13 Key Characteristics of Advertising Copy (Explained)

The advertisement copy refers to the reading matter that forms the text of the advertisement, whether the text consists of only one word or many thousand words.

characteristics of advertising copy
characteristics of advertising copy

An advertising copy is a text expressed in words, sentences, and figures designed to convey the desired message to the target consumers.

Key Features of Advertising Copy

Following are the key features of the advertising copy:

1. Written or Audio Visual Text

Advertising copy is the reading matter or spoken materials or text to be shown on TV.

It includes the words, sentences, paragraphs, subheads, headlines, figures and illustrations in an advertisement.

2. Advertising Message

Advertisement copy explains the message or the central idea of an advertisement.

It is designed to convey the message to whom it is intended.

Related: 18 Aims and Objectives of Advertising (Explained).

3. Focus on AIDA

The main purpose of advertising copy is to influence the attitudes and actions of buyers so that it results in more purchases by them and greater sales volumes for the advertisers.

A well-designed copy calls attention, creates interest.

Products desire and lead the prospects to action.

4. Visualization

Vision creates a copy. Visualization is an essential element of the advertising copy.

Copywriters are versatile people who have great vision in addition to having an ear for the right, or clever phrase, they listen to how people talk and identify the tone of voice that best fits the target audience and advertising need.

5. Word Oriented Creative Concept

Advertising copy is a word-oriented creative concept.

Finding these “magic words” is the responsibility of copywriters who search for the right words to warm up a mood or soften consumer resistance.

6. Layout

An advertising copy has its own layout. This is divided into display copy (or text).

Display copy includes all elements that readers see in their initial scanning.

These elements- headlines, subheads, callouts, taglines, and slogans-usually are set in larger type sizes than body copy and are designed to get attention and to stop the viewer’s scanning.

Body copy includes the elements that are designed to be read and absorbed such as the text of the ad message and cations.

Related: 19 Different Types of Advertising in Marketing (With Examples).

7. Visual Communication

A effective advertising, it’s not just the words that need to the communicate-its visuals, too.

And they must work together to present the creative concept. Words and pictures accomplish different message effects.

purpose of advertising copy
purpose of advertising copy

In most advertising copies the power lies with the visual and its primary function is to get attention.

In advertisement copy, visuals are used because (a) visuals generally are better at getting and keeping attention, (b). pictures communicate faster than words, (c) seeing is believing, (d) visuals are filed easily in consumers’ minds, and, (e) visuals differentiate products.

8. Appeal

The appeal is an important ingredient of advertising copy. Rather, it is the basic object and soul of the copy.

Advertisement copy creates an appeal to buy and to act.

This appeal is created through poetic words, evocative language, illustrations and photos, attractive design and artistic production.

A copy can use rational as well as emotional appeals. It uses a ‘creative plan’ to make appeal effective.

Related: What are the Roles of Entrepreneurs in Bringing Social Stability.

9. Considerations

An advertising copy considers:

  1. The single most important thought of the target market.
  2. The product features to be emphasized.
  3. The benefits a user receives from these features.
  4. The advertising media were chosen for transmitting the information.
  5. The suggested mood or tone for the ad.
  6. The ways in which mood and atmosphere will be achieved in the ad.
  7. The production budget for the advertisement.

10. Tight Style

Advertising copy is tight. Every word counts because both space and time are expensive.

Ineffective words-such as interesting, very, in order to, buy now and save, introducing, nothing less than waste precious space.

Copywriters revise copy a hundred times to make it as concise as possible.

The tighter the copy, the easier it is to understand and the greater its impact.

11. Clear Focus

One characteristic of good advertising writing is that it is succinct and single-minded, meaning it has a clear focus and usually tries to convey only one selling point.

12. Other Features

  1. An advertising copy can be a mix of written, audio or visual.
  2. It has effective dialogue delivery.
  3. Writing a copy is a creative process.

Thus, now you know the important key features of advertising copy.

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