Print ads: Relics or Revenue Generators?
by Gary Watson
Published on this site: September 22nd, 2005 - See
more articles from this month
Remember print ads? Those dusty, musty, fusty old relics
of the century past? Well, they're still with us, and if your
company isn't running them in newspapers and magazines, they
probably should. Despite the ubiquity of commercials on radio and TV; despite the onslaught of banners, pop-ups and
all manner of intrusive online ads; newspapers and magazines
are, and always will be, a mainstay forum for mainstream advertising.
There's something about the readiness, the handiness, the
heft and feel of a magazine or a newspaper that appeals to
something in the nature of human beings. Yes, flat screens
that glow with vivid colors are attractive. Especially when
they're displaying something we specifically asked to see.
But as we page through a magazine or a newspaper over coffee
or in a commuter train, we don't mind at all if a surprising
or intelligent or just plain appealing ad - even one in black
and white - suddenly grabs our attention. We expect it. We
secretly look for it. We even welcome it as a break from all
the dull gray type we've been slogging through. Why? Because
- let's face it - a really good ad is a delight to behold.
Is this the kind of ad your target audience is seeing? Do
your ads stop them and make them smile.think.take in your
message and make a mental note to look closer at your product
or service? Maybe even go to your website for the kind of
information that could lead to a sale?
Think carefully about this. If your ad doesn't stand apart,
doesn't attract, appeal or delight in some way, the readers
you want to capture and bring into your world will simply
turn the page and plow on through the dull stuff . . . until
they bump into an ad that compels them to stop and pay attention
to what may well be your competitor's message.
So take a close look at your company's ads. Do they stand
out from the crowd of other ads? Are they different from your
competitor's ads in a powerful and relevant way? And most
important, do they convey your core message in an engaging,
persuasive and winning way?
If so, let them run and run, because those are the kind of
ads that can add to your bottom line.
Gary Watson writes ads that add to the bottom
line. To learn more, visit him at http://www.GWCopy.com
or call 508.651.9737
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