Lessons From Vintage Advertising
DISCOVER COPY WRITING TIPS THAT WORK!!
Explore advertising and discover how you can write compelling ads. Vintage ads are full of clever copy. Studying old ads provides an understanding of what makes great copy.
Loaded with FREE tips on writing promotional copy and advertisements, you get priceless information on how to make your ads work.
The polls are just for fun. It is an awesome way to see which ads appealed to others.There are no right or wrong answers.
If you are wise you will bookmark this lens, and come back often.
Do you want to improve your copywriting skills?
Build a Swipe File
If you are serious about improving your copywriting skills you need a "swipe file".
What is a swipe file? It is a collection of copy - sales letters, advertisements, headlines. Many copywriting courses include a "swipe file". These files aren't for plagiarising.They are used to stimulate your creativity.
To develop your own style your "swipe file" should consist of advertisements that appeal to you. When looking for ads to include in your swipe file, read everything you come across. The whole ad does not have to be wonderful. It could just be the headline or call to action that you feel works.
How do you use your swipe file? You study the ads. Think about what it is that appeals to you. Pull them out when you sit down to write. Flip through them to aid in sparking your thought process.
And remember, your swipe file is never complete. You should be continually on the lookout for new material to add. Don't overlook junk mail. You never know where you will discover great copy ... or inspiration.
What is a swipe file? It is a collection of copy - sales letters, advertisements, headlines. Many copywriting courses include a "swipe file". These files aren't for plagiarising.They are used to stimulate your creativity.
To develop your own style your "swipe file" should consist of advertisements that appeal to you. When looking for ads to include in your swipe file, read everything you come across. The whole ad does not have to be wonderful. It could just be the headline or call to action that you feel works.
How do you use your swipe file? You study the ads. Think about what it is that appeals to you. Pull them out when you sit down to write. Flip through them to aid in sparking your thought process.
And remember, your swipe file is never complete. You should be continually on the lookout for new material to add. Don't overlook junk mail. You never know where you will discover great copy ... or inspiration.
WRITE ADS THAT WORK
Lesson #1 - Sell the benefits
Many ads are loaded with the product or service features. But who cares? Not your potential client. They want to know, "what's in it for me?"
If you want to sell your product you need to sell the benefits.
What is a benefit? It is the problem you product solves. It is the improvement the buyer will experience with your product. It is not the features of the product.
Take a look at the following vintage ads. Read the text. Do these ads focus on benefits?
If you want to sell your product you need to sell the benefits.
What is a benefit? It is the problem you product solves. It is the improvement the buyer will experience with your product. It is not the features of the product.
Take a look at the following vintage ads. Read the text. Do these ads focus on benefits?
Enjoy Ryvita for health and Go
Enjoy Ryvita for health and GoHead over heels in health - that's us!
All thanks to munchy, crunchy Ryvita.
You keep so fit and slim with that energy-packed wholemeal rye!
It's so crisp, so delicious - you really do enjoy health with Ryvita.
Always have some on the table.
Ryvita - from all good grocers.
"By appointment Ryvita Manufacturers, to the late King George VI"
Do you see the benefits?
Consumers don't really care that a cracker is low in calories ... but they do want one that they can eat without gaining weight.
Ryvita boasts that "You keep so fit and slim" instead of telling you that there are only 40 calories per biscuit.
This ad starts with a benefit driven headline "Enjoy Ryvita for health and go". The ad gets it's point across very well ... You enjoy them as they are yummy crackers that are good for you... so the consumer gets the added benefits of health and energy.
This ad sold me!! What do you think?
Ryvita boasts that "You keep so fit and slim" instead of telling you that there are only 40 calories per biscuit.
This ad starts with a benefit driven headline "Enjoy Ryvita for health and go". The ad gets it's point across very well ... You enjoy them as they are yummy crackers that are good for you... so the consumer gets the added benefits of health and energy.
This ad sold me!! What do you think?
Tide - Cleanest Wash of All
CLEAN! CLEAN! CLEANEST WASH OF ALL!"Put on the kettle, Annie, I'm parched. My, these sheets are a lovely white! What've you been doing with them?
"It's Tide, Grandma. It's wonderful! Look how it's brought up my old frock! So clean - the colours are like new again!"
"I've never known anything like it! The dirt falls out! I hardly had to rub anything!"
