Unlike slogans, like "It's Miller Time" or "Drivers Wanted," advertising headlines, like in a magazine or newspaper ad, are meant to get you to read the body copy, which ultimately has some sort of call to action.
It's really important to know your target market.
It's not going to seem like it at first, but this is an example of understanding your target market. First, mad props to Joshua Steimle for creating the Bad Billboard Project, a forum to complain about bad billboards. Thanks Joshua.
This "bad billboard" is featured on Joshua's site.Joshua says that...
Billboards are like big print ads. There needs to be a headline that resonates with the target market. But there isn't a clear headline here. Would you be able to digest 30 words, a phone number and a URL (yeah, that little thing in the bottom-right) in 3.5 seconds without rear-ending the car in front of you?
You don't have to be a genius to know that ads, especially highway billboards, need to have a one big idea and a call to action.
Whoa, wait a second!
Is your name Judge Blockman? The guy whose name is on the billboard:
It turns out that the strategy for this campaign was to get some press coverage and to get Judge Blockman to see the message on the billboard. If your name was up there, you'd notice. Turned out the billboard did it's trick.This is a lesson in keeping in mind your target market...always. If a message doesn't resonate with you, it probably wasn't meant for you.
Hey, I liked this. Have you ever checked out the Pr*tty Sh*tty blog...it is usually print ads and stuff...
ReplyDeletewww.prttyshttydesign.blogspot.com
Hey Danielle,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip on that blog. I checked it out and bookmarked it. Reminds me of www.underconsideration.com/brandnew.
Glad you liked this post. It really illustrates the principle of a target market.
Intended audience dictates everything in marketing. From the brand name to design to promotions and PR.