Advertising
on the Television
David Ogilvy
makes a series of recommendations so that advertising on the television
is effective. This list of ideas is excellent and marks the difference
between success and failure.
1.- The
images should explain the story.
Some adverts ensure that they can be understood simply with images
- they do this by looking at them without sound. Television is a fundamentaly
visual means. Many good adverts tell the story and show the benefits
of the product through images. Nobody cared about the effects it had
on the ozone until the expression "hole in the ozone layer"
became world renowned. To tell a story in a verbal way the best thing
to do is to think in powerful images. A bird covered in petrol impacts
more than a lot of facts.
2.- Look
for a key visual.
Adverts with too many details and ones which move too quickly are
difficult to understand. If your message is too difficult it can make
understanding it impossible. Simplicity usually gives good results.
The most effective adverts that sell things are usually tremendously
simple and visual.
3.- The
first seconds are vital.
Therefore, you have to attract the attention of the spectator from
the beginning. Adverts have to carry out various tasks, on the one
hand attract and on the other hand communicate. Many fail because
they don't attract potential consumers. There area also a great number
of adverts in which the consumer remember the most spectacular part
but not the product that it's trying to sell. We fail if the consumer
remembers the attractive part of the advert and not the brand. Some
adverts remembered for their attractivness have managed to sell the
competitors product.
4.- A good
advert should not be complicated.
The best thing to do is think of a unique idea. Forcing the spectactor
to think too much can ruin the advert.
5.- It
is very important that the spectator remembers the name of the product.
Frequently adverts
forget that its not about winning an art or creativity prize it is
about selling to people. If the consumer remembers the advert but
does not remember the brand then we are wasting our money. Repeating
the brand many times and showing the packaging is usually frequent
in detergent adverts. Detergent adverts are not usually very artistic,
some you hate but they are very good when it comes to selling.
6.- Use
people not objects.
Ogilvy recommends using real images if you can. Consumers look at
other people and try to identify themselves with them.
7.- Show
the decisive moment.
If you are selling detergent then show how people are satisfied with
their clean clothes, if you are selling a course then show how people
graduate or the moment they get in their first job. If you want to
sell car insurance show how the car saves your life.
8.- Avoid
adverts with a lot of talking.
The best thing to do is communicate its benefits to the consumer with
the easiest and simplest words. Research shows that when adverts use
difficult words the consumer usually doesn't understand. It is best
to frequently repeat simple ideas than a complicated argument. Let's
look at how people succeed and let's check how they use expressions
and easy and simple ideas.
