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Improving industrial advertising copy
Improving Industrial Advertising Copy Joseph A, Bellizzi Robert E, Hite This article advances a variety of suggestions for improving industrial print advertising copy. A number of research projects serve as the basis for the suggestions and a number of examples are discussed in order to illustrate the applications.
The old expression "I know that half of my advertising is wasted but I don't know which half," is still alive and well. Many advertisers continue to remain uncertain about which of their ads hit the mark and which hit rock bottom. While a recent article has described some guidelines for improving industrial ads generally [2], this article concentrates on industrial advertising copy. Copy refers to the written portion of a print ad, which includes the headline, the subheads, the logo or signature, and the body copy. This article further concentrates on the body copy although minor references concerning the headline and logo have been included. The guidelines presented should help industrial advertisers produce better industrial advertising.
START AT THE BEGINNING Writing industrial ad copy is an important step in the advertising creative process, although it is not the Address correspondence to: Professor Joseph A. Bellizzi, Department of Marketing, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506.
hldustrial Marketing Management 15, 117- 122 (1986) q~) Elsevier Science Publishing Co., Inc., 1986 52 Vanderhilt Ave., New York, New York 1(1017
first step. The first mistake an advertiser can make is to begin to write ad copy before preliminary steps have been completed. Before effective copy can be created, objectives need to be established, target audiences must be specified, and an ad theme must be selected. Bellizzi and Lehrer [2] presented some suggestions concerning these precopywriting steps. A r m e d with a clear set of consistent objectives, knowledge of the target audience, and the chosen ad theme, the copywriter is ready to begin writing the selling message.
CONSIDER THE LAYOUT The physical layout of the ad needs to be arranged so that the copy can blend with the physical flow of the ad. Furthermore, ad messages are delivered through illustration as well as copy. Consistency is important. A good layout stops the audience, arouses their interest, and brings them further into the ad. Various layouts are used by advertisers but the most popular is the classic layout or basic " A , " which reads from top to bottom and consists of an illustration, a headline, the body copy, and finally the logo or signature. The illustration catches the readers attention and brings the line of vision down to the headline [21}. Other formats may be used when there are several items to be covered such as a multipage ad, or when multiple 117 001%8501/86/$3.50
illustrations or long text are used. But generally the layout should be simple and free of clutter. It should begin with the focal point which is usually the illustration, concentrate on the ad theme, and be easy to read. The perception of reading ease affects the ability of the viewer to understand and the degree of attention a reader devotes to reading ad copy. A number of mechanical factors can influence readership. Short paragraphs, use of subheads in copy [20], and use of simple type-face such as serif or sans serif can build reader interest [17]. The subheads can also allow for quick communication with busy readers and provide for a visual path for the reader's eye. These mechanical features can make the ad look easy to read and thus increase readership. THE COPY
The ad copy most clearly represents the means for reaching chosen objectives. It is here that crucial wording must be formulated to best convey the necessary information in a way that ad objectives can be realized. Regardless of whether the objectives are to introduce a new product, create awareness, or serve as a reminder, the ad copy must communicate an effective selling message. The saying that a picture is worth a thousand words is more applicable in the consumer market. An ad for a well-known consumer brand can successfully communicate through an illustration rather than detailed copy. While effective in the consumer market, the technique is more difficult to apply with industrial print advertising. For example, an outdoor display (billboard) can depict the face of a smiling 6-year old taking a big bite of nice juicy hamburger. Alongside the 6-year old, the advertiser can position a nice big bottle of their well-known brand of ketchup. The only copy could be the words "Make your next burger great." With most industrial products, illustrations may
JOSEPH A. BELLIZZl is Associate Professor in the Department of Marketing at Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas. ROBERT E. HITE is Assistant Professor in the Department of Marketing, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado.
