Reverse Mortgages

OK where to begin?

This ad is not a bad ad. At the same time it is not a particularly good ad either.

The attempt here is to perhaps educate people about reverse mortgages and entice them to call Eva Cutler. The contact information is clear and there is a solid call to action…lots of declarative statements.

This ad comes in four parts: header, subhead, bullets and text. I think the information is good, but perhaps a little out of order.

“Your local lender Reverse Mortgage Specialist – Eva Cutler” is the header to this ad. The job of a headline is the prick interest, pick up people sears and make them want to read the rest of the ad. Does this header drive attention to the ad?

I think the subhead of “Set a hedge of protection around your financial future!!” is a little long and out of place. This statement is too wordy for its own good and the word choice is real suspect. When I think of a “hedge” two definitions come to mind, something that is not particularly strong that is put around your lawn and an action you take to protect a wager. So the word “hedge” here is probably the wrong way to go. But, the problem really isn’t with the “hedge” it is that the word is unnecessary. In reality the statement should be something like “Protect Your Financial Future” and make this statement your header and move Eva Cutler statement to be a subhead.

Additionally, I have a pet peeve about two exclamation points. If it is exciting enough for one exclamation point use it, giving a statement two exclamation points does not make what ever you are saying more exciting, and in may ways comes off as disingenuous or silly: The Turtles are Coming!!

Next, move the box with the text up above the bullets. Move the last sentence “Change your life for the better” from the end of the text block to the beginning. Delete the portion of the text “it’s a great advantage” this statement is very general and doesn’t help the copy it merely makes it longer.

Finally the bulleted items…the first bullet is good and the last one is OK. Replace the middle bullet with something specific, a specific benefit. Give the reader another reason to pick up the phone and call.

After you make these changes look at the photo and decide if you want it or some other image.

After you make these changes, you should have a more focused more active ad.

Salem Monthly

I like the Salem Monthly. I like the articles and features. As an advertiser I find it ad friendly for one major reason. Instead of putting ads near the inside fold like the Statesman, they are mostly along the bottom and the outside of the page where more people will see them. So probably cheaper and better ad locations, hmmm seems like a good place to advertise to me.

I noticed in the last issue two ads that could demonstrate a point. The point of less is more.

Weathers is a full service music store and they have an ad featuring drums. This is a good ad. It features pictures of drums. Has drums on the headline. Drum manufacturer logos on the right hand side. Clear location information at the bottom. Offering a discount never hurts…if it was a specific discount it may be better, but no points off.

All in all this is a solid ad. A drummer would notice this ad and be motivated to read it. So job done and in black and white so the cost stays relatively down.

Take this ad as comparison to this one from the Tea Party Bookshop.

This ad breaks the rule of “Too Much.” For the space they have, they want to say too much, and in saying too much they really don’t say enough.

We have a headline about a remodel. We have big black text lists of products. We have red text about localness. We have a starburst about events. The best and most clear portion of this ad is the address and phone number.

Even with an ad space as large as the Weather’s ad, there is too much information here going in too many different directions to be a coherent advertising message.

If you are making an ad about a remodel…show me the remodel don’t tell me. What is the benefit of the remodel?
If you are making an ad about product…pick a few representational items and rotate each month.
If you are making an ad about local flavor…show me the benefit. What can I get at the Tea Party Bookshop I can’t get anywhere else because it is local?
If you are making an event ad…give me the time and date of the event or a clear reference. If your ad rep is on the ball you may even be able to refer to another page in the Salem Monthly, “See our events on page 32.”

So the message here is focus. Weathers features drums this month and makes a pretty good ad. If the Tea Party Bookshop made a remodel ad or a tarot card or a local artisan ad, or an event ad, chances are it would come out pretty good too.