ‘Human Touch’ to your copy.
15. Give a guarantee or challenge!
A guarantee or challenge says a lot about your own conviction about your brand.
Example: In the Vim Bar TVC, the anchor says, “if you find a detergent better than Vim
Bar, we’ll give you a year’s supply of your detergent free!” This guarantee lends
credibility to the offering and induces the viewer to act.
17. Check Your Grammar and Spellings
Always proof-check your copy. Grammatical errors and misspelled words create a
bad impression about the brand.
18. Use Photos to Demonstrate:
If used correctly a picture really is worth a thousand words. Example: Ads for
cosmetics generally use photographs to demonstrate the benefits of using the product
– smooth skin, fairness, etc.
19. Offer Testimonials
Offer short, reputable testimonials. People want to hear what other consumers or
celebrities have to say about a product or service. Example: Aishwarya Rai offers
testimonial for Loreal Hair color.
20. Create an Unforgettable Slogan
Use a short, easy to remember slogan that a reader will walk away with on his or her
lips.
Tata Sky – Isko laga daalaa toh life jinga-la-la.
Pepsi – Youngistan Ka Wow!, Change the game
Mountain Dew – Darr ke aagey jeet hain!
21. Get a response
Give your readers an incentive – a bonus or freebie – to respond to the ad
immediately.
Example: Special 10% discount for the first 100 customers only. Hurry!
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------CREATIVE BRIEF
Creative Brief is a document that contains all the information about the company
and the brand, required by the advertising agency (mainly by the creative team
designated to work on the brand) to create effective advertising for the company /
brand.
Broadly, the following information is required:

The Company

The Product

The Competition

The Consumer

The Marketing & Advertising Objectives
THE COMPANY:

The company’s history, background, culture philosophy and vision.

The company’s infrastructure – offices, factories, sales team, its sales
network, etc

Whether it is a sole proprietorship concern, a partnership firm, a private
limited company or a public limited company, a public sector company or an
MNC.

The company’s product range (brands)

Collaborations, diversification, if any

The company’s technology used, R& D
THE PRODUCT:

The features (The 5 senses):
 what it looks like (size, shape, colour, etc)
 what it smells like (deos, shampoos, soaps, etc.)
 what it tastes like (pickle, papad, jam, etc)
 what it sounds like (home theatre, car audio system)
 what it feels like (lycra, stretchable jeans, etc)

The ingredients (What it is made of... and how?)

The packaging (bottles, packs, sachets, etc.)

The cost

The USPs (Unique Selling Proposition)
THE COMPETITION:

Primary (Direct) Competition

Secondary (Indirect) Competition

Unbranded Competition

Substitutes

Their respective market shares, strengths & weaknesses, positions in the
consumers’ minds

What are they saying?
THE CONSUMER:

Demographics (age, sex, income, territory)

Psychographics (culture, mindset, attitudes)

Perceptions / attitude towards the brand vis-à-vis rival brands
THE MARKETING & ADVERTISING OBJECTIVES:

Launch a new brand / Launch a new packaging

Re-launch an existing brand

Penetrate new markets

Change consumer attitudes/perceptions (eg. Cadbury’s ad campaign clearing
the air around the worm controversy)

Promote brand / service awareness (eg. Polio vaccination)