118
help gain attention but may not deliver a selling message like the ketchup example. Nevertheless, industrial illustrations are important and can be effective in gaining reader attention. The illustration should be directly related to the copy message, as attention dissipates if the reader perceives that the illustration and the copy are unrelated [22]. Industrial ad research shows that in order to create awareness, build preference, or arouse interest, an industrial ad should have 300 or more words of copy and make use of tables and charts [9]. Listing toll free numbers in the copy also helps when trying to arouse further interest in the product. The copy is important to support the claims of the ad. Readers may sense that an ad with little copy may be associated with products that possess little customer benefits. If the objective of an ad is to build brand loyalty, the ad should contain 300 or more words of copy as purchasers who suffer from postpurchase dissonance (regret) often desire information which supports their purchase decision. In such cases, an ad should reassure purchasers by providing relevant information that shows that they truly made the right decision after all [91 . Additionally, the copy must be adapted to the needs of both the target market and the selected media. The target audience and media will determine the extent of the copy, the size of the print, and several of the design variables. An investigation of the needs of the target market as they affect copy development will be presented below. As an overview to developing ad copy, Messner [16] presented the following copy style approaches. The first is the straight exposition which serves to directly narrate the benefits and applications of the product. It is the most common style and portrays a rational, straightforward approach which is often preferred by industrial buyers. A case history style communicates the experiences of a satisfied user which demonstrates to the audience how they can also benefit from the advertised product. This style is often utilized in specialized trade journals where readers may share common problems and experiences. The testimonial style is similar to the above, but may incorporate the use of a well-known company or credible individual to promote the product. By identifying with the leaders, others may follow. The short-story copy style is often used to compare a product with the competition. The provocative style
The copy must be adapted to the n e e d s of the target market, gets the audience involved by prodding them to provide further information through the use of devices such as enticements, quizzes, or calculations which provide a challenge. For example, an industrial ad headline may entice a reader by asking: "Did your last sales convention cost too m u c h ? " The subheadline should serve as a bridge between the headline and the body copy by saying "If your answer is yes or not sure, the convention specialists at A B C Inc. can help." Perhaps an illustration depicting a sales manager lamenting over expense account forms, hotel bills, and a long tape running out of the desk calculator will encourage the sales manager-reader, who can surely identify with such problems, to read on. The provocative ad which begins with the provocative headline gets the reader involved. Whatever the style chosen, it is important to show viewers what's in it for them [11]. While an advertiser may be very excited about developments within his or her company, they should not be used in an ad unless they can provide benefit to the ad audience. In other words, do not write copy for yourself, write copy for your readers. Using a consumer advertising approach with human interest can make the ad stand out from others. One industrial company used consumer human interest story lines, such as running into an old army buddy ana getting engaged to be married, in order to draw reader attention. The ads then proceeded to tie the human interest to industrial product benefits [19]. The specific copy or wording of the ad presents a challenge because of the technicality of industrial products and the varying technicality of the audience. Message format and the complexity of an ad contribute to the manner in which consumers process and evaluate information [4]. In the past, industrial advertisers have thought that industrial buyers sought technical information in advertisements. Therefore a majority of industrial ads possessed a good deal of technical wording. But in accordance with Wingis
[23], some have begun to question the advantages of technical wording and have moved toward a simple approach that is used heavily in consumer ads. Luskin [14] found that when a highly technical operating manual is packaged with major appliances, consumers perceived the products to be relatively durable but unfortunately they also perceived the products to be expensive and difficult to operate. Sandage and Fryburger [18] stated that the writing style should match the audience's words, beliefs, and values. They stated further that as the audience becomes better educated, the advertiser should be aware of the dangers of talking beneath their level. In consumer advertising a higher level of education requires a need for more factual, informative advertising rather than persuasive or suggestive approaches. Given the advanced level of education in the industrial buying center (e.g., engineers, technicians), it is suggested that a higher level of technicality may be appropriate. Critics of this theory suggest that factual, informative advertising must be kept clean and simple. They state that well-educated people prefer communication to be below their educational levels because such messages take less time to comprehend [7,10]. However, Mandell [15] reports that a significant amount of advertising talks down to the average consumer and may, therefore, insult consumers of above average intellect. All copywriters, however, need to be cautioned that message distortion can occur whenever the audiences' attention is led astray or turned off by words that are difficult to process, comprehend, or relate to product benefits. As a further discussion of this controversy, Sandage and Fryburger [18] stated that technical language may add authority to the message, but if it is not intelligible, it may not affect or convince the audience. Lautman and Percy [13] r e c o m m e n d e d that technical terminology should be used in order to convey technical information which introduces product benefits to the audience. But if the wording is unfamiliar, the 119
