It’s time to kick the lazy right out of the copywriters of this world. If you write copy, here’s your kick-up call.
I’m told John Lennon once said that in a 2 ½ minute song, you don’t have time to waste a single word. If that is true of a song, then it must be more than true of :30 and :60 second advertising copy as well.
Take, for example, this line from a recent water craft supply store ad: “We carry cradle hooks, paddle thongs and more.”
“And more,” is the problem here. It’s a waste of words.
Jamming everything into a single ad to embellish the scope of products carried does not motivate the listener to check out everything else if they have no context for what else exists.
So don’t waste words. Instead pick one thing and dig deep. If it’s cradle hooks, for example, then tell me a compelling story that demonstrates vividly why I need them. Cradle hooks help me store my canoe on the wall of my garage, off the floor, above the height of the car. Two sets of cradle hooks would be better because then I could actually store my canoe and kayak in the same space as I now just store my canoe. Cradle hooks help to keep my garage tidy, more efficient and safe.
Then in another ad move on to another product. Paddle thongs. What is so cool about paddle thongs? Tell my why I can’t live another day without them.
Wasteful words like “and more” do not accomplish that. Never have and never will.
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