Are advertisers stuck in the past?

For decades in Philadelphia the prevailing thought on the Flyers was that they were living in the past. They were trying to recreate their glory teams of the 1970s as the modern game passed them by. Lately, it seems that many major brands and their advertising agencies are taking lessons from those Flyers.

In October of last year, Wendy’s brought back “Where’s the Beef?” in this ad featuring a t-shirt with the popular 80s slogan.

Design tips from a copywriter

I’ll be the first person to tell you that I’m no designer. I have neither the training nor innate ability to create layouts that command attention, engage and deliver impact. So why would you take design tips from me? Well, because I’m not a designer. Let me explain.

As a copywriter, I bring a different perspective to design. It’s less about form and more about function. It may sound obvious that the design should support the message, but you’d be surprised how often design actually gets in the way. To avoid the most common mistakes, follow these tips.

New email research: Only 28% of messages contain relevant content

That was the subject line that greeted me from one of my favorite and most trusted marketing information sources. I suppose I really shouldn’t be surprised, based on the email I receive on a daily basis. Here are just a few of the subject lines from the last couple of days:

    “Cyber Monday Deals | NORTON SECURITY SOFTWARE”

     I never showed any interest in this or similar products from this particular retailer.

     “The CyberMonday FREE SHIPPING Event! (All Day…3+ Bottles Ship Free!)”

     I do like wine, but I live in a state that by law doesn’t allow alcohol through mail order.

5 All-Time Great Ads

There have been scores of great ads over the years. Ads that inspire. Ads that sell. Ads that innovate. These are five of the very best and most important. 

I want to hear from you. What ads would you include that didn't make this list?

Move beyond benefits for better results

Most people with a basic understanding of marketing know that you should turn features into benefits. But if you’re stopping there you’re severely limiting the persuasive power of your promotion. To take your copy to the next level, translate those benefits into motivations.

Features are attributes of a product or service. Benefits are what those features do for people. Motivations are what the benefits mean personally and emotionally to the prospect. Here’s an example.

Advertising has gone to the dogs

Seriously. Nestle Purina PetCare is releasing a commercial aimed not just at dog owners, but also at the pets themselves. The ad for Beneful dog food, which will run in Austria, includes a series of squeaks and high-frequency tones that take advantage of a dog’s sharp hearing. You can read the article about it here.

All of this brings up some interesting questions.

Will graphic warning labels breathe new life into anti-smoking efforts?

The FDA recently unveiled new graphic warning labels that will appear on cigarette packs starting in September 2012. They are essentially advertisements designed to prevent children from smoking and encourage adults to quit.

Bearing images such as rotting teeth, diseased lungs and someone smoking through a tracheotomy opening, these new warning labels are certainly attention getting. But will they work?