Technical information should appear in a t a b l e or c h a r t form, message will not be successful. Devoe [8] stated that familiar words are more beneficial than the unfamiliar. He added that if technical information must be presented, it should be done so in a table or chart form. He further emphasized that any technical information should directly relate to the major product benefits. Anderson and Jolson [1] studied the effect of technical wording of advertisements in the consumer market. They found that as the technical level of an advertisement increased, readers perceived the advertised product to be less durable, more difficult to operate, and higher priced. As a test ad became more technical, it was less likely to gain and hold the attention and interest of readers. Prior product experience, however, influenced how technical advertisements were perceived. Novices were more inclined to report purchase intention of the product when exposed to a nontechnical ad and least inclined to report purchase intention when exposed to a partially technical ad. However, for readers with some or considerable product experience, the overall evaluation of advertised products increased as the technical content increased. Furthermore, those with more product experience reported higher levels of intention to buy as technical content increased. A study by Bellizzi and Mohr [3] investigated the effects of technically worded and nontechnicaily worded ads on audience perceptions of the advertised product as well as the ad itself, specifically in industrial markets. Among their results was the finding that technically worded ads suggested more difficulty in operation and created less desire to seek additional information. They found that members of technical occupations (consulting engineers and architects) responded more favorably to technical ads while members of a nontechnical occupation (real estate agents) responded more favorably to nontechnical ads. Bellizzi and Mohr [3] suggested that care should be exercised in directing technical messages and non120
technical messages to the appropriate targets. The technicality of ad copy may have different effects on various audiences. Technical copy is useful in presenting technical information, but due to the informational needs and backgrounds of various audiences, industrial advertisers should reevaluate one-copy-forall strategies. While presenting some very useful suggestions for improving industrial ad copy, Bly [5] correctly pointed out that the big difference between consumer and industrial buyers is that the industrial buyers are technical people who want technical information. Biy [5] also suggested that various industrial buyers including engineers, managers, and purchasing agents appear to be equally interested in the technical information. The research of Bellizzi and Mohr [3], however, indicates that this may not be the case. One crucial suggestion in solving this dilemma is to conduct marketing research within various market segments and among the likely buying center members within each segment. This enables the advertiser to determine the desired technicality of ad copy, the manner in which product benefits can best be communicated, and receive guidance about how to best serve the informational needs of each diverse industrial buyer. Another suggestion would be to present product benefits in a nontechnical manner, but make further information acquisition an easy task for the reader. For example, a trade journal may have a tear-out insert that can be mailed postage-free requesting more information. This would reduce advertising space needs, further segment markets, and enable a more personal response to requests from individual buyers. An ad with a partial-page or full-page fold-out can hide technical material from some readers yet be readily available for those readers who desire more technical material. Of course, other advertising mechanics need to point the more technical reader to the technical foldout section. Another approach may call for using graphs, ta-
bles, charts, and diagrams. These devices help communicate technical material more easily, and headings can be utilized to summarize the important facts behind the technical details. Readers not interested in learning the fine detail of the technical data can learn about user benefits (resulting from the technical material) through the headings. Those readers desiring more technical data can read the material included in the graphs, tables, charts, and diagrams while those not interested can just scan the headings. A n d certainly, proper media selection can help place both technical and nontechnical messages where they are most desired. The key to proper media selection is a matching process, whereby the target market is matched with the audience of a media vehicle as closely as possible. While writing an ad, the copywriter should keep the target market clearly in mind. Different socialbehavioral types of people seek different types of information in ads [12]. Information about the socialbehavioral make-up of the target market may be acquired through sales representatives, who come into contact with buyers regularly. Generally, most industrial buyers are analytical in nature. They desire an ad that is detailed, precise, and orderly. An ad aimed toward this audience should include details and data about product features. Such an ad should also include support for claims that were made, as well as long-term and short-term results. A n o t h e r socialbehavioral type may be reached using some of the techniques cited above, but also by stressing economical benefits. For this group the ad should emphasize how the product will benefit them in terms of costs, -production profitability, and time savings. This appeal should be delivered in a concise, right-to-thepoint manner [12]. After an ad has been developed it is important to not allow too many people to edit the copy, especially those with little advertising experience. When given the opportunity to change an ad most people will emphasize the points which are important to them. If too many people edit the ad it will stray from its original objectives [5]. The end result may be a compromise that will lose advertising effectiveness. CONCLUSION
A commonly used expression simplifies ad copywriting, " O n e ad can't please everybody." But
by regularly using accurate marketing research data, by writing clearly, and targeting an advertising message to a clearly defined market, a firm can reduce the waste associated with industrial advertising. In an environment that becomes increasingly more competitive each year, it becomes crucial to obtain the greatest possible positive impact from each advertising dollar. The techniques and suggestions cited in this article were presented to help industrial firms improve advertising effectiveness.
