How to Ensure Effectiveness In Advertising

Seven principles of creating effective ads which stand out of clutter.

• Visual consistency - Repeatedly seeing a specific image or visual display helps to embed it in long-term memory. Visual consistency is important because consumers, whether individual or members of a business buying center, spend very little time viewing or listening to an advertisement.

Logo of any company forms the most important part in all the communications. For e.g. Starbucks brand has been popularized and is instantly identifiable with consistent visual communication across all channels

• Campaign Duration - Consumers often do not pay attention to advertisements. This makes the length or duration of a campaign important. Using the same advertisement for an appropriate period of time helps embed the message in the consumer's long term memory. 
• Repeated taglines - Visual consistency combined with consistent taglines can be powerful approach. The advertisement may change but either the visual imagery or the tagline remains the same. For eg. the U.S Army has promoted the tagline "Be all that you can be" for many years and the Indian Army has also started the campaign "Do you have it in you".

• Consistent Positioning - Maintaining consistent positioning throughout a product's life makes it easier for consumers to place the product in a cognitive map. 

Amul has ensured consistent positioning for years and has had the longest ad campaign ever.

• Simplicity - Simplicity is the fifth principle of advertising. Simple ads are easier to comprehend and makes a lasting impression in the minds of the consumer.

Ad for Audi's easy car park system : Parking made as simple as child's play.

• Identifiable Selling Point - The next principle of effective advertising is the concept of identifiable selling point. The emphasis should be placed on all of three of the words. The best advertisements are those that emphasize one major point and do not confuse the viewer by trying to present too many ideas.

• Create an effective flow - In a print ad the readers eye should move easily to all of the key points in the ad. In a television ad the points to be made should flow in a manner that leads the consumer to the appropriate action or conclusion.