The lamentable ignorance of most advertisers (and their agencies) presents an opportunity
I have been recording a series of videos analysing John Caples’ classic “Tested Advertising Methods”.
I used to read this book every year when I was learning to write copy.
David Ogilvy told me that he and his brother in law Rosser Reeves, who devised the concept of the USP, agreed they had learned all they knew from Caples.
Most of today’s ad agency copywriters have never heard of Caples, let alone read him. Actually they appear to have read none of the old masters whose lessons still apply. They make it up as they go along.
This crass ignorance shows in the kind of advertisements I see every day.
I reproduce a poster I saw on Newton Abbott station two days ago. My usual dreadful I-phone picture quality matches that of the idea.
Bose built a fine business with informative ads that told why their sound was better. They have now ditched this for a picture of a grinning buffoon and a vague claim. What does “elevated” mean? Higher? Louder? Clearer? Or just blah?
Here is more evidence, all from an issue of Money Week.
Ad for Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust headed “Following our instincts”. And a picture of a tiger. What are they running up there? A zoo?
Ad for AIG, who lost more billions than anyone in the 2008 crash headed “Bring on tomorrow” with pictures of lots of heads, without captions so you have no idea what they are doing there. Then some fatuous boasts. Maybe they should spend more time explaining why they won’t repeat what they did wrong yesterday
Ad for M & G headed “Whatever the market delivers we’re ready“. And the outline of a tennis player. What, pray, has tennis to do with investment?
Ad for Jupiter with a hideous orange and blue background headed “Never mistake lack of certainty for lack of opportunity”. Never mistake a flaccid statement of good intentions for a headline. This firm is very good with fine management. Why paper the media with visual and verbal garbage?
Ad for Fidelity Worldwide Investment headed “Stocks, yes. Stock answers, no”. The germ of an idea concealed behind a play on words.
The only people getting a good training now are getting it from the discipline of the internet – if they are using Google analytics.
Many firms are too stupid to do that. The larger the more stupid as a rule. Many do not even heed the lessons being taught.
If you are a writer and you have studied, then as the recession drags on – which believe me, it will – your future is golden.
If you want to do any better, by the way, let me tell you about a writer who did four laughably simple things and:
a) Sold $NZ600,000 worth of previously unsellable property
b) Improved results 250%
I made a video about what he did in one minute and thirty eight seconds – you can spare that much time, can’t you?
You don’t have to buy a damn thing – I tell you in that brief time what I told him.