Increase sales
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The client tells the ad agency WHAT to say.
The ad agency, in turn, tells the client HOW to say it… differently and memorably!
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SAMPLE CREATIVE BRIEF
Client
Brand
Briefed by
Executive)
Briefed to
account)
: Tata Motors
: Tata Indica (Diesel)
: _________________________________ (Name of the Client Servicing
: _________________________________ (Name of the Copywriters on the
_________________________________ (Name of the Art Director on the
account)
Date
: _________________________________
Background :
Tata Indica Xeta is one of the most successful brands of hatchback cars from Tata
Motors. It is India’s first indigenously built car that has seen many improvements in
the last 10 years of its existence. Today, it is one of the sturdiest hatchbacks and the
diesel variant is the most fuel-efficient hatchback in the Indian car market.
Why are we communicating?
To spread awareness of the fact that Tata Indica’s diesel variant is India’s most fuel
efficient car that gives a mileage of 25 kms/litre.
To whom are we communicating? What is our insight about the customer?
Mr. Rajeev Prabhu, staying in Thane takes the ‘train and bus’ route on weekdays to
commute to his office at Bandra Kurla Complex. He wants to buy a car and can easily
afford to buy one with a down payment up to Rs. 50,000 and can also pay an EMI for
the car up to Rs. 6,000 every month, but his main deterrent is the ever-rising petrol
prices, given the long distance he has to travel.
Who are we competing against?
Maruti Alto, Maruti Wagon R, Maruti Zen Estilo, Chevrolet Spark, Hyundai 1-10,
Nissan Micra and other entry level hatchbacks.
What is ‘the one thing’ we want people to take away?
At 25 kms/litre, Tata Indica Diesel is India’s most fuel efficient car.
What are the deliverables?
3 ad- print campaign, outdoors, bus shelters, 30-seconder radio spots and 30seconder TVCs
Campaign Launch Date: ________________________
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------THE JOURNEY OF A BRIEF / THE APPROVAL PROCESS OF AN AD
Stage 1: The brand manager or a representative of the client calls an ad agency or
multiple agencies for a ‘pitch’.
Stage 2: The brand manager or the client’s representative gives the ‘brief’ to the
Client Servicing Team of the agency.
Stage 3: The Client Servicing Team shares the brief with the Account Planning
Department that does a realistic SWOT analysis of the brand and its competitors and
also conducts a preliminary research to find out the consumer’s perspective about
the product category in general and the brand in particular. The research may throw
up key consumer insights around which the campaign can be based.
Stage 4: This brief is then broken down into creative and media briefs.
Stage 5: The creative brief is given to the creative team, comprising the Creative
Director, the Copywriter and the Art Director working on the account. The
Copywriter and Art Director work in conjunction to create an ad campaign and
present it to the Creative Director for his views and suggestions.
Stage 6: After the Creative Director’s nod, the (rough) ad is shown to the the Client
Servicing and Account Planning teams. They look into the legalities that might affect
the ad and whether the ad meets the client’s brief and budget. Changes, if any, are
communicated to the Creative Department
Stage 7: After the changes suggested by the Account Planning and Client Servicing
teams are incorporated, the ad is finally shown to the client for his approval.
Stage 8: Once the ‘concept approval’ is received, the creative department effects any
changes suggested by the client and the ad is again sent to the client for his final
approval. After the final approval, the ad goes to the Studio/Production Department
for the final artwork.
Stage 9: The final artwork is handed over or mailed to the Media Department, which
forwards it to the publication, radio station or television channel for release.
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ‘AGENCY BRIEF’ AND ‘CREATIVE BRIEF’
When the client briefs the Client Servicing Team of the agency, he shares all possible
information about the company, its vision and mission, its offices in India and
abroad, its distribution network, its staff strength, its product range, its
manufacturing units, the technology they use, its marketing objectives, etc. Based on
the inputs by the client, the Client Servicing Team makes the ‘Agency Brief’ that
contains all the information shared by the client.
Now, all this information may not be relevant to the Creative Team working on the
account to devise an ad campaign. So, the client servicing team, after taking vital
inputs (like SWOT analysis of the brand and the competitors, consumer’s
perspective about the brand, etc) from the Account Planning team, converts the
‘Agency Brief’ into the ‘Creative Brief’, which is a more concise, to-the-point
version of the ‘Agency Brief’.
The ‘Creative Brief’ contains only as much information as would be required by the
Creative Team to create a campaign for the client like information about the
product, the competition, the consumers and the marketing & advertising
objectives.
The ‘Creative Brief’ also spells out the list of deliverables as required by the client
example – 3 print Ads, 3 Outdoors, 1 TVC, 3 radio spots, etc. it also mentions the
serves as the blueprint for the Creative Team to base their campaign on.
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ATL, BTL and TTL
‘Above The Line’ (ATL), ‘Below The line’ (BTL), and ‘Through The Line’ (TTL), are
three different approaches of marketing communication that companies adopt to
promote their brands.
‘Above The Line’ (ATL) communication uses mass media that is broadcast and
published to mass audiences such as print (newspapers & magazines), television,
radio, cinema, and Outdoors (also called OOH – Out Of Home)
‘Below The Line’ (BTL ) promotion refers to forms of non-media communication
and typically focuses on direct means of communication like DMs (Direct mail), emails, road shows, promotions, in- shop and shop-front activities, etc. BTL helps
marketers establish one-to-one relationship with consumers.
ATL promotions are difficult to measure, while BTL promotions are highly
measurable, giving marketers valuable insights into their returns-on-investment.
Besides, BTL communication gives marketers the ability to tailor their messaging in
a more personal manner to the audience.
"Through the line" (TTL) refers to an ‘Integrated Communication Approach’
involving both ATL (‘Above The Line) as well as BTL (Below The Line)
communications. The TTL approach allows brands to engage with a customer at
multiple points (for example, the customer will see the television commercial, hear
the radio advert and be handed a flyer at a mall or outside a railway station). This
enables an integrated communications approach where consistent messaging across
multiple media create a customer perception.
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------TYPES OF ADVERTISING
Advertising can be broadly classified into 2 categories viz. B2B Advertising & B2C
Advertising.
B2B ADVERTISING:
When the advertising of one ‘B’usiness is targeted at other ‘B’usinesses, rather than
to the end consumers, it is referred to as B2B (i.e. Business to business)
Advertising.
B2B Ads may be further classified into:

Industrial Advertising: Industrial Advertising involves advertising
‘industrial’ or ‘intermediate’ goods /services (like gears, batteries,
microprocessors, etc) that are used in the production of ‘finished goods’ (like
cars, watches, laptops, etc.)
Example: When a gear manufacturing company like Elecon Engineering
advertises its range of gears in industrial magazines catering to particular
industries like , it is called B2B advertising.

Trade Advertising: Trade Advertising is targeted at members of trade like
distributors, wholesalers, retailers, franchisees, brokers who buy the
advertised product, service or idea for resale to consumers.
Example: When Maruti Suzuki advertises its business model to enterprising
individuals, inviting them to become franchisees / dealers of Maruti Suzuki
cars, it is called Trade Advertising.

Professional Advertising: Professional Advertising is advertising which is
directed at members of a particular profession who might use or recommend
the advertised product.
Example: Advertising by regulatory bodies like ASCI (Advertising Standards
Council of India), Bar Council of India, ICAI (Institute of Chartered Accountant
of India) addressing professionals of the respective industries is called
‘Professional Advertising’.

Agricultural Advertising:
Agricultural Advertising is any advertising directed at farmers as customers of
various products like fertilizers, insecticides, irrigation services or water
treatment plant, etc.
Example: When ‘Excel Crop Care’ advertises its range of insecticides and
fertilizers to farmers, it is called ‘Agricultural Advertising’.
B2C ADVERTISING:
When the advertising of a ‘B’usiness is targeted at the end ‘C’onsumers, it is referred
to as a B2C (‘B’usiness to ‘C’onsumer) Advertising. B2C Ads may be for any end
product –Consumer durables (eg. car, washing machine, LCD, etc) or Consumer
Perishables – also called FMCG i.e. fast-moving-consumer-goods (eg. noodles, soaps,
soft drinks, etc.)
Example:
When advertisers like LG, Sony, Maruti, Maggi, Britannia, Tata Sky, Vodafone, etc
advertise their end products or services to the end consumers, it is referred to as
‘B2C Advertising’.
CORPORATE / INSTITUTIONAL ADVERTISING:
Advertising by a corporation not with the aim of selling its products or services, but
to create a favourable image for itself in the minds of its consumers, shareholders,
business associates and the public at large, is referred to as ‘Corporate Advertising’,
also called as‘Institutional Advertising’.
Here, the focus is on the mother brand – eg. Maruti Suzuki – and the entire bouquet
of products under its umbrella and not on the individual sub brands – eg. Alto,
Wagon-R, Estilo, etc).
A corporate campaign highlights what the mother brand stands for – the values,
beliefs, core benefits and /or strengths of the company that runs across the
organization and/or its product range.
Example: A corporate ad for Maruti would seek to highlight the fact that that no
matter which particular car (sub brand) of Maruti you buy, you would get;
•
A wide range of cars to choose from – one for every strata of the society, one
for every member of your family (‘India comes home in a Maruti’)
•
High fuel-efficiency (‘Papa, kee kara? … Petrol khatam hi nahi honda!’ OR
the more recent ‘Kitna deti hain? Campaign’ that ends with the line, ‘For a country
obsessed with mileage, Maruti Suzuki makes India’s most fuel-efficient cars’)
•
A widespread pan-India service network (‘Jaayengey aap jahaan,
paayengey Maruti Suzuki Service Station wahaan!’)
Example 2: Another good example is that of Amway, where the broader message
(i.e. what the mother brand ‘AMWAY’ stands for) is highlighted, not the individual
sub brands of AMWAY – under the tagline ‘We’re listening’. Amway wants to say
that ‘we understand you and your needs and design our products to suit your needs.
A company may also release a Corporate Ad with the sole motive of building
goodwill by highlighting one or more of the in-house or CSR activities it has
undertaken.
Examples:

Tata Steel – Values stronger than steel.

Mahindra - Rise.
FINANCIAL ADVERTISING
Advertising done by financial institutions like banks or non-banking financial
institutions (like insurance companies, mutual fund houses, share broking firms,
gold finance companies, etc) – to promote its array of financial products or services
like fixed deposit schemes, savings or current account, home loan, car loan, personal
loan, life and non-life insurance policies, mutual fund schemes, gold loan, etc either
to customers or investors is called ‘Financial Advertising’.
The RBI (Reserve Bank of India), IRDA (Insurance Regulatory & Development
Authority) or the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) have enforced strict
legal regulations with regard to promotional advertising of public offerings of
financial instruments. Hence, financial ads are required to carry disclaimers which
are mandatory.
Examples:


‘Mutual Fund Investments are subject to market risks. Please read the
Scheme Information Document carefully before investing.’
Insurance is the subject matter of solicitation.’
PUBLIC SERVICE ADS:
Advertising done with a central focus on public welfare is termed as ‘Public-service
advertising’. Its objective is to raise awareness about a particular cause, issue,
service or institution and persuade the audience to take a specific action or adopt a
favourable action or view towards the same.
Examples:

Do boondh zindagi ke – Polio vaccination drive.

Don’t drink and drive.

Hum do, hamaarey do – Family Planning
It is generally sponsored by government agencies, non-profit organizations,
religious organizations, trade associations, political groups or even commercial
organizations trying to build or enhance its goodwill with a line ‘Issued in public
interest by XYZ Ltd’.
PUBLIC ISSUE ADVERTISING
When a company releases an ad campaign, informing financial institutions and retail
investors in particular, and people at large, about its plans to raise capital via a
‘Public issue’ of shares, debentures or Fixed Deposits, such campaigns are called
‘Public Issue’ Campaigns…
POLITICAL ADVERTISING:
Political advertising is a form of advertising used by political candidates to reach
and influence voters. It can include several different mediums – like newspapers,
radio commercials, television commercials, etc – and may span several months over
the course of a political campaign. For example, the theme for Barack Obama’s
campaign was, “Yes, We Can!” Closer home, the Congress released an ad campaign
based on the tagline, “Vote for progress. Vote for Congress.”
PROMOTIONAL ADS
Advertising by a brand to promote its special offers designed to boost short-term
sales…
Example:

Buy 1, Get 1 Free!