REFERENCES 1, Anderson, Rolph E. and Jolson, Marvin A., Technical Wording in Advertising: Implications fl)r Market Segmentation, Journal of Marketing (Winter 19811), pp. 57-66. 2. Bellizzi, Joseph A. and Lehrer, Julie, Developing Better Industrial Advertising, Industrial Marketing Management (Feb 1983), pp. 19-23. 3. Bellizzi, Joseph A. and Mohr, Jacqueline J., Technical Versus Nontechnical Wording of Industrial Print Advertising, in 1984 AMA Educators' Proceedings, Russell W. Belk et al., eds., American Marketing Association, Chicago, 1984, pp, 171 175. 4. Bettman, James R. and Kakkar, Pradeep, Effects of lnf~rmation Presentation Format on Consumer Information Acquisition, Journal of Consumer Research (March 1977), pp. 233-2411. 5. Bly, Robert W., Arc You Bludgeoning Good Copywriters'? Business Marketing (April 1984), pp. 154, 152. 6. Bly, Robert W., l(t Tips For Writing More Effective Industrial Copy, Direct Marketing (May 1983), pp. 64-67. 7. Byrne, Andrew J., Be Simple, Be Clear, Be Direct--You'll Be Understood, Direct Marketing (Aug 19821, pp. 26-30. 8. Dcvoc, Merrill. Effective Advertising Copy. Macmillan, New York, 1956. 9. Donath, Bob, Q: What Makes the Perfect Ad? A: It Depends, Industrial Marketing (Aug 1982), pp. 89-92. l[I. Flesch, Rudolf, The Art of Readable Writing. Harper and Brothers, New York, 1956. 11. Garbett, Thomas F., 15 Creative Strategies For Corporate Advertising, Business Marketing (Aug 1984), pp. 66-86. 12. Kriegcl, Robert A., Does Your Ad Talk the Way Your Prospect Thinks? Business Marketing (July 1984), pp. 86 98. 13. Lautman, Martin R. and Percy, Larry, Consumer-Oriented Versus Advertiser-Oriented Language: Comprehensibility and Salience of the Advertising Message, in Advances in ('onsumer Research, H. Keith Hunt, ed. Association Ik~r Consumer Research, Ann Arbor~ 1978, pp. 52-56. 14. Luskin, Jak, The Manufacturer's Contribution to Appliance Retailing, paper presented at the Discount Appliance Dealers Conference. New York, November 1976, as reported in Rolph E. Anderson and Marvin J. Jolson, Technical Wording in Advertising: Implications for Market Segmentation, Journal of Marketing (Winter 198(1), pp. 57-66.
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15. Mandell, Maurice l., Advertising. 4th ed., Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1984. 16. Messner, Fredrick R., Industrial Advertising. McGraw-Hill, New York, 1963. 17. Moore, Tony and Jereb, Barry, How Allen-Bradley Makes HighTech Product Documentation User-Friendly, Business Marketing (Aug 1984), pp. 102-1/17. 18. Sandage, C. H. and Fryburger, Vernon, Advertising Theory and Practiee. Richard Irwin, Illinois, 1967. 19. Siegfried, C. F., Goodall's Winning Ad Campaign Features Con-
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sumer Approach, Industrial Marketing (June 19781, pp. 66-69. 20. Subheads Boost Ad Information, Interest, Readability Levels, Industrial Marketing (March 1978), pp. 88-94. 21. The Layout Style Most Art Directors Don't Like, Industrial Marketing (March 19801, pp. 86-93. 22. Treistman, Joan, Where the Reader Eye Roams, Business Marketing (April 1984), pp. 110-116. 23. Wingis, Chuck, Technical Ads Flop for Computers, Industrial Marketing (Feb 19811, pp. 34-35.
