TAKE THAT STARBUCKS!!! May 8, 2007

KISS MY A$$!!!

This article How to take on a Multi-National with a Felt Tip Pen and Win, was HILARIOUS!!! I loved it. When I was younger I was a huge Starbucks junkie. It started as harmless as any other addiction. Sixteen years old, just got my license, going to Starbucks  with friends was a way to get out of the house. And better yet, it was close so my parents would let me take the car. By senior year of high school “going to Starbucks” was code for “we’re going to go get stoned”. Yet time and time again we found ourselves at Starbucks, stoned or not.

I was a fan of the Venti Caramel Machiato. Which by the way costs almost 6.00!! When I started earning my own money, I took a good hard look at my coffee purchasing. I realized that this was TOTALLY overpriced. $6.00 for a freakin’ cup of coffee, what the hell was I thinking? Forget that, the coffee tasted burnt. (I started laying off the 350 calorie coffees and got a good taste of what the product actually tastes like-BLECH).

I made a decision to take a stand against Starbucks. Those a$$holes were not going to get my money anymore. When I told my mom about how much I hated Starbucks and refused to drink it, she started to agree that for what we were paying, the product was crap.  We then narrowed in on my dad, who is just the typical cheap Jew, and  he told us that he had stopped drinking Starbucks a long time ago, he preferred the 1.00 cup that the street vendors in the city. So the three of us were on the same page. And of course I managed to get my husband in on this as well.

Not that I thought my little stand would make a difference. But i got personal satisfaction out of it. I went out of my way to not go to Starbucks. So that is why this article really made me laugh. I felt all warm and fuzzy inside knowing that there are others who feel the same way, went much farther, and were much more successful than I was.  I feel part of a bigger cause! What a great concept.

So…Starbucks this is my middle finger pointing right at ya!

College Drinking… April 25, 2007

The first thing most of us do when we get to college is take a drink. Whether it be beer, wine, hard liquor, and for those more adventurous types a 40 of Big Bear. It seems the the norm today is to drink in college.

According to the article by William DeJong, The Role of Mass Media Campaigns in Reducing High-Risk Drinking among College Students, most college students are unaware of how many of their peers actually drink. This is true, until something hits home.

When I was Binghamton University, I, like many of my fellow party goers was oblivious to  what “Binge Drinking” actually meant. Let alone how it could affect one person, and an entire college community.

On a Saturday night like any other my girlfriends and I, dressed to impress, headed out to a frat party. We partied like rock stars, being in a sorority gave us that right. We went about our night not noticing much about the amount people were drinking. Came home, at pizza at 2:00 am (which does wonders for a girls figure), and passed out.  Happy college life.

That was until we woke up the next morning. We got news that a very good friend of ours, who was at the same party, had died. A member of the frat who’s party we had attended, he drank WAY too much. After the party he headed out to the bars with a friend, along the way him and a friend we messing around at a bridge that overlooked the river. Being as drunk as they both were, he somehow managed to fall over the side of the bridge into the water.

The water was not that deep, nor was it a raging river by any means. Most people who had anytime of swim skills could have swam to safety.  According to police reports he was so drunk that when he hit the water he was unable to  swim to safety and drowned. They found his body the next day washed up on shore, a perfectly good life had been lost. Someone most of us had known for three years, who had pledged at the same time as us, sat in the Union with us, a nice guy that we all liked to be around.  Our college community had lost a promising young man. Not to mention the devastation his family was feeling.

The loss of a life really puts things in perspective.  It had not occurred to any of us that he had drank to much. But from then on we all reconsidered how much we drank on a typical Saturday night.

Virginia Tech April 18, 2007

While this is not related to class.  I would just like to say that my heart goes out those victims and their families of the shooting at Virginia Tech.

Over the past few days I have been in shock and awe over the events that unfolded. I keep thinking to myself that this could have happened to any student, anytime, anywhere. That is so scary. Sitting in class yesterday I thought to myself “what would I do?” and I had no answer.

I ask you this….what would you do in that situation. wold you barricade a door and stand with your fellow classmate? or would you try to save yourself and jump out a window?

