Writing for Print Advertisements - Writers Forum

tanmay · 11-19-2005, 06:55 AM

How to write an effective headline, base line and body copy for print advertisements? Since the aim of advertisement is to sell the product/service, what kind of text in print ads would attract the readers?

mammamaia · 11-19-2005, 09:16 AM

there's no standard for any of those things, tanmay... they all depend on what it is you are advertising and where it appears, what the target audience is... what will work to sell lollypops, won't sell computers...

are you being asked to write ad copy for someone/something?... or applying for a job as a copywriter?... if so, you should learn the basics of the craft, first... it's a very specialized aspect of the writer's art that takes a different mind set and some skills that are not usually needed in other mediums...

if you're just stuck on one specific sales need, give me some info on the product and i can then give you some help with designing an ad campaign...

love and hugs, maia

tanmay · 11-20-2005, 08:36 AM

Maia,

Thanks a lot for offering your help.

I'm already working as a copywriter and wanted to know the psyche of the public. What kinds of ads usually attract them? Emotional ones, humourous ones, informatives ones and so on. I know it mostly depends on the product & target audience but still what kinda ads are the most popular?

Regards,
Tanmay.

mammamaia · 11-20-2005, 09:12 AM

sorry, tanmay, but it still depends on too many other factors... what's most popular in newspapers isn't what's most popular in magazines or on websites... and the readership makes a big difference, too...

what's most popular in the new york times or washington post isn't, in the daily news or national enquirer... what works best in elle or tv guide won't be as effective in newsweek or national geographic...

humor may attract more attention in one venue, while emotional copy will slaughter the competition in another... so, there really isn't a single answer to your question...