The success of advertisement depends very much upon the copy of advertisement. The main aim of the advertisement is to attract the customer and create an urge to possess that product. If the advertisement does not fulfill this objective, the expensive advertisements are useless. Hence, the advertisement copy should be drafted very carefully.
The person who drafts the advertisement copy must be thoroughly acquainted with the mental process. He should be imaginative enough to think of words and patterns which would produce the desired effect on the prospective customer. An effective copy of advertisement should posses the following characteristics, qualities or values:
- Attention Value: An Advertisement copy must attract the attention of the potential consumers. If it fails in this mission, the money and efforts go waste, for everything else follows this. The copy should be drafted, planned and displayed so ingeniously that it may compel even the most casual reader to notice it and read it with interest. It should be designed in such an attractive manner that it catches the eye. Following devices can be used to make the copy attractive.
- Use of pictures, photographs or sketches to reveal a great deal about the product;
- Use of display types, i.e,. appropriate heading in attracting types;
- Attractive borders etc., can also be used to separate an advertisement copy from the rest of the setting and to compel the reader to focus his attention on it.
- Suggestive Value: The next quality of an advertisement should be to offer suggestion about the use and the utility of the product. This can be done if crisp and pointed but simple slogans and suggestions are devised to bring home to the reader the utility of the product in everyday situation. The repeated use of suggestion, a command or slogan can do the trick.
- Memorizing Value: The copy of advertisement should be so drafted and laid out that the product sticks to the memory of the individual reader. Repetition of advertisement is an effective method of creating memorizing value for the copy. Use of trade mark or brand name should be repeated very often.
- Conviction Value: An advertisement copy a proven effective when the suggestion contained in it is backed by convincing arguments. In it the advertiser must avoid the two extremes: it should neither be plain notice nor should it use high flower language. By emphasizing the outstanding feature of the product an ideal copy should make an appeal to reason so that the consumer acting on the advertisements may go in for it with confidence and firm belief in its utility and superiority over competitive products.
- Sentimental Value: Sentiments reflecting the personal feelings and attitudes of individuals towards various things indicate reactions of a person infamous or against a particular product. The advertiser should make a sincere attempt to make an appeal to the sentiments of as many buyers as possible. It is more important where advertisements are directed towards the educated and cultured sections of the community.
- Educational Value: A Good copy of advertisements educates the general public about the uses of the new products or the new uses of the same product. It increases the demand of the product. It creates new habits among people by offering new tempting products to them. It helps creating new markets. Thus a good copy of advertisement possesses educative value.
- Instinctive Appeal Value: Instincts are the main springs of human thoughts and actions. Instincts are the underlying forces which compel the men to act in certain ways. A good copy of advertisement must induce, persuade and motivate the people to think well of a product and to take to its use. Generally speaking, the following are the basic instincts of the consumers.
- Self-preservation Instinct: The sale of product like medicine, clothes, etc., may be promoted by appeal to our anxiety to preserve our person, our wealth, our family and our belongings for example, insurance are advertised by appeal to this instinct.
- Parental Instinct: The parental instinct takes the form of love and affection for the children. Those who deal in children’s requirement like toys, baby goods, etc., lay upon the motherly feelings of women or the parental sentiment of men through their advertisement copies.
- Instinct for Self-display: An advertisement copy drafted for dresses, ready-made clothing, etc., must be directed towards the aesthetic sense of the people by showing happy and likable people in dresses that are being advertised.
- Something for nothing Instinct: Everybody has an instinct to get something without paying for it. An advertisement copy that contains the offer of a prize or a gift is likely to tempt many of the customers.
The above qualities should be incorporated in an advertisement copy to make it an ideal advertisement.