One victim that particularly captured my heart was Liviu Librescu, (his bio can be seen here  http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/l/liviu_librescu/index.html). He was a senior researcher in engineering, also an expert in aeronautics in Israel before coming to the states.  Much of my family is from Israel and I guess a connection is always there. The thing that really struck a cord was that he was a Holocaust survivor. Not only were all 4 of my grandparents survivors but my own mother was as well. So this really hits my heart. Having been through so much, he still blocked the door with his body to prevent the shooter from coming in, saving the lives of students. Giving his own life.  To me, that sums up exactly what kind of person he probably was.  I have tears in my eyes just thinking about it.

To all those who have been victims of this tragedy and to your families, I wish you love.

Revlon Color is on Tour! March 19, 2007

Last week we talked about Riders on the Storm an article written by John Densmore of the Doors.

Well, low and behold I am watching Ugly Betty and there it is….the NO FADE TOUR!! Revlon is documenting Sheryl Crow’s tour (and of course sponsoring it). All she has to do is appear in a commercial and of course dye her hair. the commercial opens like any tour documentary, but instead “Revlon had a new product they thought Sheryl Crow would be perfect for. Sheryl was unconvinced…especially when they told her she would have to actually use the product. Somehow she came around. And a six week tour was born…”

The commercial continues to document her on tour. Never forgetting to mention how wonderful her hair looks…WOW!! how did they pull this one off.

Let’s see….could the offer to sponsor her tour have anything to do with it? In the background Sheryl’s new song “not fade away” is playing and she playfully bounces around the stage and twirls her hair!

We’ll see how her fan’s react to this.

Will they cringe the way I do when I hear Oasis’s “All Around the world” on an AT&T commercial? (It’s a little known fact about me I love Oasis). Will her career suffer the way Jewel’s did? or will she gain a new fan base?

TO BE CONTINUED…

Advertising in the Sixties… March 12, 2007

Over the last 2 weeks weeks we have been watching a Century of Self. It’s a juicy video I highly recommend you see it.

I picked up this book Barnes and Noble, edited by Jim Heimann. The Golden Age of Advertising the 60s. a 400 page book that shows all sorts of ads from the 60′s.

This quote comes from an article written by Steven Heller called “Advertising in the Sixties:So, what’s the big idea”, and sums up a lot of what we saw in class.

” Advertising is, after all, an artificial truth. Of course, certain claims are accurate-makeup hides blemishes, soda is sweet…Yet advertising especially at this time, was nonetheless designed to outsmart, out-do, and out-sell competition no matter what it was, within the parameters of so-called ‘truth in advertising’ doctrines…What’s more, by the early Sixties post-war Americans were conditioned to believe anything that mass media put forth, and advertising was embraced without question or hesitation.”

ADT…. March 11, 2007

The experts on Soap Sex and Cigarettes talked about the history of advertising and how 1880 brand names, slogans and brand loyalty started to emerge for products.

Kodak was one of the first product ads that was geared to the simpleton. “You press the button we do the rest.”

I started thinking about what ads really convey that type of message, that anyone can use your product. I remember seeing this ad when I was younger, it was for ADT (home security system) and they had a catchy jingle that said “ADT…we’re home. Even when your not!” Featuring a dad away on business-change scene- mom with her baby in her arms punching in a code (with one hand of course). And they all tuck into bed smiles on their faces.

Peace of mind for a man away on business that his family will be protected? yes. But the other thing this ad shows is how easily you can program the system, even a woman can do it!! Slightly sexist? yes. but don’t you feel better knowing that with one finger you can secure your entire home, anyone can do it!!! all you do is punch in this code and you are automatically linked to a computer system that can contact the police if someone is breaking into your house. That’s right…even the electronically challenged can protect themselves from burglars.

CHAPTER 3: Writing to Communicate March 6, 2007

Ahhh…yes the continuation of the ever so captivating Copywriter’s Handbook.

This chapter covers how the copywriter can write a clearer more concise copy in order to better sell products.

Here it is in a nutshell.

Avoid “borrowed interest”. This means…get to the point! don’t fancy things up with big words, long stories and rambling.