50% Flat discount

Book a Ticket, Win a Trip to Goa!
DIRECT RESPONSE ADS
Ads that are designed to measure response from the reader or viewer…
Eg. Fill this coupon and mail it to … for a free booklet on diabetes health care.
Eg. To avail inaugural discount of Rs. 1000 per sq ft., SMS ‘HOME’ to 57575
ADVERTORIAL
An advertorial is an advertisement written and designed in the form of an editorial
i.e. like a news story or an article. The term ‘adver’-‘torial’ is a portmanteau of
‘adver’tisement and edi‘torial’. Advertorials are generally used to launch new
products or techniques – for example, a new form of laser surgery.
An advertorial has to mandatorily have the word "ADVERTISEMENT" or its
abbreviation ‘ADVT’ somewhere in the layout. This is to safeguard the interest of the
publication. By insisting on this, the publication makes sure that readers don’t
assume that the publication supports or endorses the brand being advertised via the
advertorial.
Advertorials are seen in many women’s magazines like Femina and lifestyle
magazines (like Cosmopolitan, Reader’s Digest) and supplements like Bombay
Times. Advertorials may also feature in a separate supplement or space within a
newspaper or magazine released as a "special promotional feature". Some
publications may not accept advertisements that look exactly like stories from the
newspaper or magazine they are appearing in.
Does the advertiser (client) have to pay for placing an advertorial in a
publication?
Of course, the advertiser has to pay for placing an advertorial, because at the end of
the day, it is still an ‘ad’ and not pure ‘editorial’.
INFOMERCIAL
The word ‘infomercial’ is a combination of the words ‘info-rmation’ and
‘commercial’. Infomercials, as the name suggests, are long-format informative TVCs
(television commercials) that run as long as a typical television program (15 to 30
minutes). Infomercials, also known as teleshopping (or paid programming), are
normally shown outside of peak hours, such as late at night or early in the morning.
Infomercials are often made to closely resemble actual television programming,
usually talk shows, with minimalacknowledgement that the program is actually an
advertisement. Infomercials are designed to solicit a direct response, which is
specific and quantifiable, and are, therefore, a form of direct response marketing
(not to be confused with direct marketing).
The ad response is delivered directly to television viewers by infomercial
advertisers through the television ad. In normal commercials, advertisers do not
solicit a direct response from viewers, but, instead, brand their product in the
market place amongst potential buyers.
Infomercial advertisers may employ scientist-like characters or celebrities as guests
or hosts in their ad. Because of the sometimes sensational nature of the ad form,
consumer advocates recommend careful investigation of the claims made within
any infomercial ad and investigation of the company sponsoring the subject product
of the infomercial before purchasing the featured product or products. Infomercials
are for the largest part shown late night to early morning between 2:00am and
6:00am.
CLASSIFIED ADS:
Classified ads are print ads that appear in a
separate ‘Classifieds’ section in newspapers &
magazines. These ads are grouped under separate
headings ‘classifying’ the product or service being
offered. For instance: Job opportunities –
Situations Vacant/Wanted, Property – for
Sale/Purchase/Rent, Secondhand cars, etc.
