`Toon It Up
Tired of the same old ad? Draw on cartoons to add some character.
When the time came for Erik Sundquist, a second-generation
custom-home builder in Redwood City, California, to take over the
company reins from his father, he took a hard look at the
firm's advertising--and decided it was time for a new
generation of ads. He couldn't be more right. The current ad is
a good start on a Sundquist family coat-of-arms, but it's
missing the salesmanship that elevates it to an effective piece of
advertising.
So what to do? How do you take a small-space ad and make it a
head-turner for a home builder? And to make the project even more
challenging, how can we give it enough noise for its first
appearance: the game-day program for a Stanford University football
game, a medium that converts from advertising vehicle to impromptu
megaphone within 30 minutes of being purchased?
My idea is to appeal to the short attention span of the
spectator (as well as any periodical reader) with cartoon
characters conversing on the subject at hand. It's a respite
from traditional advertising formats and therefore draws attention.
Once pulled in, the reader continues into the short body copy that
offers some elaboration.
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As many readers know, I'm a big believer in cartooning as a
way to attract the eye to an advertising message. It's fun to
look at. It breaks the mold. It can make an impression. And it
doesn't have to be expensive. The cartoon used here cost about
$125--a small sum nowadays to flag down a prospect.
Before:
Although the big
"S" gets your attention, it's more a great monogram
than a great advertisement.
1. Avoid stacking the
letters of words; doing so makes the ad harder to read.
2. "The Tradition is
Building" is clever, but will it make people lunge for the
phone?
After:
Cartoons are easy on the
eye and are likely to draw readers in.
1. Even the most
disinterested person can't resist reading captions on
cartoons.
2. Make sure you pick a
cartoon style that is both fun and fits your product.
Jerry Fisher is a freelance advertising copywriter in the San
Francisco Bay area and author of Creating Successful Small
Business Advertising(available through Bookmasters,
800-247-6553). If you'd like Jerry to consider your materials
for a makeover in this column, write to him c/o Entrepreneur
or e-mail him at jerry228@aol.com