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Design is what powers advertising, and it is becoming more and more crucial for a company to have an effective advertising campaign. The purpose of an ad campaign is to bring in new clients, buyers, users, and customers. That can be hard, especially today when people are going to be more careful with what they are buying. That is why it is important for an ad to be effective. Here are 10 principles of what an effective ad consists of. Keep in mind that there are many different types of advertisements, and not all of these tips apply to every ad.
1. Grab People
A good advertisement must grab people almost immediately. It is very important that your ad can be able to grab someone who glances for just a second. Force people to take a second glance instead of simply moving on.
This is an excellent ad that will make almost anyone look at it. You’d think having a huge ad would be an advantage, but some companies don’t use size like this ad does.
2. Be Clever and Creative
I know you probably hear this everywhere, but it is very true. It is very important to be clever in an ad campaign. It attracts people and represents the brand in a positive way. Think about it. If you see an extremely smart ad, you probably want to learn more. A clever ad represents a clever company.
3. Speak Loudly
The louder you talk, the more people hear you, right? Well, the same concept applies to advertising. You want your ad to say something, and you want it to be heard. A “loud” advertisement isn’t just a big one, though. It can be achieved in many ways.
It doesn’t get much louder than this, but keep in mind that louder doesn’t mean big.
4. Don’t Make Them Think (Too Much)
One of the common guidelines, especially in web design, is not to make people think. You need to get the message across in a clever way, but it shouldn’t make people think too much. A person should know what the ad is saying as soon as they look at it.
Here is an example of a clever ad that doesn’t make you think too much.
5. Colors That Pop But Make Sense
Depending on the ad, you usually want your colors to pop. Color choice is a very important aspect of advertisements. You also want your colors to work with the feeling of the brand. Your colors need to work with the environment in which the ad is being placed. Appeal to the targeted people through color, but don’t make the colors distracting. As for exactly which colors to use, well that depends on the type of ad. If you are making a an illustration for a “fun” brand, use a collaboration of bright colors. If the ad is more serious, possibly use a more simple color scheme. Apart from that, the colors depend entirely on the company and type of ad.
6. Be Informative
Every advertisement must convey a message. Ads visually represent a message.
This is a great ad which visually represents the fact that FedEx”s trucks are twice the size of UPS trucks, and therefore carry more packages.
7. Stand Out and Be Memorable
Being unique and memorable are two essential components of a good ad. Your ad should be unique and completely different than anyone else. Be original.
8. Give Off a Feeling
Every company and brand has it’s own mood or tone. You need to show that in the advertisement. Someone should be able to tell the company’s tone by looking at an ad.
9. Show Not Tell
A good advertisement is one which shows instead of telling. How can this be done? Try using a more visual way of representing a concept instead of text.
I really like this ad because it is simple and easy to understand. By visually combining the elements of building and coffee, they show you that they are building new stores.
10. Use Humor: Use a Metaphor
Humor is a useful technique for attracting people to an ad. Metaphors can be a great way to add humor. Humor is not always appropriate, and sometimes it just doesn’t work for the brand or company, but when it does, use it.
I think Nike has some pretty great ad campaigns. This one incorporates humor and an obvious message.
What do you think?
Feel free to contribute other tips via comments, or just tell us what you’re thinking.
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Cool! I like the Cingular ad! Nice post thanks for sharing
I think many high profile ads are very cool and eye catching for the 15 seconds. They win a ton of awards and will be used as examples of cool ads in many years to come. Unfortunately, many of them doesn’t do jack for the actual client except make cool pictures on the wall and maybe tshirt and mugs.
Out of your examples, I would say the Kill Bill one would be the most effective, because it only needs to stick short-term till they buy the tickets to see the movie.
Very nice list.
Creative advertising is very important. I get annoyed when people settle for innovative adverts, instead of working hard to come up with something memorable and good.
Great examples, and definitely a good start to a topic that deserves much more in-depth discussion (in which I hope these comments will foster).
@CREATIVEHERB, I disagree. They do of course win awards, but an agency can win all the awards it wants and if, at the end of the day, their ads haven’t brought any more recognition to their client then pretty quickly they will fall away from the lead and get lost in the dust of better agencies. Just because something seems so big and, therefore, so expensive, doesn’t mean it’s wasteful. Advertising is not always about bringing in sales and revenue, after all marketing is more about brand awareness than anything. Why else would companies like Microsoft and Apple spend millions of dollars on those awareness ads on TV? Seriously, they don’t try to sell one single thing, except their company.
@TYLER HAYES
Certainly Advertising can be about brand awareness too. I didn’t mean that generic Brand Awareness was bad, but I believe that it has to go hand in hand with appropriate and strategic branding as well. Too many companies forget the 2nd part of it and creates a crazy brand awareness campaign, just to have millions spent and hardly any long term brand growth.
