Ten Steps To Making A Good Advertisement
What Makes a Good Ad?
Several
advertisements are released every day. This is done through various television
channels, radio channels , print media and of late social media channels as
well.
Every
advertiser would like to believe their advertisements stand out and would be
remembered, but in media driven times that we are living in this seems to be a
herculean task.
As
human beings, we are likely to remember the things that make an impact on our
psyche. The consequences of this impact , are seen at the time of a purchase,
where brands whose advertisements are remembered and recalled influence the
buying decision to a great extent.
So
how does one make a good advertisement?
On the surface, great ads may appear to be
poles apart, but breaking them down to their basics indicates to one elementary
principle- Keep it Simple, Stupid (KISS)
(this principle was designed by the U.S Navy in the 1960s)
Advertisements usually have a limited
time frame within which an impression has to be made on the audience. For
advertisements that use billboards and print this time may be as few as 3-5
seconds whereas radio and television have up to half a minute to do the job.
This time and space constraint may lead to the understanding that the
advertisement must be replete with information. However, this folly merely adds
on to the extremely cluttered media space the audience is already floundering
in.
Since I’ve been on the receiving end of
advertisements for a longer period of time compared to the time I’ve spent
studying them, I’ve listed below ten commandments of what constitutes a good
ad, from the point of view of a consumer :
1. Surprise Me
In today’s
world the demand for originality is very high, we’re constantly looking for
something unexpected, something different. By including this element ,you can
be sure to spark the interest of your customer in what you have to say.
2. Put it Simply
It is
crucial to keep your message easy, to increase its reception as well as recall
by your customer. Advertisements are almost never heard with complete attention
and focus , people are constantly multi-tasking while using the different media
your ads are playing on. In a situation like this , keeping your message easy
to comprehend is the best way to go.
Picture
Source: http://samvada.org/2011/notice-board/save-water-save-life/
3. Connect With Me
Making an
impact on the psyche of your customer can be achieved by connecting with them
at an emotional level which gets them to be involved with your advertisement.
An example
of this is the Bournvita Advertisement- Tyari Jeet Ki, which is high on the
emotional as well as motivational quotient, showing the relationship between a
mother and son training together.
Picture Source: www.youtube.com
4. Make Me Curious
This element
is a little like the hook of a good soap opera, nothing like a good hook to
keep you watching! So use it in your ads, keep your audience wanting more.
5. Tell a Story
Everyone
loves a good story and a good story teller makes for a great advertiser, as you
want your customer to listen to what you have to say with rapture.
The Google
Reunion ad is a classic example of a good story being woven using all their
products.
Picture
Source: www.brandstories.net
6. Give Me Information Concisely
The true
purpose of an advertisement is to inform your target audience about your product.
It is important to do so in a coherent, concise manner.
7. Draw A Conclusion
An ad that
brings a conclusion is a strong ad, it gives a sense of completion and purpose
to the viewer.
8. Execute Well
Good ads
have great design while making sure the message is still the hero of the ad.
Execution of the ad is as important, as the ad itself. A good message can be
lost due to lack of efficient execution.
9. Call Me to Action
An
advertisement is incomplete without a call to action to the viewer.
10. Make the Sell
An ad can look amazing and still may not
sell. The business goals of a brand should be kept at the forefront of the
thought process that goes into making the ad.
To sum it all up, as said by Leo Burnett “Make it simple. Make it memorable. Make it inviting to look at”.
Author : Hansika Vaid
The Author is an MBA student at FLAME University,
avid reader and musician.