The old expression "I know that half of my advertising is wasted but I don't know which half," is still alive and well. Many advertisers continue to remain uncertain about which of their ads hit the mark and which hit rock bottom. While a recent article has described some guidelines for improving industrial ads generally [2], this article concentrates on industrial advertising copy. Copy refers to the written portion of a print ad, which includes the headline, the subheads, the logo or signature, and the body copy. This article further concentrates on the body copy although minor references concerning the headline and logo have been included. The guidelines presented should help industrial advertisers produce better industrial advertising.
START AT THE BEGINNING Writing industrial ad copy is an important step in the advertising creative process, although it is not the Address correspondence to: Professor Joseph A. Bellizzi, Department of Marketing, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506.
hldustrial Marketing Management 15, 117- 122 (1986) q~) Elsevier Science Publishing Co., Inc., 1986 52 Vanderhilt Ave., New York, New York 1(1017
first step. The first mistake an advertiser can make is to begin to write ad copy before preliminary steps have been completed. Before effective copy can be created, objectives need to be established, target audiences must be specified, and an ad theme must be selected. Bellizzi and Lehrer [2] presented some suggestions concerning these precopywriting steps. A r m e d with a clear set of consistent objectives, knowledge of the target audience, and the chosen ad theme, the copywriter is ready to begin writing the selling message.
CONSIDER THE LAYOUT The physical layout of the ad needs to be arranged so that the copy can blend with the physical flow of the ad. Furthermore, ad messages are delivered through illustration as well as copy. Consistency is important. A good layout stops the audience, arouses their interest, and brings them further into the ad. Various layouts are used by advertisers but the most popular is the classic layout or basic " A , " which reads from top to bottom and consists of an illustration, a headline, the body copy, and finally the logo or signature. The illustration catches the readers attention and brings the line of vision down to the headline [21}. Other formats may be used when there are several items to be covered such as a multipage ad, or when multiple 117 001%8501/86/$3.50
illustrations or long text are used. But generally the layout should be simple and free of clutter. It should begin with the focal point which is usually the illustration, concentrate on the ad theme, and be easy to read. The perception of reading ease affects the ability of the viewer to understand and the degree of attention a reader devotes to reading ad copy. A number of mechanical factors can influence readership. Short paragraphs, use of subheads in copy [20], and use of simple type-face such as serif or sans serif can build reader interest [17]. The subheads can also allow for quick communication with busy readers and provide for a visual path for the reader's eye. These mechanical features can make the ad look easy to read and thus increase readership. THE COPY
The ad copy most clearly represents the means for reaching chosen objectives. It is here that crucial wording must be formulated to best convey the necessary information in a way that ad objectives can be realized. Regardless of whether the objectives are to introduce a new product, create awareness, or serve as a reminder, the ad copy must communicate an effective selling message. The saying that a picture is worth a thousand words is more applicable in the consumer market. An ad for a well-known consumer brand can successfully communicate through an illustration rather than detailed copy. While effective in the consumer market, the technique is more difficult to apply with industrial print advertising. For example, an outdoor display (billboard) can depict the face of a smiling 6-year old taking a big bite of nice juicy hamburger. Alongside the 6-year old, the advertiser can position a nice big bottle of their well-known brand of ketchup. The only copy could be the words "Make your next burger great." With most industrial products, illustrations may
JOSEPH A. BELLIZZl is Associate Professor in the Department of Marketing at Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas. ROBERT E. HITE is Assistant Professor in the Department of Marketing, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado.