Classified ads are usually text-only ads with only a brief description of the item advertised
followed by the contact information of the advertiser. There are black & white ads with no
pictures or graphics.
Example:
 Hyundai Santro Xing, 2005 model, white colour, 25,000 kms, Price: Rs. 2 lacs. Not
negotiable. Call Subodh: 9820229955).
 1 BHK fully-furnished terrace flat in Yari Road, Andheri West. 625 Sq. ft. 90 lacs.
Genuine buyers may call Mrs. Sanjana Kapoor on 9850555577. Brokers, please
excuse.
Classified ads are the cheapest form of Print Ads and are hence mostly used by individuals
or small or medium sized organizations to buy/sell/rent one item or a limited number of
items.
Printed classified ads are typically just a few column lines in length, and they are often
filled with abbreviations to save space and money.
DISPLAY ADS:
Display Ads are regular print ads with absolutely no restrictions on the size,
content, design or placement. The only thing that may restrict the above factors is
the budget. They may be in colour or black-&-white formats and may contain
anything – text, visuals, logos, background colours, etc. Unlike Classified Ads which
appear under a separate ‘Classifieds’ section, Display Ads may appear anywhere in a
newspaper or magazine, depending on the budget. Needless to add, Display ads are
more expensive than Classified Ads and are hence meant for big budget clients for
promotion of their goods, services or ideas.
Unlike ‘Classified Ads’, Display Ads can span across multiple columns - and can even
cover full page, half page, quarter page or other customised sizes – like 80cc
(column centimeters), 100 cc or 400 sqc (square centimeters). Again, unlike
‘Classified Ads’, Display ads are not limited by the number of characters.
CLASSIFIED DISPLAY ADS
Classified Display Ad
Classified Display Ad is a hybrid of
the two other forms of ads viz.
‘Classified Ads’ and ‘Display Ads’, that
are placed in the ‘Classified Sections’
of newspapers or magazines, but are
designed like regular Display Ads with
colours, graphics and detail.
Of course, the cost and effectiveness of
‘Classified Display Ads’ are higher
than that of pure ‘Classified Ads’, but
lower than pure ‘Display Ads’
Classified Ads
TEASER ADS
A series of ads that are designed to ‘tease’ the minds of the target audience by
arousing the curiosity of people, without giving away the main message or even the
brand behind the message. The message is revealed in stages…
Example:
Teaser: ‘Kahi aap bhi K.I.L.B. ke shikar toh nahi?’
Revealer: K.I.L.B. (Kum Insurance lene ki bimari.) For more details, call Aegon
Religare.
Example 2:
Teaser: “Chotu kya banega?”
Revealer: Ab Chotu jo chahega voh banega. Presenting Systematic Investment Plans
from Kotak Mahindra Bank.
What are the drawbacks of a teaser campaign?
1. To start with, a teaser campaign costs a lot more than a regular campaign.
For one, the client has to buy media to place ‘teaser’ messages for a week or
so, without as much as having their logo on it.
2. A teaser campaign may get hijacked by a rival brand. For example, Pantene
Shampoo had released a teaser campaign with a headline… “A mystery
shampoo!! 80% women say is better than anything else.” Now, before
they could release the second phase of the campaign, associating ‘Pantene’
with the teaser message, ‘Dove’ literally hijacked their campaign by releasing
a campaign in which the headline said, “There is no mystery. Dove is the
No.1 Shampoo.”