Testimonial - "Clothes are lasting longer"
Raynor's Flavouring Essence
Rayner's FLAVOURING ESSENCESmake your cooking more exciting
Raynor & Co Ltd
Established 1851
Have a say!!
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WRITE ADS THAT WORK
Lesson #2 - Use the AIDA principle
You need to design your ads to get noticed - to be read. To do this you want the consumer to perceive the ad as relevant to them. You can achieve this by using the copywriting principle referred to as AIDA - Attention, Interest, Desire and Action.
* Attract ATTENTION with an exciting benefit driven headline that entices the reader to stop and read more. To develop a great headline you need to understand the benefits you product delivers.
* Now that you have the reader's attention, you need to use words to create emotion and INTEREST. This should tie into your headline. Love, fear, guilt, and pride are emotional factors that directly affect buying decisions.
* Keep these emotional triggers in mind when describing the benefits. Building interest in this way will create DESIRE.
* All you need to do now is, tell them exactly what ACTION they need to take.
With AIDA in mind take a look at each of the following vintage ads. To read the text,just click on the photo of the ad.
Do the ads follow the AIDA principle?
* Attract ATTENTION with an exciting benefit driven headline that entices the reader to stop and read more. To develop a great headline you need to understand the benefits you product delivers.
* Now that you have the reader's attention, you need to use words to create emotion and INTEREST. This should tie into your headline. Love, fear, guilt, and pride are emotional factors that directly affect buying decisions.
* Keep these emotional triggers in mind when describing the benefits. Building interest in this way will create DESIRE.
* All you need to do now is, tell them exactly what ACTION they need to take.
With AIDA in mind take a look at each of the following vintage ads. To read the text,just click on the photo of the ad.
Do the ads follow the AIDA principle?
Have a say!!
Which ad do you think would be most effective?
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Have a say!!
Pick the worse of the worse.
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For Help & Inspiration
- Online Thesaurus
- Access to a thesaurus is a must. Use it to avoid repetition or find the ideal word. Searchable online version of Roget's Thesaurus of English words and phrases.
WRITE ADS THAT WORK
Lesson #3 - I'm Talking to You
You have to make your ads stand above all the other "noise" in the marketplace. Since the customer wants to know what your product can do for them - tell them.
Do it by talking directly to them, using YOU and YOUR. Forget the words WE, I and US ... do you think that's an impossible task? Check out the advertisements below and discover how it's done.
Think about what you like. If you were at a party and someone is going on about themselves, " I did this, and we did that" ... how long would you hang around? Do you actually listen or are you more likely to tune the person out? Engage your readers by talking to them, not at them.
Do it by talking directly to them, using YOU and YOUR. Forget the words WE, I and US ... do you think that's an impossible task? Check out the advertisements below and discover how it's done.
Think about what you like. If you were at a party and someone is going on about themselves, " I did this, and we did that" ... how long would you hang around? Do you actually listen or are you more likely to tune the person out? Engage your readers by talking to them, not at them.
Your Opinion is Important
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Read a Little ...
And Learn to Write
- Creating Copy That Conquers
- So you don't waste your time and money it is important to design your advertisements to get noticed. This isn't done with gimmicks but with a proven principle referred to as AIDA. Getting notice can be the difference between success and failure in advertising.
- The Only Sales Tip You Will Ever Need
- While not focused on copy writing, this article contains an excellent lesson that does apply.
It is imperative that you realise a business will not thrive if a self serving approach to sales is applied when carrying out trade. Concentrating on making sales is an error. Instead concentrate on creating customers - satisfied customers.
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What do you think?
Share your thoughts on the vintage advertisements
Do you feel the vintage advertisements are helpful for writing copy?
Have you found any inspiration?
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Reply
- Marti Marti Sep 6, 2006 @ 7:27 am
- Great lens! I love old ads and your advice on marketing is excellent! Nice polls! Best wishes to you!
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Reply
- MrLewisSmile MrLewisSmile Sep 5, 2006 @ 6:33 am
- Brilliant lens! Added to my favourites, of course. I'm interested as to how these polls work out. Great writing. Nice one.
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Reply
- oniyagi oniyagi Aug 29, 2006 @ 8:24 pm
- I love old ads... So much more to the point than their modern counterparts. Great lens too!
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