118
help gain attention but may not deliver a selling message like the ketchup example. Nevertheless, industrial illustrations are important and can be effective in gaining reader attention. The illustration should be directly related to the copy message, as attention dissipates if the reader perceives that the illustration and the copy are unrelated [22]. Industrial ad research shows that in order to create awareness, build preference, or arouse interest, an industrial ad should have 300 or more words of copy and make use of tables and charts [9]. Listing toll free numbers in the copy also helps when trying to arouse further interest in the product. The copy is important to support the claims of the ad. Readers may sense that an ad with little copy may be associated with products that possess little customer benefits. If the objective of an ad is to build brand loyalty, the ad should contain 300 or more words of copy as purchasers who suffer from postpurchase dissonance (regret) often desire information which supports their purchase decision. In such cases, an ad should reassure purchasers by providing relevant information that shows that they truly made the right decision after all [91 . Additionally, the copy must be adapted to the needs of both the target market and the selected media. The target audience and media will determine the extent of the copy, the size of the print, and several of the design variables. An investigation of the needs of the target market as they affect copy development will be presented below. As an overview to developing ad copy, Messner [16] presented the following copy style approaches. The first is the straight exposition which serves to directly narrate the benefits and applications of the product. It is the most common style and portrays a rational, straightforward approach which is often preferred by industrial buyers. A case history style communicates the experiences of a satisfied user which demonstrates to the audience how they can also benefit from the advertised product. This style is often utilized in specialized trade journals where readers may share common problems and experiences. The testimonial style is similar to the above, but may incorporate the use of a well-known company or credible individual to promote the product. By identifying with the leaders, others may follow. The short-story copy style is often used to compare a product with the competition. The provocative style
The copy must be adapted to the n e e d s of the target market, gets the audience involved by prodding them to provide further information through the use of devices such as enticements, quizzes, or calculations which provide a challenge. For example, an industrial ad headline may entice a reader by asking: "Did your last sales convention cost too m u c h ? " The subheadline should serve as a bridge between the headline and the body copy by saying "If your answer is yes or not sure, the convention specialists at A B C Inc. can help." Perhaps an illustration depicting a sales manager lamenting over expense account forms, hotel bills, and a long tape running out of the desk calculator will encourage the sales manager-reader, who can surely identify with such problems, to read on. The provocative ad which begins with the provocative headline gets the reader involved. Whatever the style chosen, it is important to show viewers what's in it for them [11]. While an advertiser may be very excited about developments within his or her company, they should not be used in an ad unless they can provide benefit to the ad audience. In other words, do not write copy for yourself, write copy for your readers. Using a consumer advertising approach with human interest can make the ad stand out from others. One industrial company used consumer human interest story lines, such as running into an old army buddy ana getting engaged to be married, in order to draw reader attention. The ads then proceeded to tie the human interest to industrial product benefits [19]. The specific copy or wording of the ad presents a challenge because of the technicality of industrial products and the varying technicality of the audience. Message format and the complexity of an ad contribute to the manner in which consumers process and evaluate information [4]. In the past, industrial advertisers have thought that industrial buyers sought technical information in advertisements. Therefore a majority of industrial ads possessed a good deal of technical wording. But in accordance with Wingis
[23], some have begun to question the advantages of technical wording and have moved toward a simple approach that is used heavily in consumer ads. Luskin [14] found that when a highly technical operating manual is packaged with major appliances, consumers perceived the products to be relatively durable but unfortunately they also perceived the products to be expensive and difficult to operate. Sandage and Fryburger [18] stated that the writing style should match the audience's words, beliefs, and values. They stated further that as the audience becomes better educated, the advertiser should be aware of the dangers of talking beneath their level. In consumer advertising a higher level of education requires a need for more factual, informative advertising rather than persuasive or suggestive approaches. Given the advanced level of education in the industrial buying center (e.g., engineers, technicians), it is suggested that a higher level of technicality may be appropriate. Critics of this theory suggest that factual, informative advertising must be kept clean and simple. They state that well-educated people prefer communication to be below their educational levels because such messages take less time to comprehend [7,10]. However, Mandell [15] reports that a significant amount of advertising talks down to the average consumer and may, therefore, insult consumers of above average intellect. All copywriters, however, need to be cautioned that message distortion can occur whenever the audiences' attention is led astray or turned off by words that are difficult to process, comprehend, or relate to product benefits. As a further discussion of this controversy, Sandage and Fryburger [18] stated that technical language may add authority to the message, but if it is not intelligible, it may not affect or convince the audience. Lautman and Percy [13] r e c o m m e n d e d that technical terminology should be used in order to convey technical information which introduces product benefits to the audience. But if the wording is unfamiliar, the 119