If the teaser phase is stretched too far, the campaign could well become a
case of ‘marketing overkill’. Like the ‘Digen Verma’ campaign by ‘Frooti’. Yes,
it was successful in arousing the curiosity of people in the teaser phase.
People actually started wondering ‘Who is Digen Verma?’ – a new VJ to be
launched on some music channel? An actor about to be launched?
Unfortunately, they stretched the teaser phase so much that people started
losing interest in it, brushing it off as an ad gimmick. Finally, when it was
actually revealed that it was a campaign by Frooti, many failed to see any
relevance between the character and the brand.
DEMO (DEMONSTRATION) AD:
Demonstration advertising is designed to illustrate the key advantages of the
product/ service by showing it in actual use or in some staged situation.
Demonstration executions can be very effective in convincing consumers of a
product’s utility or quality and of the benefits of owning or using the brand. TV is
particularly well suited for demonstration executions, since the benefits a little less
dramatic than TV demonstration ads can also work in print.
Examples:
Brands like Harpic, Fewikwik and M-Seal not only demonstrate the application of
the product, but also highlight the effects of the product using a before and after
approach.
TESTIMONIAL AD:
Advertising copy approach that shows an individual who has tried a product and
has been satisfied with it enough to favorably endorse the product is termed as
‘Testimonial Advertising’.
The endorsement may be in the form of a statement or a letter, and the individual
may be a well-known personality, like an actor or sportsman (eg. Tendulkar says
“Boost is the secret of my energy”) , or a satisfied customer appearing as an
impartial ‘person in the street’. The idea behind testimonial advertising is that a
prospective customer may be favorably influenced to try a product when it has been
praised by another impartial consumer, or by a known personality whom the
consumer may wish to emulate.
Ads presented by way of testimonials (wherein a person praises the product or
service on the basis of his ‘personal experience’ with it), are called Testimonial Ads.
Testimonial executions can either have celebrities or ordinary ‘satisfied customers’
discuss their own experiences with the brand and the benefits of using it.


