Tap to Read ➤

Creative Advertising Techniques and Tricks

Aparna Iyer
Creative advertising aims to capture the attention of the audience. The potential market for a product can be seized with the help of a well-designed ad campaign.
Advertising is an integral part of marketing. The aim of an ad campaign is to reach the masses in order to increase the demand for the products being promoted.
A major flaw in advertising is that, instantaneous customer response to the product can never be gauged. This is because advertisements are not interactive since communication is one way. The advertiser outlines the quality and nature of the product, and expects to capture the attention of the potential clients.
Customers on the other hand view them through an impersonal medium like the television, newspaper, or a computer. Unless it is designed to jolt the customer from his repose, it is unlikely that he will remember the ad or the product it was meant to market. This is why creative advertising techniques have assumed a great deal of significance.

Creative Techniques for Crisp Advertisements

Conveying Information in Gist

This is very important especially in case of personal ads. They are placed by people interested in meeting other like-minded individuals. A good personal ad should give the reader an understanding about the psyche of the person who has placed the ad.
A number of relevant facts about the person should be included in it. Any commitments that would be expected from the interested respondents should be conveyed in brief. What is desirable and what is not acceptable should also be mentioned.
However, a person must ensure that he doesn't come across as pushy or forceful. The description presented should be that of an assertive but caring individual. Creativity is a must since one is aiming at a pictorial representation.
Generally advertising oneself as a good looking person works. However, advertising the desire for a good looking companion rarely elicits a good response. Online advertising is a good option in case of such ads. Here, even though the concept is explained with personal ads, it is applicable to other types of ads as well.

Highlighting Features

The features of the product should be clearly stated. A campaign that rambles on about a product without stating its features will fail to make its mark. For instance, if a weight loss drug is being promoted, a good campaign should start by mentioning that the product has been designed to help people lose weight safely or without regaining the lost weight.
On the other hand, a product that is advertised as a great weight loss product, or a solution to obesity may not receive the desired response, since its features are not highlighted. People interested in losing weight may view the commercial, but, every individual has his preferred way of losing weight as some people may be health conscious.
Hence, an ad that does not mention the features or the working of the product will not get a good response. Since weight loss is a sensitive issue, the ad agency should ensure that creative advertising is in good taste. Billboard advertising generally works in case of such products.

Being Convincing or Forceful

The advertisement should be convincing. There are a number of tricks that can be used to convince the customer. It seems fairly easy in case of negative ad campaigns. For instance, a person is encouraged to quit smoking by showing him a picture of the graveyard. The picture of a person, who is old and infirm, with a cigarette in hand will also do the trick.
Positive ad campaigns that encourage people to quit smoking in order to live a long and healthy life do not work well. Strangely, people are affected by grotesque pictures rather than something pleasant and good. The trick here is to combine the negative campaign with the ad for a nicotine patch or nicotine gum in order to encourage people to quit smoking.
A good campaign is a must in order to encourage people to buy the product. As mentioned before, lack of interaction between the target audience and the advertiser is the main reason for inadequate response to the campaign.
However, with newer mediums such as social media, this problem is being addressed and customers are able to give their feedback to the company regarding its products.