A 30-Year-Old Ad Copy Checklist That Still Works

While doing a little spring cleaning I came across a folder with a sheet of paper in it titled “Tips for Writing Ad Copy.” It was a checklist that I created 30 years or so ago to orient my thinking when writing ad copy. For many of you (in advertising) these things may be obvious, but as Vince Lombardi famously said on the first day of training, “This is a football.” In other words, it never hurts to be reminded of the basics.

Here are some tips from that sheet, followed by a handful of tips from great ad men of the past. 

 

1. The Headline Does the Heavy Lifting

David Ogilvy observed that five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. The headline determines whether anyone keeps reading.

 

In 1988 when Donn Larson of Westmoreland, Larson and Webster shared with me his three-page list of ad copywriting rules, the first rule was that the headline should make a promise. 

 

There’s a maxim about writing that I think fits here: “Well begun is half done.” Getting your headline right is worth the effort.

 

2. Stop Talking About Yourself

One of the biggest mistakes advertisers make is believing customers are fascinated by their business. They're not. People are interested in solving their own problems. That’s why “YOU” is one of the five most important words in advertising. (If you keep reading, you’ll find the other four.)

 

Every business owner wants to say, "We've been serving the community for 42 years with experienced professionals dedicated to quality service." The customer is thinking, "Can you fix my problem? How much will it cost? Can I trust you?"

 

3. The Writing Itself

Write as though you're writing a letter to a friend over coffee instead of making an announcement to a stadium full of strangers. I forget where I first heard this tip, but whenever I’ve been stuck regarding how to organize my thoughts and get started, I think of my brother. “Dear Ron, …” 

 

Conversation beats proclamation every time.

 

4. Sell Benefits, Not Features

This is just a reminder of a tip we’ve all heard before and is worth repeating. Features describe what something is. Benefits explain why it matters.

 

A vacuum cleaner may have a 1,200-watt motor, but nobody lies awake at night wishing for more watts. They want a cleaner house in half the time. A bank doesn't simply offer online banking. It offers convenience. A contractor doesn't sell windows. He sells lower heating bills, quieter rooms and greater comfort.

 

Customers buy outcomes, not specifications.

 

5. Pictures Still Matter

There's an old saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. In advertising, that may be an understatement. People process images instantly. A great photograph can create engagement before the first sentence is read. 

 

Choose images that reinforce your message instead of merely filling space. And don’t forget your logo. Your logo embodies your identity and reputation. I love the Apple logo not because I like apples, but because of what it represents.

 

6. Always Tell People What to Do Next

I've seen beautifully designed ads that forgot the most important step. They never asked for the sale. Advertising should always include a clear Call to Action. 

Visit our showroom or website.

Call today for a free consultation.  (Don’t forget the number.)

Schedule your appointment.

Download the guide. 

 

The simpler and more specific the request, the better the response.

*

Going back to those five most important words, they are: You, New, Free, Save and Now. I don't know if they're magical, but they all have one thing in common. They focus on the customer's interests rather than the advertiser's ego.

 

 

Here are tips from five ad men whose work has stood the test of time.

David Ogilvy

Quote: "The consumer isn't a moron; she is your wife."

Lesson: Respect your audience. Never talk down to people. Treat customers as intelligent individuals who simply want honest information to help them make a good decision.

 

Claude Hopkins

Quote: "Advertising is salesmanship in print."

Lesson: Every ad should do the work of a good salesperson. It should answer questions, overcome objections, and give the reader a reason to act.

 

Leo Burnett

Quote: "Make it simple. Make it memorable. Make it inviting to look at. Make it fun to read."

Lesson: Clarity beats cleverness. If readers have to work to understand your message, you've probably lost them.

 

Bill Bernbach

Quote: "The most powerful element in advertising is the truth."

Lesson: Great advertising doesn't invent reasons to buy. It discovers the genuine strengths of a product or service and communicates them with honesty.

 

John Caples

Quote: "The most frequent reason for unsuccessful advertising is advertisers who are so full of their own accomplishments that they forget to tell us why we should buy."

Lesson: Keep the spotlight on the customer, not yourself. Your reader is asking one question: "What's in it for me?"

 

 

Advertising has changed dramatically over the past century. Newspapers have been joined by websites, social media, podcasts, streaming services and AI-generated content. But human nature hasn't changed. People still respond to honesty, clarity, relevance and a compelling reason to act. Master those fundamentals and your advertising will always have an audience.

 

The tools of advertising will continue to evolve, but the fundamentals remain unchanged. Understand people. Tell the truth. Make a promise worth believing. Then invite your reader to take the next step.