There are some pretty interesting examples here. Although I’m not really quite sure what the Nike one is trying to say.
Great visuals to go along with the punch list…I’m a wee bit confused by the Nike ad, but maybe I just need some more coffee? Projecting the ‘voice’ of the client in the ad campaign might be the most important note…great if things are memorable, but if the message is unclear or misunderstood by the masses then we’ve missed the mark.
Just goes to show how much creativity adds to any business. Clever, properly targed ads do more than just generate a company more business, they help with brand loyalty; after all, given a choice, wouldn’t you pick the brand that put out an add that made you think, laugh or cry?
http://www.datexmedia.wordpress.com
Very good visuals the message definitely gets through
I like your take on number 6 – though perhaps they are also trying to convey that, in order for UPS to get their shipments delivered on time – they must use FedEx . . ..
Here’s a link to some theorizing regarding the Nike ad:
http://ahschill.wordpress.com/2008/11/14/advertisement/
nice ones
nice onesss
it’s a good one for todays market, how to make ads that to attract customers, see it, grab the knowledge and spread it.
Fantastic list: so important in the rush of it all to be innovative, willing to take a risk and let a little personality into your designs. I just love the FedEX ad and the cingular ad. Kudos to the designers!
Wow, that was a really cool list. I like all the tips, and the photos.
great post. I would like to get myself some ads like those. especially since i will be starting a small company shortly. I think cost effectiveness is everyone’s main concern
Yeah the list and information was good as well as the pictures! Good job, thanks for sharing!
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We are in the media truck branding business in Southern Africa. The FEDEX/UPS truck shown in the example can only be done on paper.
The perspective of the flat print on the vehicle changes when you look at the it from another angle (other than the one the picture was taken/created from. Due to it’s fade point)
The rest I like.
Really these are the wonderful way to make our products successful.
A good advertising can make our products successful in the market. Thanks for sharing
Thank you for posting this. I have been trying to think of creative ways to advertise. This helps much.
Thanks again
allen
Good Information here; I agree with lots of the topics and ideas covered in this article. It is important to write effective advertising in today’s market.
#11. Get a huge advertising budget to show your new creative ad.
Great post! Man that Kill Bill advertisement is insane!
I love the “Just Do It” Photo.
Like it all but mostly the construction image for the coffee stores
its just to the point,
but what do you think about raising expectations of the audience?
that was some sort of good solution – there are some other good solutions available into the market but this sems
to be the best so far.. .
Quite a week, indeed.-Health Care
raf
Thanks for sharing. They’re amazing.
REALLY SUPERB CREATIVE ADS
incorporates humor and an obvious message…. I agree, same goes for ” Nowhere on it does it even say the words Nike; yet, everyone recognizes it as Nike right away. Not only from the logo, but from the catch phrase “just do it.””… I agree. The “logic” of an advertising is that children, animals will always trigger the viewer. (in humoristic way). I do like the campaign but I personally would change the concept to another way. For me Nike is a product about “prestige, courage, will power and a dream to reach if you in a young age group. It is about hardwork, dedication. About dicipline and hard work and Nike will support you all the way if you believe and live up to this. Yes, it is about braking barriers… “just do it”, but it is more than peeing against a wall and say “well just go ahead and JUST DO IT”.
there is any one who can help me in advertisement of agriculture product like cattle feed or poultry feed etc. because i need help in advertisement of dairy product. is there any one ???????????
Hello all! I like this forum, i inaugurate numberless interesting people on this forum.!!!
Large Community, regard all!
nice onesss
hilarous some people really do know how to make something useful out of a boring subject, really great ,high 5
Thanks for the great advice… Has helped me write an assignment for my mentoring course (“Write an advert promoting a mentoring service”).
thanks so much..
i will practice all these advices
The nike photo is not an ad or a campaign by nike. Its a photographer’s personal work.
I think the photographer is actually making fun of Nike. its not Nike’s ad.
Thank you so much! you helped me alot with your advice. i learned a lot.
this is so wonderful i learn alot that i was not know before about ad.
but # 4 makes me think too much.
thank you.
thank you!!!
nice!
I do not believe this to be a positive image for Nike. Nike has over the years guarded their reputation. I think there is nothing cute not humurous about a dirty Aftican American boy obviously in an impoverished state peeing on a wall. This does not show congruecny with the histoical corporate values that Nike has sought to build.
pls update me on this more.
Nice job.
Good points !
The Fed EX visual not only talks about the size of trucks but also the fact that it literally parceling UPS !!!!!!!
nice job well done
An outstanding share! I’ve just forwarded this onto a colleague who has been doing a little research on this. And he actually bought me dinner due to the fact that I discovered it for him… lol. So let me reword this…. Thank YOU for the meal!! But yeah, thanks for spending some time to talk about this topic here on your web site.
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