Bly gives us 11 tips on how to write clear copy 

1. Put the readers first: talk to the people. You may not know exactly who you are talking to but you do know who your audience is.  Keep the reader’s interest in mind.
2. Carefully organize your selling point: this is pretty self explanatory. Organize your selling points in order of importance before writing your copy. Present these points in a “logical, persuasive, clear fashion.”
3. Break the Writing into Short Sections: No person wants to read pages filled with copy. By breaking up the copy into shorter sections, you make it easier for the reader to get through the ad and get what they want.
4. Use short sentences: ‘nough said. I recently saw an ad for a Honda Civic it read “Freedom Is Choice”. Short and to the point.
5. Use simple words:We, the consumer are not interested in your vocabulary. We want it easy to read.  “But [simple words] are the only words many people understand.” (hee hee).
6. Avoid Technical Jargon: Rule # 1: 95% of people should understand what you are saying. Rule #2: Don’t use technical mumbo jumbo unless you have no other choice.
7. Be Concise: Short. Sweet. And to the point!
8. Be Specific: Have all your facts together when writing your copy. The more information you can give the consumer the better.
9. Go Straight to the Point: Save the warm up for the drafts. Sell, Sell, Sell. You should be trying to sell the product right off the bat.
10. Write in a Friendly Conversational Style: isn’t that what blogging is? Write as if you were speaking to someone. “The simplest, clearest style is to write the way you talk.”
11. Avoid Sexist Language: The best way to explain this is to just use some of the examples give by Bly himself. Sexist Term: Cleaning Woman                  Nonsexist Substitute: domestic

Bly gives us some other Tricks of the Trade that we can use.

End with a proposition: “Your Jaw Gets Tired Just Thinking About It.” (an ad for Stride Gum)

Use Sentence Fragments: “From the Heart. To the beat. To the fist. To the face.” ( Def Jam Icon for PlayStation 3)

Use One Sentence Paragraphs: That’s right! this is acceptable. Your elementary school teacher would be appalled!

Use Graphics techniques to Emphasize Words or Phrases in The Copy.

THE IRON MAIDEN March 5, 2007

The iron maiden as defined by yahoo! Education (and various other sources)

NOUN: A medieval instrument of torture consisting of an iron frame in the form of a person in which the victim was enclosed and impaled on interior spikes.

So the victim was enclosed in a  device in the shape of a woman. So here is an idea of what an iron maiden looked like back in the day

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/Iron_Maiden_of_Nuremberg.jpg

According to Jacobsen and Mazur this is what the Iron Maiden of today looks like.

http://img2.timeinc.net/people/i/2007/stylewatch/fashionfaceoff/070312/mischa_barton300.jpg

How are you feeling about yourself today?

Chapter 2: Writing to get Attention: The Headline February 27, 2007

In this Chapter Bly shows us how to grip the reader’s attention. The most important thing is the headline, we must convince the consumer to continue reading the ad to find out more about the product you are trying to sell. As the copywriter, it is our job to get their attention. Bly gives up some tips on how to do this.

• Bly tells us that if the headline does not grab the readers attention in the first few seconds it is likely they will pass over the ad.
• The headline gets the attention of the reader by giving a great “first impression”. For example, in print it is the headline and what the reader sees or on a website it is the the first screen.
• “If you haven’t done some sellingin your headline, you have wasted 80% of your client’s money”
• In order to have an impact the headline must tell the reader “this is something you’ll want!”
• A headline carries 4 functions: (each one will be presented with an example given by Bly)

1. GET ATTENTION there are various ways you can do this. One can focus on the readers’ interests “Give your kids a fighting chance” (Crest), another way is to give news “Discover our New Rich Roasted Taste” (Brim decaffeinated coffee). And of course we must never underestimate the power of the word FREE! Bly also tells us that a convincing headline can offer the reader information that may be of use to them “How to bake beans” (Van Camp’s).
2. Selecting the audience. This is pretty straight forward, before writing a headline you must decide who your audience is. “We’re looking for people to write children’s books” (The Institute of Children’s Literature).
3. Deliver a complete message. David Ogilvy tells us that “four out of five readers will read the headline and skip the rest of the ad”. Well, that says a lot. This means that we have to say everything that needs to be said in the headline. “You Can Make Big Money in Real Estate Now”(Century 21).
4. Drawing the Reader into the Body Copy.  This is the toughest part of writing a headline. As we learned before most readers will only read the headline of the ad. So it is vital that the headline draw the reader into the body copy, by arousing curiosity. “The five dollar alternative to a costly plastic surgery” this headline draws the reader in. Hey, who would not want to know more about that?!

