Concepts of Copywriting in Adv. Management

Que: What is copywriting?
Ans: Copywriting is the act of developing script from the main brief, argument and appeals to be used in advertising media.
Copywriting is the use of words to communicate about a product, concept a person, business, opinion or idea.
The word copy is usually applied to a content intended to mint (as in the body of a newspaper article or book).
The term copywriter is generally limited to such promotional context, irrespective of media (print, television, radio or other media).
The objective of marketing copy, or promotional text, is to persuade the reader, listener or viewer to act as desired — for example, to purchase or repurchase a product or service.



Que: Explain the message format?
Ans: In message format the format means the plan, organization, style or type of ad message. It is characterized by the type of media vehicle in which the message is delivered.
It is a predetermined or prescribed spatial or time-sequential arrangement of a message in parts that is recorded in or on a data storage medium.
Different media have respective elements as described further.


Que: What are the elements of message format in print media?
Ans: The elements of message format in print media are:
A) Headline:
A headline is text at the top of a newspaper article, indicating the nature of the article below it.
*Words in leading position
* Headline should be short, simple.
*Headline Include, product benefits, brand name and an interest provoking idea.
* Headline Include action verb
* Headline should say it all.

Headlines usually fall in five categories.
1) Direct Promise headline
2) News Headline
3) Curiosity or provocative headline.
4) Selective Headline
5) Humorous Headline.
Production of headlines within the editorial environment
Usually headlines are written by copy editors, but it can also be written by the writer, the page layout designer or a news editor or managing editor.
B) Body copy
It consists of main text.
It Logical continuation of headline.
It Covers benefits, features and utility of product.

C) Illustration and color.
The visuals that may be photos, cartoons etc. which could easily catch the attention of the audience in clutter.

Que: What are the elements of message format in radio advertising?
Ans: The elements of message format in radio advertising are:
A) Words
B) Voice qualities—speech rate, rhythm, pitch, articulation
C) Vocalization – pause, sighs, yawns


Que: What is an appeal?
Ans: An appeal is the physiological, psychological, moral and emotional response to the stimulus or stimuli.

Que: Explain the use of appeals?
Ans: The uses of appeals are as followings:
1) Developing advertisement: Usually an advertisement campaign runs with certain feel and concept which is filled with related appeal.
2) Developing product: Since the taste and fashion of the consumers keep changing the novel appealing products are developed to provide a fresh range of product.
3) Developing marketing mix: Usually the products with good appeals are priced higher keeping the customer affordability.
4) Deciding on communication mix: Since the complex product needs many media vehicles to effectively communicate and persuade the consumers.

Que: Explain the types of appeal?
Ans: Followings are the types of appeal.
1) Rational Appeal: followings are the rational buying motives normally consider under ordinary circumstances which are communicated to the audiences.

A) High Quality under a particular taste, fashion, or style.
B) Low Price always motivate customer to buy a product.
C) Long Life like a car tire will last for 25000 km.
D) Ease of Use like good handling and operating experience.
E) Performance like a bike will run for 2 years without any maintenance except proper servicing.
F) Re-sale Value also becomes a great concern in products like two-wheeler and four wheeler vehicles.

2) Emotional Appeals
Emotions are the mental agitations or excited states of feeling which prompts us to make a purchase.
We can name the emotional appeals as follows:
A) Negative Emotional Appeal like advertisers emphasis the insecurity of not buying life
insurance product.
B) Fear Appeal the advertisement of shampoo which creates fear of hair fall.
C) Positive Emotional Appeal such advertisements highlight product benefits and attributes
capable of influencing consumer behavior.
Other Positive Emotional Appeals are:
* Desire to be different
* Desire to conform
* Desire to attract the opposite sex
* Desire for prestige.

3) Moral appeals are those appeals to the audience which appeal to their sense of right and wrong.

Que: What is a layout in advertisement?
Ans: A layout is an orderly physical arrangement of headline, subheads, body copy, slogan, seal, logo, signature and the visual elements into a finished advertisement.

Q: What is illustration?
Ans: A dominating unit of pictorial nature as basic theme of the advertisement, either directly or by analogy is called illustration.

Que: What is a storyboard of an advertisement?
Ans: The storyboard is text form of an advertisement irrespective of media used. Like a commentator describes the every bit of motion in a cricket match.

Que: What is an ad agency?
Ans: An independent organization that creates, develops and produces advertisement and places advertisement in the media, plans advertising campaign or performs any part of these, on behalf of clients, is called ad agency.

Que: What are the functions of the ad agency?
Ans: The services offered and functions performed by agency vary as follows:
1) Full –Service Agencies These agencies performs all activities from idea generation to evaluation of the advertisment after running the campaign.
2) Account Services/ Management- One or more account executives are assigned to serve as liaison, depending upon the client’s size and ad budget.
3) Marketing Services. Many advertising agencies performs promotional activities like events, public relation, sales and other marketing activities.
4) Creative Services. The specialist professionals perform creation of idea, development & design of concept and creating the advertisements.
5) Research. The ad agency performs study of consumers, competitors, market environment, trends and fashions.
They also perform evaluation of the advertisment before and after the advertisment campaign.
6) Media Planning .The ad agency also performs the decision of selection of suitable and effective media vehicles for the advertisment campaign.

Que: What are the methods used to compensate the ad agencies?
Ans: The methods used to compensate the ad agencies are:
1) Commission (usually it is 15% of media bill.)
2) Negotiated fee
3) Percentage Charges (it ranges between 17.65% to 20 %.)


Que: What is a client in advertising?
Ans: Client is the one who wants to communicate with target audience about products, services ideas, or causes with persuasive intent.
Usually big organizations have advertising departments but generally they are not that effective to create desire results.

Que: Explain the selection of an advertising agency?
Ans: Ad agencies earn contract if they:
1) are known. Like Leo Burnett, RK Swamy BBDO , Contract and others.
2) are creative. Like O & M created Zoo-Zoo advertisment for Vodafone.
3) have sound track record.
4) understand the client’s problem.
5) have good personal equation with client.
6) are suitable size for the client.

Que: What are the methods of pre-testing of print advertising?
Ans: The methods of pre-testing of Print advertising are:
1) Direct questioning. In this method the respondents are directly asked for their views on advertising print and based on response timely corrections are made.
2) Focus group. A group of 8 to 10 concerned respondents are asked for their opinion on the advertisement.
3) Portfolio test: The whole portfolio of advertisements is tested to evaluate its different elements.
4) Paired comparison test. Respondents compare each ad in a given group of advertisements.
5) Order-of –merit test: The respondents are shown all the advertisements and asked to rank based on given elements.
6) Mock magazine test
7) Direct-mail test