“I keep my home clean with Harpic. Do you?”
“I lost 10 kgs in just 30 days, thanks to VLCC.”
FEEL GOOD ADS:
"Feel good" ads are those ads which do not have a specific call for a response: to buy
something, to do something, to take action, or to vote. As this term is used here, "feel
good ads" can describe the many different ads and sponsorships which generate
good will, or create a feeling of warmth and pleasantness, so that we know and like
the product or the company.
Example: Vodafone Ads wherein the pug followed the boy wherever he went, with
the beautiful jingle, “You and I in this beautiful world”… followed by the tagline,
“Wherever you go, our network follows”.
AMBIENT ADVERTISING:
‘Ambient Advertising’ refers to the placement of ads in unusual and unexpected
places such as floors of malls, door handles of stores, toilet doors, trial rooms, seats
in buses, cinema halls, bus or train tickets, shopping trolleys, hot air balloons, etc.,
often with unconventional methods (execution) and being the first or only ad
execution to do so.
Example:
 Ads for a lingerie brand inside ‘ladies’ washrooms at malls.
 Message on a park bench by Kitkat – Have a break, have a Kitkat!
 Message painted on Municipality garbage bins – “Please throw all old jokes
here. New Season of Comedy Circus is here!”
The concept of ambient media evolved in the late 90s with the increasing requests
from clients for ‘doing something different’ in their advertising.
Unusual locations are considered a defining characteristic for Ambient advertising.
However, ‘unusual locations’ cease to be ‘unusual’ with repetition and time. So, if
‘unusual locations’ is a part of the definition of Ambient advertising then, what
might be considered Ambient one day, may not be considered so, the next day. For
instance, while taxis, painted buses, rail tickets, shopping trolleys, hot air balloons,
etc. may be theoretically considered as ‘Ambient media’, technically they are not, as
they are no more unusual places in the real sense.
SURROGATE ADVERTISING – (Advertising Indirectly) :
Surrogate advertising is prominently seen in cases where advertising a particular
product is banned by law. Advertisement for products like cigarettes or alcohol
which are injurious to heath are prohibited by law in several countries and hence
these companies have to come up with several other products that might have the
same brand name and indirectly remind people of the cigarettes or beer of the same
brand.
Example: Kingfisher, Bacardi and Bagpiper are promoted with the help of surrogate
advertising under the guide of Kingfisher Mineral Water, Bacardi Blast Music CDs
and Bagpiper Soda respectively.
IN-STORE ADVERTISING
In-store advertising is any advertisement placed in a retail store. It includes
placement of a product in visible locations in a store, such as at eye level, at the ends
of aisles and near checkout counters (aka POP—Point Of Purchase display), eyecatching displays promoting a specific product, and advertisements in such places as
shopping carts and in-store video displays.
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