• The Eight Basic Headline Types: this is a basic formula for writing a headline which the writer can use to successfully draw in the reader.

1. Direct Headlines: direct and straight forward.
2. Indirect Headlines: this headline will cause the reader to raise an eyebrow. They will be curious about what is in the body copy.
3. News Headline: this headline will tell the reader something new is out there, whether is be a new product or simply and improvement on an already existing product. “Finally a Caribbean Cruise as Good as It’s Brochure” (Norwegian Cruise Line).
4. How-to Headline: this headline will help solve your problems. Here the ad offers a way to help the reader fix whatever problem they may have.
5. Question Headlines: one thing Bly emphasizes here is that it is vital to  make sure that we are focused on what the reader needs/wants and not what the writer needs/wants. “Have You any of these Decorating Problems?” (Bigelow Carpets).
6. Command Headlines: In this type of headline there is usually a strong verb that begins the sentence “Put a Tiger in Your Tank” (Esso).
7. Reason-Why Headlines: the basic 1-2-3  of writing a headline. “120 to 4,000 reasons Why You Should Buy Your Fur in the Next Four Days”.
8. Testimonial Headline: This type of headline uses customer satisfaction to tell the reader how good the product is. The consumer does the selling for you.

• Bly also suggest that the writer keep a file of references you can use when you are trying to write a headline of your own. This is known as a Swipe File , and can be used in a pinch when you can’t think of what to write.
• The 4 U’s. This formula for writing  a powerful headline was developed by Michael Masterson, the are:

1. Urgent: giving the reader a reason to get off the couch and buy your product NOW!
2. Unique: Be creative, say something the reader hasn’t seen before.
3. Ultra-Specific: entice the read. “What Never to eat on an Airplane”
4. Useful: offer a benefit to the reader.Show them that buying this product will benefit their lives.

• Bly suggests that you rate your headline by the 4 U’s . On a scale of 1 to 4 (4 being the highest) and if does not rate at a 3 or 4 on at least 3 of the above then it could be stronger.
• There are somethings to avoid when writing a headline such as blind headlines, irrelevant wordplay and negatives.
• The technique that Bly uses is to ask himself 3 questions.

1. Who is my customer
2. What are the important features of the product?
3. Why will the consumer want to buy the product?

• He also suggests that if you cannot come up with headline to create a list of words that apply to the product and use a play on words.
• To sum things up, the headline is the most important part of the ad, being straight forward and concise is really the key to writing a successful headline.

“Too many ads are approved because of their entertainment value. That’s a waste of money”
-Jim Alexander

CHAPTER 1 February 26, 2007

Chapter One of the Copywriter’s Handbook covers some of the basics of copy writing. The book begins with a quote that sums up much of what the book covers, “A copywriter is a salesperson behind the typewriter.” Here are some basic points that this chapter covers.

• The main goal of advertising is to sell products.
• Many times the most cheaply produced ads can be the most effective because they are straight forward and direct.
• More glitz, glamor and “schlock” does not always mean an increase in sales. Here, Bly gives an example of a direct mailing that was sent out. It was a 4 page pop up, colorful brochure and while the company received compliments on the uniqueness of the ad, sales did not really increase.
• As the copywriter, the main objective is to figure out what would make the consumer want to buy the product, not to worry about the art.
• Bly then gives the thoughts of other advertising professionals who feel the same way as he does. My personal favorite was “Humorous ads are troubling because you have to create a link to the product and it’s benefit. Often, people remember a funny ad but they don’t remember the product.”
• There are 3 things that a copywriter must do in order to make sure that they are writing copy that will convince the consumer to buy:

1. Get attention
2. Communicate
3. Persuade

• In this chapter Bly also touches on how his teachings apply to the Internet. He reminds us that just because the Internet is a cheaper and more efficient way to get your product out there, does not mean the human nature changes. The teachings of this book still apply. Bly has noticed some changes that apply but the basics still hold true. Be concise, make your copy relevant to the reader/consumer, address the reader in an intelligent manner and focus on what they perceive as important, realize that people have less time and that providing convenience and speed is a huge selling point. Finally, what the Internet does provide is an added way of communicating with the consumer.