Marketers and researchers spend hours capturing insight-rich conversations—expert interviews, customer calls, stakeholder roundtables, internal strategy sessions. And more often than not, those recordings sit in a shared drive collecting digital dust because… well, transcribing them is a pain.

Automated tools are fast but sloppy. Manual cleanup is slow and mind-numbing. And most transcription services? Built for compliance, not content teams.

That’s why we helped launch BrassTranscripts—a fast, human-reviewed transcription service designed specifically for marketing and research workflows. No bloat, no jargon, no AI hallucinations. Just clean, reliable transcripts delivered in record time.

Why We Built BrassTranscripts

As a content studio, we live in transcripts. Interviews, podcasts, panels, keynotes—we wade through a ton of recorded material to find the gold. And while there are plenty of transcription tools out there, very few get the mix right: accurate, fast, clean, and human-friendly.

BrassTranscripts was built to do just that. It’s a solution for people who value clarity over clutter—especially those in roles where time is short, deadlines are tight, and quoting people accurately actually matters.

What Makes BrassTranscripts Different

Speed without slop
Most files are turned around in 24 hours or less—cleaned, formatted, and labeled. No frantic scrubbing through audio. No deciphering mystery speakers. Just open the doc and start working.

Formatting built for marketers and analysts
You get easy-to-read transcripts with clear speaker labels and timestamped quotes. Plus, BrassTranscripts can deliver in your preferred format—headings, bolded sections, custom templates. It’s designed to feel like something you’d actually want to drop into a deck or campaign brief.

People-first accuracy
Unlike raw AI transcripts, BrassTranscripts documents are reviewed by humans who understand sentence structure, tone, and clarity. The result? Way fewer “[inaudible]”s and a much more readable document.

Simple, flat pricing
No usage tiers. No surprise fees. Just a clear per-minute rate that makes budgeting easy.

Drag-and-drop upload
You don’t need to create an account or learn new software. Upload your file, add a note if needed, and you’re off.

For the Teams Who Actually Use the Transcripts

BrassTranscripts isn’t trying to be a one-size-fits-all solution. It’s focused on a very specific group: people who use transcripts as a daily tool—not a legal formality.

• Marketing teams can pull ready-to-quote insights from SME interviews without wasting time cleaning up AI output.
• Content strategists can scan transcripts for structure and story, not just raw text.
• Researchers can get clean, speaker-tagged material to annotate, summarize, and analyze.
• Agencies can share professionally formatted transcripts with clients—no apologies necessary.

It’s transcription that actually supports your workflow, instead of slowing it down.

Built for Speed. Backed by Humans. Ready When You Are.

BrassTranscripts is already helping content and research teams get more from their recordings—and get their time back in the process. If your current process involves frustration, filler, or frantic rewinds, it might be time for a better way.

See how BrassTranscripts can clean up your content pipeline at brasstranscripts.com.

Advertising is an essential aspect of business, and it plays a crucial role in the growth and success of a company. To ensure that the advertising campaigns are effective, companies need to focus on creating a strong main value proposition (MVP). In this blog post, we will discuss what MVP is and why it is an important concept in advertising.

What is the Main Value Proposition?

The main value proposition refers to the unique selling point or benefit that a company offers to its customers. It is the key reason why customers choose to do business with a particular company. The MVP is a clear and concise statement that summarizes the benefits that a company provides to its customers. It is the essence of a company’s brand and what sets it apart from its competitors.

Why is the Main Value Proposition Important in Advertising?

The main value proposition is important in advertising because it helps to communicate the value that a company offers to its customers. A strong MVP helps to grab the attention of customers and creates a compelling reason for them to choose a particular product or service. It is the foundation of any advertising campaign, and it helps to guide the messaging and creative direction of the campaign.

A well-defined MVP can also help companies to attract new customers and retain existing ones. It provides a clear understanding of what a company offers, which helps to differentiate it from its competitors. This differentiation helps to build trust and loyalty with customers, which is crucial in a highly competitive marketplace.

How to Develop a Strong Main Value Proposition

Developing a strong MVP can be a challenging task, but it is essential to ensure the success of advertising campaigns. Here are some steps to help you create a strong MVP:

1. Identify Your Unique Selling Point

The first step in developing a strong MVP is to identify what sets your company apart from its competitors. This could be a unique product feature, a specific benefit, or a different approach to solving a customer problem. It is essential to identify the unique selling point and ensure that it is relevant to your target audience.

2. Focus on the Benefits

The MVP should focus on the benefits that your product or service offers to your customers. Customers are more likely to be interested in the benefits they will receive, rather than the features of your product. Make sure to highlight the benefits that are most important to your target audience.

3. Keep it Simple

The MVP should be simple and easy to understand. Avoid using industry jargon or complex language that may confuse your target audience. The MVP should be a clear and concise statement that can be easily remembered and repeated.

