| When trying to come up with an ad slogan or | | | | tocommunicate. They know exactly what you offer |
| headline, do certainfamiliar phrases leap to mind? | | | | and whether theywant to take advantage of your |
| Phrases that have been used amillion times, like | | | | offer. |
| "Three Easy Ways...," "Introducing the Newand | | | | Mail-order copywriter John Tighe points out, "We are |
| Improved...," "Service With a Smile," or others like | | | | not in thebusiness of being original. We are in the |
| them? | | | | business of reusingthings that work." |
| In an attempt to maintain originality and set your | | | | Advertisers and marketers follow certain rules and |
| business apartfrom its competitors, your first instinct | | | | reuse oldstandbys, not because they can't come up |
| may be to squash thesedone to death phrases and | | | | with anything original,but because old standards |
| go for something fresh and new. | | | | continue to prove effective inthousands of letters, |
| What you need to consider is the reason these | | | | brochures, ads, and commercials. |
| cliche, standbyphrases are so frequently used. | | | | Now, that doesn't mean that you should just copy |
| Advertisers continue toincorporate overdone phrases | | | | what someoneelse did word for word. In creating |
| into ad copy because they areeffective. And as long | | | | your own advertising copy,the challenge you face is |
| as an advertising technique elicits thedesired results, | | | | to take what has worked in the past andincorporate |
| advertisers will use it. | | | | it into your campaign in a way that is |
| People love their familiar comfort zones so much that | | | | compelling,memorable, and persuasive. |
| it candifficult for them to go outside those comfort | | | | Your first and most important priority in creating |
| zones. Familiaradvertising phrases and headlines are | | | | advertisingheadlines, slogans, and copy is to sell, not |
| simply another comfort zonefor your audience. They | | | | to exercise yourcreative genius. But if you can do |
| recognize a phrase and appreciate thefact that they | | | | both at the same time, thenyou will have a powerful |
| don't have to think about what you are trying | | | | piece of advertising copy. |