PREPARING THE ADVERTISEMENT 1. Three parts of the advertisement.—The first step in the preparation of an advertisement is to block out the idea. The heading for the copy is the first consideration ; the second is the body; the third is the close.
2. The will most surely attract the attention ?" is the first question that arises. The copy writer will need to divide this general question into a number of specific questions.
When it is decided whether the heading or "atten tion-attractor" shall be general or specific, the space it is to occupy is fixed by this decision. Usually the more general the heading the greater the space, com pared with the body and close, which it should occupy. This is illustrated in the famous "Bubbles," featured in the Pears' Soap advertisement on page 239.
When the wording or illustration to be used as a heading is remarkably specific or striking, compara tively small space may be alloted to it. In the earlier history of advertising, the single word, "STOP!" in bold-face type was enough to attract the attention. This, however, has become hackneyed. News events are sometimes made to furnish a heading, tho these must be used with caution. They may attract atten tion to the heading only, but the function of the head ing is to attract attention to the rest of the message as well.
After the advertiser has decided whether the head ing is to be pictorial or text, or both, whether it is to be general or specific, and what proportion of the advertisement it is to occupy, he is free to take up the details of the body of the advertisement.
3. The principles laid down as govern ing the heading apply in many respects to the body of the advertisement, but they are modified by the dif ference in the puriose of the work to be done. The body is designed to hold the interest rather than to induce it; to tell the story rather than to set the reader to speculating on what the story is. But the same gen eral questions must be considered, the space, the methods of display designed to retain attention and the form in which the material is to appear.
Two tendencies are found regarding the amount of space to be allotted to the body of the advertisement. The first recognizes the competition of other advertis ing matter as of extreme importance and throws the emphasis on getting attention. The other tendency is to tell a complete story, even at the expense of the attention-attracting matter. These tendencies may be noted in advertising today by observing so-called publicity advertising that is designed to interest as many readers as possible, in contrast with mail-order advertising. The publicity advertisements of Kel logg's Toasted Corn Flakes, brands of clothing such as Kirschbaum or Kuppenheimer, Ivory Soap and Kodak—all are devoted to attracting the attention, while the messages may vary from a few words to a few terse paragraphs. In mail-order advertising and in advertisements of both specialties and staples which have new features or uses, the stress is placed on the message.
4. The close.—When the advertisement has a direct close, present practices show uniformity. The ten dency is to make the close of the advertisement ex ceedingly brief. Perhaps the phrase, "At dealers," is about as condensed as the directing message can be made. Even corner coupons are models of terseness. It is hardly possible to find a superfluous word in the following coupon, yet it forms a climax to the story told by the advertisement: 5. Importance of display.—The importance of dis play in connection with an advertisement may be shown by noting what display does. Note as a con trast in display, the advertisements for Premium Bacon shown on the opposite page.
In each case the reading matter is the same. Each occupies the same amount of space. Yet one presents an attractive appearance, while the other does not. One stands out because of its arrangement and pleas ing form, while the other is hazy in its effect: One draws attention to itself ; the other, makes no definite impression.