 

This article originally appeared in the July issue of Business North

Related Links

Advertising Lessons from One of the Great Ones: David Ogilvy

https://pioneerproductions.blogspot.com/2013/09/advertising-lessons-from-one-of-great.html

A David Ogilvy Anecdote on Hiring

https://pioneerproductions.blogspot.com/2020/09/a-david-ogilvy-anecdote-on-hiring.html

An Anecdote about Claude Hopkins from Tim Wu's The Attention Merchants

https://pioneerproductions.blogspot.com/2020/10/an-anecdote-about-claude-hopkins-from.html

A Bushel and a Peck: Seven Blog Posts About Advertising

If you're getting close to retirement and have been paying attention, you've probably learned many lessons that may be helpful to younger peers. Whether helping them learn new hacks, or ways to avoid getting caught in traps, it feels good to make a difference in another's life or career. 

This is not to suggest that we old-timers don't have new things to learn. After all, we were taught at an early age the importance of making a commitment to lifelong learning.

Over the course of 30 years in advertising, I've learned a thing or two about all facets of marketing, thanks to good mentors and good books. As a writer I like to share what I have learned. Or perhaps it's just something in my nature. Either way, what follows are seven blog posts about advertising, many of which were first published in Business North in my Marketing Matters column. 

If you find something useful here, please share it in the comments. Thanks for exploring.

1.    5 Insights from Claude Hopkins: Godfather of Scientific Advertising

https://medium.com/swlh/5-insights-from-claude-hopkins-godfather-of-scientific-advertising-9e3f60aa7078?sk=1cf52b4f931db28e692061862c926c37

 

2.   I Know I Need to Advertise, But Where? And How Much Should I Spend?

https://medium.com/swlh/i-know-i-need-to-advertise-but-where-and-how-much-should-i-spend-4ef4e65debbe?sk=0cf6f66c4c73376fa50440bc7c121801

 

3.   10 Insights from David Ogilvy, On Advertising

https://ennyman.medium.com/10-insights-from-david-ogilvy-on-advertising-e0c3209f2b84?sk=dbe02359a9ece733bae9daf8f7cafaa7

 

4.   Five Reasons People Hate Advertising*

https://medium.com/swlh/five-reasons-people-hate-advertising-4f20a5bc4ed4?sk=769317e0c2aa4447fe1645b0718e68f6

5.    An Attempt to Correct a Few Misconceptions About Advertising

https://ennyman.medium.com/an-attempt-to-correct-a-few-misconceptions-about-advertising-64a868a52874?sk=a79f921486d89988fd9ee24bff652648

 

6.   Ethics and Advertising

https://pioneerproductions.blogspot.com/2008/11/ethics-and-advertising.html

7.    “Let Us March Against Philip.” 

https://ennyman.medium.com/let-us-march-against-philip-c51ed458a675?sk=1bccbd5d07555f0b1ab95dbd8192ac59

 

*Also published in The Startup

Committees, Yuck

While paging through David Ogilvy's wisdom-filled Ogilvy On Advertising again recently, I came across this pointed aphorism, "Search the world and all its cities, you'll find no statues to committees." Though I've been quoting it for decades, I never knew its source, so this moning I asked Google Bard. The Bard replied.

The quote "Search the world and all its cities, you'll find no statues to committees" comes from the song "A Committee Has Made a Man!" by American singer-songwriter Tom Lehrer. Written in 1958, the song satirizes bureaucracy and the limitations of decision-making by committee.

Lehrer's witty lyric highlights the irony that while individuals who achieve great things are often commemorated with statues, committees, despite their influence and decisions that shape entire cities, rarely receive such recognition. This adds a humorous touch to his critique of committee processes, often marked by inefficiency, compromise, and lack of individual accountability.

During my career in advertising I've had more than one bad experiences associated with committees. Rather than go there, I thought it might be more interesting to share what I've learned about the song that this saying was extracted from.

The song itself was written in 1958, a time marked by rapid scientific progress and anxieties about the growing influence of bureaucracy and technology. Despite the nostalgic images we've been fed about the innocence of that era (eg. Leave It To Beaver, Father Knows Best, Ozzie & Harriet), there was plenty of anxiety that people carried inside, not least of which was the Cold War.

The concept of the "committee-made man" mirrored concerns about conformity and lack of individual expression. Lehrer's song tapped into these anxieties, criticizing the potential pitfalls of unbridled scientific progress and unchecked group decision-making.

The song opens with a sarcastic boast about a scientific breakthrough achieved by a committee – creating a man in a vat. This immediately sets the tone of satire with the absurdity of such a complex feat attributed to a group decision-making process.

