(originally posted on 15 May 2011)
Since I've struck out on my own, I'm more aware of advertisements and taglines around me. It's like competing in a car treasure hunt that requires looking for solutions in billboards and business plaques along the roads, and for a while after the hunt you continue to be oddly aware of the words in signage around you. For me, this sense of awareness has become a constant.
I spotted these in Ipoh. The first one, written at the exit of a petrol station, was contradicting its shabby appearance:
"The Fuel keeps you going; Our Service keeps you coming"
The clever use of opposite verbs - going and coming, spun in a witty way to project positive meanings for both.
Another was a lakeside development:
"Pride of Ipoh; Envy of the Nation"
Again, the two opposing nouns - pride and envy. And then Ipoh and Nation representing the minority pitched positively against the majority. Many copywriting requires promoting the product or brand as being special, elitist and exclusive, and this line achieves that effect without outright telling the audience that it is special or exclusive.
So, here are two simple copywriting lessons, that is no rocket science.
1) The use of opposites in a clever way
2) Illustrate uniqueness by using comparisons or descriptions, instead of stating it directly
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