Technical information should appear in a t a b l e or c h a r t form, message will not be successful. Devoe [8] stated that familiar words are more beneficial than the unfamiliar. He added that if technical information must be presented, it should be done so in a table or chart form. He further emphasized that any technical information should directly relate to the major product benefits. Anderson and Jolson [1] studied the effect of technical wording of advertisements in the consumer market. They found that as the technical level of an advertisement increased, readers perceived the advertised product to be less durable, more difficult to operate, and higher priced. As a test ad became more technical, it was less likely to gain and hold the attention and interest of readers. Prior product experience, however, influenced how technical advertisements were perceived. Novices were more inclined to report purchase intention of the product when exposed to a nontechnical ad and least inclined to report purchase intention when exposed to a partially technical ad. However, for readers with some or considerable product experience, the overall evaluation of advertised products increased as the technical content increased. Furthermore, those with more product experience reported higher levels of intention to buy as technical content increased. A study by Bellizzi and Mohr [3] investigated the effects of technically worded and nontechnicaily worded ads on audience perceptions of the advertised product as well as the ad itself, specifically in industrial markets. Among their results was the finding that technically worded ads suggested more difficulty in operation and created less desire to seek additional information. They found that members of technical occupations (consulting engineers and architects) responded more favorably to technical ads while members of a nontechnical occupation (real estate agents) responded more favorably to nontechnical ads. Bellizzi and Mohr [3] suggested that care should be exercised in directing technical messages and non120
technical messages to the appropriate targets. The technicality of ad copy may have different effects on various audiences. Technical copy is useful in presenting technical information, but due to the informational needs and backgrounds of various audiences, industrial advertisers should reevaluate one-copy-forall strategies. While presenting some very useful suggestions for improving industrial ad copy, Bly [5] correctly pointed out that the big difference between consumer and industrial buyers is that the industrial buyers are technical people who want technical information. Biy [5] also suggested that various industrial buyers including engineers, managers, and purchasing agents appear to be equally interested in the technical information. The research of Bellizzi and Mohr [3], however, indicates that this may not be the case. One crucial suggestion in solving this dilemma is to conduct marketing research within various market segments and among the likely buying center members within each segment. This enables the advertiser to determine the desired technicality of ad copy, the manner in which product benefits can best be communicated, and receive guidance about how to best serve the informational needs of each diverse industrial buyer. Another suggestion would be to present product benefits in a nontechnical manner, but make further information acquisition an easy task for the reader. For example, a trade journal may have a tear-out insert that can be mailed postage-free requesting more information. This would reduce advertising space needs, further segment markets, and enable a more personal response to requests from individual buyers. An ad with a partial-page or full-page fold-out can hide technical material from some readers yet be readily available for those readers who desire more technical material. Of course, other advertising mechanics need to point the more technical reader to the technical foldout section. Another approach may call for using graphs, ta-
bles, charts, and diagrams. These devices help communicate technical material more easily, and headings can be utilized to summarize the important facts behind the technical details. Readers not interested in learning the fine detail of the technical data can learn about user benefits (resulting from the technical material) through the headings. Those readers desiring more technical data can read the material included in the graphs, tables, charts, and diagrams while those not interested can just scan the headings. A n d certainly, proper media selection can help place both technical and nontechnical messages where they are most desired. The key to proper media selection is a matching process, whereby the target market is matched with the audience of a media vehicle as closely as possible. While writing an ad, the copywriter should keep the target market clearly in mind. Different socialbehavioral types of people seek different types of information in ads [12]. Information about the socialbehavioral make-up of the target market may be acquired through sales representatives, who come into contact with buyers regularly. Generally, most industrial buyers are analytical in nature. They desire an ad that is detailed, precise, and orderly. An ad aimed toward this audience should include details and data about product features. Such an ad should also include support for claims that were made, as well as long-term and short-term results. A n o t h e r socialbehavioral type may be reached using some of the techniques cited above, but also by stressing economical benefits. For this group the ad should emphasize how the product will benefit them in terms of costs, -production profitability, and time savings. This appeal should be delivered in a concise, right-to-thepoint manner [12]. After an ad has been developed it is important to not allow too many people to edit the copy, especially those with little advertising experience. When given the opportunity to change an ad most people will emphasize the points which are important to them. If too many people edit the ad it will stray from its original objectives [5]. The end result may be a compromise that will lose advertising effectiveness. CONCLUSION
A commonly used expression simplifies ad copywriting, " O n e ad can't please everybody." But
by regularly using accurate marketing research data, by writing clearly, and targeting an advertising message to a clearly defined market, a firm can reduce the waste associated with industrial advertising. In an environment that becomes increasingly more competitive each year, it becomes crucial to obtain the greatest possible positive impact from each advertising dollar. The techniques and suggestions cited in this article were presented to help industrial firms improve advertising effectiveness.
