Loooonngggg Copy.

So I posted this ad really big so you could read the itty bitty teeny tiny copy.

I'm not absolutely thrilled by this ad, but it takes a LOT to get me really excited about long copy ads. I think they're not the most effective and are the hardest to do well. Not only do you need an excellent headline that draws the reader in and makes them want to keep reading, which is always tough, you have to make sure the long copy part of the ad will bring them from start to finish without allowing them the urge to turn the page and move on with their lives.

I don't really think this one does either.

I like their headline. I'm not wowed by it, but I think it could be effective depending on the placement of the ad and the reader.
The problem I have with most long copy ads is...their copy is great BUT I never want to read a story in an advertisement. Pretty much ever. So it's got to be pretty baller to make me want to read the whole thing.
You can have a great piece of writing on an advertisement. It can flow well, have great syntax and prose, and be a really nice read. But the fact of the matter is, syntax, prose and flow can only do so much. In order to read what you're saying, I have to care. And how to make me care is the question at hand, for which I don't have an answer.

Just some food for thought.

Lions and tigers and guerrillas, oh my!

Guerrilla advertising is fun. That's what makes it so effective. People see advertising in places they wouldn't normally expect to see it, and if it's good it'll make them smile, or at least react in some way (hopefully a positive one). But the point is, most times people aren't annoyed by guerilla advertising like they are with traditional media, because their lives aren't saturated with it. Take this for an example, a guerilla campaign for an exhibit at the Calgary Zoo:

 

Sure, people may advertise on trash cans all the time. But what makes this cool is the fact that you take an ordinary, every day object and you turn it into something unexpected, something cool, something clever. Something people will remember. 

Something that'll make people do a double take - 

my favorite kind of advertising. =)

The Art of Copy

Copy is not my strong suit, I'll say that right now. I find a lot of times I come up with a visual first, and then my supporting copy comes second (guess that's the graphic designer in me). But it truly is a feat to be able to create an effective ad that is solely comprised of words. The words have to be concise and to the point, portray the right message and mood; but possibly the most difficult thing about words-only ads is you have to get someone to actually read your ad. It's much easier to grab a viewers attention with an arresting visual and then have them continue on to the copy for the complete message. Copywriters - especially for ads that are sans visuals - have the incredibly difficult task of making people want to read.

Because everyone knows these days reading is for squares.

Anywho, here are some nice examples.

This ad is for an NGO called Prajwala, which works to combat prostitution and human trafficking.
While I think this ad does a nice job of sparking curiosity in a reader enough to make them stop for a second on this page to take in the ad, I do take issue with the copy itself. The sociology minor in me begs the question - who says this person chose prostitution? What if she didn't have a choice? Anyway, that's just my beef with this NGO in particular, not necessarily with this ad.

I think the typography is nicely designed, easy to read, and blood spatters definitely grab attention.

 The bottom tagline says "Enjoy the silence. The quietest cabin in it's class. New Golf."

What this copy does well is paint a picture in the readers mind. This is one of three ads in a campaign, each of them describing a scene where anyone within earshot would either wish they were deaf or they had earplugs. I can only imagine what this would sound like in real life - glad I've got a Golf so I don't have to experience it first hand.

Painting a picture in a persons mind is possibly one of the greatest signs of a successful words-only ad. Instead of showing them a visual, it allows them to create one of their own in their minds.

Wonderbra does it again! They don't even need more than one word. They don't even need a word other than the name of their brand. It paints a picture in the viewers mind (which I'm guessing most wouldn't mind having in their minds), involves very little effort on the readers end as far as readability goes, and is a beautiful combination of graphic design and efficient copy.

My favorite ads with only words are ones that use typography to their advantage, and while they don't involve any visuals, still use graphic design to their advantage in catching the readers eye.

The first thing people see when they turn a page is the design of the ad. They don't necessarily process the copy right off the bat. It's only when a words-only ad is typographically interesting do they then continue on to actually reading it.

Copywriters, hire yourself some good graphic designers.
Like me. =]

Just some food for thought.