Tip #8 ∞ Components of an Ad ∞

In order to better communicate with your ad agency, it's helpful if you "talk the talk" so that everyone is on the same page in terms of advertising lingo.

To demonstrate, take a look at this ad:

GWiz Marketing created this ad for our client, Hi-Line Utility Supply Co. for a trade magazine called Powerlineman Magazine.

By looking at this ad, one can clearly see the various elements that make up an ad.




These elements include:

Hero Shot or main image

Headline

Subhead

Body copy

Footer which includes
additional components.

If everyone is using the same language when talking about an ad, there is less likely to be confusion or misunderstanding during the creative process.

When we talk of a "violator" in the advertising world, for instance, we are not talking about someone who has skipped parole. Rather, it is a graphical element that "violates" the ad space to get attention. We like to use the violator as a great way to call attention to our "call for action" in this case.

When we talk about "copy" we don't mean those pieces of paper that just came from the copier. In our case, the "copy" comes from the "copywriter" who has just written it for the ad. The long version is of course, "Body copy" and refers to the main text contained in the ad. Incidentally, "Greek Copy" doesn't actually use alpha and beta, but rather it is just text set into a spot in a layout in the event that the actual "copy" isn't quite written or approved yet. Greek copy is good in an ad layout, because it can tell the copywriter how many words need to be written for the space provided (Another way to save money!).

These graphical elements that make up an ad can be applied to brochures, white papers, billboards, etc. even websites, although there is additional terminology that applies to websites which I will go into later.

Also, just because there is a graphical element, it doesn't mean your ad MUST use every graphical element. For instance, in this example, another graphical element would be a header - we're not really using a header in this case, because the hero shot and headline really make up the header here.

But advertising should be about breaking rules, not following them. To get attention, you must be different and creative: so be daring.

Your ad doesn't necessarily NEED ANY of these elements - it could have one word in the middle of the page and plenty of white space for instance, which is another graphical element, that is missing in this example.

I love white space because it gets a lot of attention. White space is a calming break in the assault on our senses. Clients hate white space because they are paying for every spec of this real estate and they want to fill it up! But sometimes, less is more.

It's all in how you put it together.