REFERENCES 1, Anderson, Rolph E. and Jolson, Marvin A., Technical Wording in Advertising: Implications fl)r Market Segmentation, Journal of Marketing (Winter 19811), pp. 57-66. 2. Bellizzi, Joseph A. and Lehrer, Julie, Developing Better Industrial Advertising, Industrial Marketing Management (Feb 1983), pp. 19-23. 3. Bellizzi, Joseph A. and Mohr, Jacqueline J., Technical Versus Nontechnical Wording of Industrial Print Advertising, in 1984 AMA Educators' Proceedings, Russell W. Belk et al., eds., American Marketing Association, Chicago, 1984, pp, 171 175. 4. Bettman, James R. and Kakkar, Pradeep, Effects of lnf~rmation Presentation Format on Consumer Information Acquisition, Journal of Consumer Research (March 1977), pp. 233-2411. 5. Bly, Robert W., Arc You Bludgeoning Good Copywriters'? Business Marketing (April 1984), pp. 154, 152. 6. Bly, Robert W., l(t Tips For Writing More Effective Industrial Copy, Direct Marketing (May 1983), pp. 64-67. 7. Byrne, Andrew J., Be Simple, Be Clear, Be Direct--You'll Be Understood, Direct Marketing (Aug 19821, pp. 26-30. 8. Dcvoc, Merrill. Effective Advertising Copy. Macmillan, New York, 1956. 9. Donath, Bob, Q: What Makes the Perfect Ad? A: It Depends, Industrial Marketing (Aug 1982), pp. 89-92. l[I. Flesch, Rudolf, The Art of Readable Writing. Harper and Brothers, New York, 1956. 11. Garbett, Thomas F., 15 Creative Strategies For Corporate Advertising, Business Marketing (Aug 1984), pp. 66-86. 12. Kriegcl, Robert A., Does Your Ad Talk the Way Your Prospect Thinks? Business Marketing (July 1984), pp. 86 98. 13. Lautman, Martin R. and Percy, Larry, Consumer-Oriented Versus Advertiser-Oriented Language: Comprehensibility and Salience of the Advertising Message, in Advances in ('onsumer Research, H. Keith Hunt, ed. Association Ik~r Consumer Research, Ann Arbor~ 1978, pp. 52-56. 14. Luskin, Jak, The Manufacturer's Contribution to Appliance Retailing, paper presented at the Discount Appliance Dealers Conference. New York, November 1976, as reported in Rolph E. Anderson and Marvin J. Jolson, Technical Wording in Advertising: Implications for Market Segmentation, Journal of Marketing (Winter 198(1), pp. 57-66.
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15. Mandell, Maurice l., Advertising. 4th ed., Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1984. 16. Messner, Fredrick R., Industrial Advertising. McGraw-Hill, New York, 1963. 17. Moore, Tony and Jereb, Barry, How Allen-Bradley Makes HighTech Product Documentation User-Friendly, Business Marketing (Aug 1984), pp. 102-1/17. 18. Sandage, C. H. and Fryburger, Vernon, Advertising Theory and Practiee. Richard Irwin, Illinois, 1967. 19. Siegfried, C. F., Goodall's Winning Ad Campaign Features Con-
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sumer Approach, Industrial Marketing (June 19781, pp. 66-69. 20. Subheads Boost Ad Information, Interest, Readability Levels, Industrial Marketing (March 1978), pp. 88-94. 21. The Layout Style Most Art Directors Don't Like, Industrial Marketing (March 19801, pp. 86-93. 22. Treistman, Joan, Where the Reader Eye Roams, Business Marketing (April 1984), pp. 110-116. 23. Wingis, Chuck, Technical Ads Flop for Computers, Industrial Marketing (Feb 19811, pp. 34-35.