How To Advertise: An Analysis of Contemporary Advertising (part 35)

Purpose of the Visual

When confronted with a print ad, most prospects spot the picture first, then read the headline, and then peruse the body copy, in that order. Since the visual carries so much responsibility for an ad's success, it should be designed for several goals in mind. Some of the most obvious follow:

• Capture the reader's attention.
• Clarify claims made by the copy.
• Identify the subject of the ad.
• Show the product actually being used.
• Qualify readers by stopping those who are legitimate prospects.
• Help convince the reader of the truth of copy claims.
• Arouse the reader's interest in the headline.
• Emphasize the product's unique features.
• Create a favorable impression of the product or advertiser.
• Provide continuity for the campaign by using a unified visual technique in each ad.

Determining the Chief Focus for Visuals

Exhibit 1 

Citibank ad.

The Citibank ads are dominated by a large, single visual that demonstrates the situation in which the service is useful rather than focusing on the card itself (see Exhibit 1). The visuals capture a mood and create a feeling, a context for the consumer's perception of the product.

Selecting the focus for advertising visuals is a major step in the creative process. It often determines how well the big idea is executed. Print advertising uses many standard subjects for ad visuals, including

1. The package containing the product. Especially important for packaged goods, it helps the consumer identify the product on the grocery shelf.
2. The product alone. This usually does not work well for nonpackaged goods.
3. The product in use. Automobile ads typically show a car in use while talking about its ride, luxury, handling, or economy. Cosmetic ads usually show the product in use with a close-up photo of a beautiful woman or a virile man.
4. How to use the product. Recipe ads featuring a new way to use food products have historically pulled very high readership scores.
5. Product features. Computer software ads frequently show the monitor screen so the prospect can see how the software features are displayed.
6. Comparison of products. The advertiser shows its product next to a competitor's and compares important features.
7. User benefit. It is often difficult to illustrate user benefits. However, marketers know that the best way to get customers' attention is to show how the product will benefit them, so it is worth the extra creative effort.
8. Humor. If used well, a humorous visual can make an entertaining and lasting impression. But it can also destroy credibility if used inappropriately.
9. Testimonial. Before-and-after endorsements are very effective for weight-loss products, skin-care lotions, and bodybuilding courses.
10. Negative appeal. Sometimes visuals point out what happens if you do not use the product. If done well, that can spark interest.

Selecting the Visual

The kind of picture used is often determined during the conceptualization process. But frequently the visual is not determined until the art director or designer actually lays out the ad.

Selecting an appropriate photo or visual is a difficult creative task. Art directors deal with several basic issues. For example, not every ad needs a visual to communicate effectively. Some all-type ads are quite compelling. If the art director determines that a visual is required, how many should there be: one, two, or more? Should the visual be black-and-white or color? These may be budgetary decisions.

The art director must then decide the subject of the picture. Should it be one of the standard subjects listed earlier? Or something else altogether? And how relevant is that subject to the advertiser's creative strategy? The art director also has to decide how the visual should be created. Should it be a hand-rendered illustration? A photograph? What about a computer-generated illustration?

Finally, the art director has to know what technical and/or budgetary issues must be considered. With so many options, selecting visuals is obviously no simple task. In future posts we will see how all these decisions come together in the process of producing the final ad.

*SOURCE: CONTEMPORARY ADVERTISING 11TH ED., 2008, WILLIAM F ARENS, MICHAEL F. WEIGOLD, CHRISTIAN ARENS, PGS. 410-415*

END