Search the world and all its cities, you'll find no statues to committees,

Though they raise our taxes high and steal our civil liberties.

But today they've reached the summit of their bureaucratic plan,

They've finally done it, boys, they've made a man!

The chorus expounds on this "marvel of the modern age" comprised of perfect features and a plastic brain, who doesn't smoke, drink, gamble or lie, who is always wise and "never, ever dry."

The second verse digs into the committee's meticulous, bureaucratic procedure, emphasizing the endless meetings, compromises, and revisions that lead to a bland, predictable outcome – a "perfect average man." Lehrer lampoons the limitations of group decision-making that prioritizes consensus over innovation or risk-taking.

In the third verse Lehrer takes a darker turn, hinting at the potential dangers of a committee-made man. With no individual conscience or responsibility, he becomes a potential tool for manipulation and control, raising concerns about the ethical implications of such scientific advancements.

Perhaps the best part of committee work is that no one can be held responsible for the unintended consequences of a committee's decisions.

In the end, what does the committee-made man think of all this? Lehrer answer in the bridge:

But sometimes, late at night, I stare into the sterile sky,

And wonder if there's something more, a reason why I cry.

I feel a longing for a past I never knew,

A whisper of a life, a dream, of me and you.

* * * 

While reading about Tom Lehrer I learned of his influence on two other songwriters from our generation: Weird Al Yankovich and Stephen Sondheim. To which I can honestly say, "I never knew that" and one can learn something new every day.

* * *

What are your thoughts about committees? Feel free to reply in the comments.

Lessons from Two Memorable Ad Campaigns

A few years ago I read a book that called the emergence of shows like “The Sopranos” and “Mad Men” television’s Third Golden Age. Media critics praised these series, along with others, because of their quality, complexity and artistic ambitions. 

Like many viewers, I found “Mad Men” to be more than just a sophisticated “As the World Turns” soap opera centered around characters and their personal lives. The show provided an inside look at the challenges, dynamics and creative processes that shaped the ad industry. We saw how marketing campaigns were created as responses to real world problems and issues that companies faced.

Against that backdrop I thought it might be fun to analyze a couple contemporary campaigns that garnered a lot of attention, Old Spice's "Smell Like a Man, Man" campaign and Dominos’ “Paving for Pizza” campaign.

 

A Whiff of Success with Old Spice

When I was a kid, my grandfather was an Old Spice man. I not only remember the logo from 60 or more years ago but even the jingle, which went like this

"Old Spice means quality,

Said the captain to the bosun;

Look for the package with the ship that sails the ocean.”

At the time, I didn’t know what a bosun even was, but that didn’t matter. The logo featured a sailing ship. You got the sense that the brand was associated with high seas adventure. Grandpa was respected and manly, and this was his aftershave.

These memories, however fond, were probably a problem for the Old Spice marketing team. Old Spice was an old man’s aftershave. Do young people want to smell like old people? Until this 2010 campaign came out, I myself never once used Old Spice. 

So here was the two-fold problem Old Spice faced. First, how can we position ourselves as something cool and desirable for a younger demographic. Second, since there are so many products on the men’s grooming shelves, is it even possible to capture the attention of our target audience?

To accomplish this, Procter & Gamble (who bought the Old Spice brand in 1990) turned to the advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy to come up with the iconic "Smell Like a Man, Man" campaign. The commercials, featuring a suave, charismatic Isaiah Mustafa, were hilarious, offbeat and absurd. One of its most memorable ads featured Mustafa delivering his monologue in a single continuous shot, seamlessly transitioning between different scenes while holding the viewer's gaze. Amplified by the megaphone of social media, the over-the-top spots generated a lot of buzz and turned many consumers into brand advocates. It still makes people smile when they recall it more than a decade later.

Did the commercials achieve the company’s objectives? Yes, on both counts. It was not only noticed, the campaign went viral online and increased sales by 50% in the year following its launch. The campaign not only connected the brand with a younger audience, is also broke down some of the stereotypes often used to sell these kinds of products.

Paving for Pizza

We see them all the time, Domino's pizza delivery vehicles racing about, marked by their iconic red, white, and blue domino-shaped roof signs. Timely delivery is the name of the game. Late deliveries due to breakdowns caused by potholes are annoying for customers, drivers and undoubtedly the company.

In 2014 Domino’s decided to go on the offensive, rolling out a clever campaign called "Paving for Pizza." For every pizza sold Domino's pledged to donate $1 to repair potholes in towns across America. The company encouraged customers to nominate their local towns for pothole repairs, and in return, Domino's placed its logo on the newly filled potholes. By the time the campaign had run its course, 20,000 potholes were filled in 48 states.

