This article was published in Colorado Business & Lifestyle magazine.
Is your advertising any good?
By Phil Soreide, One Good Adguy
Years ago, some colleagues and I compiled what we called a "Post-Creative Checklist." The idea was to create a method which would help us predict the effectiveness of an ad — we figured that the more questions we could answer "yes" to, the more likely the ad was to be successful.
That was our intent, but inevitably, the project took on a different dimension. As you look through the questions below, you'll notice that many if not most are going to be open to debate. And, ultimately, that became the point: if the ad agency or creative team — internally and with the client — can have honest, constructive dialog about the ad, the advertising always benefits.
I know the temptation to set aside the principals of "good" advertising in order to achieve a particular aesthetic — I fall prey to that myself, and I'd argue that sometimes its appropriate — but if my client has the post-creative checklist in his hand, I know I'll have my work cut out to defend it.
Cut out or copy this checklist and use it as a guide the next time you're presented with an ad (or, indeed, do one on your own).
Post-Creative Checklist
The Ad as a Whole
- Does it single out and stop the prospect (no one else matters)?
- Are the visual and headline unexpected?
- Is the main selling point obvious and quickly apparent?
- Does the ad provoke readership and positive response?
- Is the ad relevant to the market and audience?
- Does is fit the product's personality?
- Does it present the product as "hero"?
- Does it look inviting and easy to read?
- Does it ask for action?
- Does it further the brand's image?
- Is it specific (does it have one strong selling idea)?
- Is it simple?
- Is it credible?
- Is it prepared from the reader's point of view – not the advertisers?
- Does it address an important problem?
- Does it promise a meaningful benefit?
Visual
- Is the visual relevant, fresh and different?
- Is it reduced to its simplest elements?
- Is it pertinent to the product story?
- Is something dominant?
- Is the right thing dominant?
- Does it portray reward?
- Do the visual and headline complement each other?
- Does it create an emotional feeling?
- Does it make a selling point and further the product story all on its own?
Headline
- Does it appeal to the prospect's self interest?
- Does it provoke further reading?
- Does it have maximum appeal and news value for the intended audience?
- Is it about the product?
- Is it specific?
- Is it comprehensible without the subhead and copy?
- Does it tell an important part of the story not told by the visual and copy?
Copy
- Does it speak the reader's language?
- Does it reflect the product's personality?
- Is it about the product from the first line?
- Can it be quickly scanned and still communicate the sales message?
- Is it personal?
- Is it interesting?
- Is it enthusiastic?
- Is it specific (especially in the use of adjectives and adverbs)?
- Is it long enough to tell the story – and no longer?
- Does it avoid platitudes, clichés, analogies and superlatives?
- Is it good humored?
- Does it ask for action?