Strategic Copywriting

Edd Applegate has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in advertising and mass communications for more than 30 years. His numerous publications include The Rise of Advertising in the United States and Cases in Advertising and Marketing Management (with Art Johnsen). He has been honored with fellowships and grants from organizations including the Donald and Geraldine Hedberg Foundation, the Direct Marketing Educational Foundation, the Annenberg Washington Program, the Freedom Forum Media Studies Center, the Gannett Foundation, the Missouri Commission on Humanities, and the National Endowment for the Humanities, among others.

• Preface Part I. The MessageChapter 1: ResearchThe Client Who Are the Consumers? Motivating Consumers Exercises Chapter 2: Creative StrategyCreative Strategy Research The Creative Strategy The Brand The Advertising Message Strategy ExercisesChapter 3: Advertising Copy Research Guidelines for Testing What Should Be Evaluated Pretests Posttests ExercisesChapter 4: An Introduction to Design Layout Elements Layout Design Layouts Frequently Used Designs for Advertisements Illustrations or Photographs Typography The Use of Color ExercisesChapter 5: Headlines and Slogans AIDA Headlines “Under the Radar” AdvertisingSlogans Illustrations ExercisesChapter 6: Body Copy The Right Attitude for Writing Body Copy An Outline of a Typical Advertisement What an Advertisement Must Have Types of Body Copy How to Write Body Copy ExercisesPart II. The MediaChapter 7: Newspaper Advertising Advantages of Newspapers as an Advertising Medium Disadvantages of Newspapers as an Advertising Medium Advertising Rates in Newspapers Retail Advertisements Small-Space Advertisements Subscription Service Companies Other Media for Local or Retail Advertisers Copy Sheet for a Local or Retail Advertisement That Will Run in a Newspaper ExercisesChapter 8: Magazine AdvertisingAdvantages of Magazines as an Advertising Medium Disadvantages of Magazines as an Advertising MediumHow to Write Advertisements for Consumer Magazines Business-to-Business Advertising Agricultural or Farm Publications ExercisesChapter 9: Radio Advertising Types of Radio Advertising Imagery Transfer Advantages of Radio as an Advertising Medium Disadvantages of Radio as an Advertising Medium Types of Radio Commercials Forms of Radio Commercials Evoking Pictures in Radio Commercials Music, Voices, and Sound Effects How Many Words Should Be Used in Radio Commercials Humor in Radio Commercials Terms That an Advertising Copywriter Needs to Know Before Writing a Radio Commercial Radio Script Format Qualities of Effective Radio Commercials Guidelines for Writing Radio Commercials ExercisesChapter 10: Television Advertising Advantages of Television as an Advertising Medium Disadvantages of Television as an Advertising Medium What a Good Television Commercial Must Have Film and Digital Production Techniques Showing the ProductTelevision Commercial Formats Humor in Television Commercials Sex in Television Commercials The Script The Storyboard How to Write a Television Commercial ExercisesChapter 11: Internet and Social Media Advertising Advantages of the Internet Disadvantages of the Internet What Is Wrong with the Internet Internet Advertisements Creating Internet Advertising Social Media Terms That May Be Important ExercisesChapter 12: Direct Mail Advertising Advantages of Direct Mail Advertising Disadvantages of Direct Mail Advertising The All-Important Mailing List Testing Direct MailWhat Works in Direct Mail Advertising Examining Direct Mail Summary of What Makes Direct Mail Effective ExercisesChapter 13: Other Media Advertising Outdoor or Transit Advertising Point-of-Purchase Advertising Yellow Pages Advertising Exercises Chapter 14: Public Relations and Corporate Advertising How Public Relations Differs from Advertising Advantages of Public Relations Disadvantages of Public Relations Tools of Public Relations Corporate Advertising ExercisesAppendix A: Advice on How to Get a Job in AdvertisingWhat Do You Want to Do? What about Graduate School? What Are Your Selling Points? How Does Your Work Compare with That of Others, Especially Professionals? Searching for Your First Job Applying for Your First Job in Advertising A Final Note Appendix B: Graduate Programs Appendix C: Advertising and Marketing Associations Selected Bibliography Index

A well-written presentation of the basic steps for creating strategic and effective advertisements. Strategic Copywriting is thorough yet succinct, offering better instruction than books written by industry ‘gurus’; a student could read this book and create better-than-average work without any outside coaching.