While researching this I found local news stories galore on YouTube featuring what Domino’s was doing in their respective towns. The television coverage was plentiful and very positive. Who doesn’t want safer streets? In addition to the PR that accompanied the campaign they also utilized social media to raise awareness.  

The campaign succeeded in part because of the execution. Yes, the idea had legs, but there were also a lot of moving parts. The company had to coordinate with communities and not just the consumers they sought to inspire. The very first year their “Paving for Pizza” generated a 25% bump in sales.  

Here are a few take-aways.

Domino's partnered with the National Association of Counties to identify roads in need of repair. By working with a local organization, Domino's was able to ensure that its efforts were making a difference in the community. It was a partnership, not a push.

Domino's goals were straightforward. The campaign was fun and tied in to what they do, which is deliver pizzas or make them for people who drive over to pick them up. Improving the roads was a way for the company to give back to the communities they served.  

Finally, Domino's tracked the results to see how much of an impact they were making. Always measure results. You can’t manage what you don’t measure. When you see what’s working and what isn't, you can improve your campaign in the future.

Both campaigns—Old Spice and Domino’s--won awards, which is fun. Awards always generate a little extra buzz for your brand and your ad agency, but at the end of the day success is measured on the bottom line.  

Originally published in Business North, September 2023

I Asked ChatGPT to Name the Best Super Bowl Ad of All Time

Illustration by DreamAI

Is it too early to talk about the Super Bowl? Ad agencies and corporate entities that have a stake in the game have undoubtedly been thinking about Super Bowl 2023 since just moments after the Rams scored their winning touchdown against the Bengals with two minutes to go in last year's Super Bowl LVI. 

It seems like in the old days companies unveiled their ads during the game. That changed so they could generate more buzz in advance, and for years I used to buy a USA Today on the Friday before Super Bowl weekend just so I could see the summaries of the ads that would appear that year and when their were slated to be seen. 

Nowadays, waiting for the Big Game is no longer anyone's strategy. Yesterday, with the Super Bowl still three weeks off, I saw rollouts for Apple TV+ and Budweiser, so we're getting near the finish line. Everyone is in a rush to begin capturing eyeballs.

Because AI is all the rage, a ChatGPT one of the biggest cannonballs on the block this month, I thought I would ask the intelligent machine what the best Super Bowl ad of all time was. ChatGPT actually responded the way I would have. "It's really hard to pick just one, but here are a handful that would be in the running for such a designation."

Here's the actual exchange:

E: What was the best Super Bowl ad of all time?

ChatGPT: There have been many memorable Super Bowl ads over the years, so it is difficult to choose the best one of all time. Some of the most highly regarded Super Bowl ads include:

1. Apple's 1984 ad, which introduced the Macintosh computer and was widely hailed as a masterpiece of advertising.
2. The Budweiser "Whassup" ad, which aired in 2000 and became a cultural phenomenon.
3. The "Mean Joe Greene" Coke ad from 1979, which is remembered for its heartwarming portrayal of a young boy offering a Coke to a tough-looking professional football player.
4. The Volkswagen "The Force" ad from 2011, which showed a young child dressed as Darth Vader trying to use "the force" to perform various tasks around the house.

Ultimately, the best Super Bowl ad is a matter of personal opinion.

HERE ARE LINKS TO THE FOUR ADS ChatGPT CITED:

1984 Macintosh Introduction
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zfqw8nhUwA

Budweiser's "Whassup"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJmqCKtJnxM

The "Mean Joe Greene" Coke ad from 1979-80
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xffOCZYX6F8

The Volkswagen "The Force" ad from 2011
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdZMypElBpo

* * * 

Here's what I got when I asked Google a variation of the same question. I just wanted to compare. There were two overlaps, which I highlighted here.

E: What are the best Super Bowl ads of all time

Google: Best Super Bowl Commercials of All Time

1. Early Showers — Coca-Cola (1980)  (Mean Joe Green spot above)
2. 1984 — Apple (1984) ... (MacIntosh rollout above)
3. Betty White — Snickers (2010) ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_o83aMEBFQs
4. Frogs — Budweiser (1995) ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yb4Lc-Xqsq0
5. Wise Guy — Diet Pepsi (1990) ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=642nvFNc_ME
6. Security Camera — Pepsi (1996) ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cJzTgFPj64
7. The Showdown — McDonald's (1993) ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1shK-j_u6LI
8. It's Halftime in America — Chrysler, 2012. ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8VpW8P8_kU

Enjoy the games.