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| THE ORIGINAL? Volkswagen « Don’t text & drive » – 2012 Source : Heitor Buchalla Portfolio Agency : AlmapBBDO / unreleased campaign (Brazil) |
LESS ORIGINAL Ford « Don’t text & drive » – 2014 Source : Adsoftheworld Agency : Ideia3 Salvador (Brazil) |
There is a constant tension in creative departments regarding the value of copy vs. art. I’ll commit some old copywriter heresy and say when push comes to shove I’ll give art a small edge. Copywriters sometimes become a bit inwardly focused, whereas art is usually on target with the brand and messaging. Nothing is 100%, of course, but I find art to be a bit more reliable communications tool.
Paul Hirsch has been practicing communications since 1983. He now owns his own marketing/pr firm in Northern California. Paul specializes in media relations, marketing collateral, website copy development and ad design. You can learn more about him on Facebook or by visiting www.nowville.com/paulhirsch.
A good exercise before developing website content is to build some brochure copy. Brochure copy should be pithy and direct, and the best websites boast the same traits. Remember, too much reading feels like homework and your audience won’t like that.
Paul Hirsch has been practicing communications since 1983. He now owns his own marketing/pr firm in Northern California. Paul specializes in media relations, marketing collateral, website development and ad design. You can learn more about him on Facebook or by visiting www.nowville.com/paulhirsch.
Your audience does not care about your client’s product or service as much as you do. While that seems self-evident, I see an awful not of inwardly focused messaging out there. Help your audience by coming up with something simple and catchy to generate the behavior you want. Never underestimate the power of a slogan to help make a memory. Maybe something like: Don’t be a Hog, Share This Blog. 
Remember Me?
A lot of ad campaigns start out with great elements and then bog down. To avoid a tired ending or a drift to nowhere, plan the whole campaign at the beginning. Some novelists say they start by writing the last chapter. If you know where you’re going you’ll get there more easily, your message will be more coherent, and you’ll have more fun.
Happy Endings
When it comes to print ads, cleanliness is next to revenue as far as I’m concerned. Be careful about adding pictures, symbols and other noise that detracts from your main message. Sometimes the best art is just a simple logo.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