4. Test and Refine

Once you have developed your MVP, it is essential to test it to ensure that it resonates with your target audience. Gather feedback from customers and use it to refine and improve your MVP. This feedback can help to ensure that your MVP accurately reflects the value that your company offers.

Examples of Main Value Proposition

Here are two examples of companies that have strong MVPs:

1. Nike – “Just Do It”

Nike’s MVP is “Just Do It.” This simple, yet powerful statement communicates the brand’s focus on encouraging customers to pursue their athletic goals and dreams. The MVP resonates with customers who are looking for motivation and inspiration to achieve their goals.

2. Coca-Cola – “Open Happiness”

Coca-Cola’s MVP is “Open Happiness.” This statement communicates the brand’s focus on providing customers with a sense of joy and happiness through their products. The MVP resonates with customers who are looking for a moment of happiness in their busy lives.

David Ogilvy, known as the “Father of Advertising,” was a pioneering figure in the advertising industry. He founded the advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather in 1948, which eventually became one of the largest advertising agencies in the world. He was renowned for his innovative approaches to advertising and his ability to craft memorable and effective advertisements. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of David Ogilvy’s most valuable advice for advertising.

1. Know your audience. One of the most fundamental pieces of advice that Ogilvy gave was to understand your target audience. He believed that the key to creating effective advertising was to understand what motivated people to buy products. He once said, “You cannot bore people into buying your product; you can only interest them in buying it.” It’s important to research your audience and understand their needs, desires, and preferences. This will help you craft advertisements that resonate with them and create a stronger connection with your brand.
2. Be creative. Ogilvy believed that creativity was the key to successful advertising. He encouraged his team to think outside the box and find new and innovative ways to reach their target audience. He famously said, “If it doesn’t sell, it isn’t creative.” While creativity is important, it must also be backed up by strategy and a strong message. This combination of creativity and strategy will result in advertisements that not only grab people’s attention, but also make them want to take action.
3. Focus on benefits, not features. Ogilvy believed that advertisements should focus on the benefits of a product, rather than its features. People are more interested in how a product will make their lives better, not just the technical details. By focusing on the benefits, you’ll create advertisements that are more appealing and engaging to your target audience.
4. Use attention-grabbing headlines. The headline of an advertisement is often the first thing that people see, so it’s important to make it count. Ogilvy believed that headlines should be attention-grabbing, memorable, and relevant to the target audience. He encouraged his team to spend as much time on the headline as they did on the rest of the advertisement. A good headline can be the difference between someone ignoring an advertisement or becoming interested in a product.
5. Show, don’t tell. Ogilvy believed that advertisements should show people what a product can do, rather than just telling them. By using visuals, you can create advertisements that are more memorable and impactful. Visuals can also help to clarify complex messages and make products more appealing.
6. Keep it simple. Ogilvy believed that advertisements should be simple and straightforward. He encouraged his team to avoid using technical jargon and to keep messages as clear and concise as possible. Simple messages are easier for people to understand and more likely to stick in their minds.
7. Test and refine. Ogilvy believed that advertisements should be tested and refined until they are as effective as possible. He encouraged his team to test different versions of advertisements to see what resonated with their target audience and what didn’t. By testing and refining advertisements, you can create ads that are more effective and reach more people.
8. Focus on the long-term. Ogilvy believed that successful advertising was about creating long-term relationships with customers. He encouraged his team to focus on building a brand that people trust and respect, rather than just trying to make a quick sale. By focusing on the long-term, you’ll create advertisements that are more impactful and effective in the long run.

In conclusion, David Ogilvy’s advice for advertising is still relevant today. By understanding your target audience

Knowing different writing styles is a useful skill whether you write professionally or for personal use. Though there is some overlap in the various writing styles, it is critical to know the difference between each one. It will improve your writing and make you sound more authoritative.

With the global tourism industry generating more than $9 trillion every year, a great advertising campaign can be an incredibly lucrative and important investment for both well-loved and up-and-coming destinations. Whether foreign or domestic, travel advertising sells the average person an escape from their mundane everyday life, right at the opportune moment. As a Boston commuter, seeing images of sunny Orlando and San Diego as I shivered at the bus stop or in a stalled MBTA subway car really made me consider searching for last-minute airline tickets day after day.

In his book On Advertising, David Ogilvy breaks down travel advertising based on his experience creating ad campaigns for governments across the world. The following list of guidelines, taken from his chapter “How to Advertise Foreign Travel,” can help you build a strategy to sell travel to the right audiences.

1. Show the places your audience actually wants to see

Ogilvy points out that the image a government agency might want to show to the world is likely not what will bring in tourists, and subsequently, revenue. While the British press wanted to show American tourists that they were a “progressive, industrial society,” Americans were far more interested in historical sites like Buckingham Palace. By catering to the intended audience, Ogilvy’s ads helped move Britain from the fifth most popular European destination for American tourists to the first.

The same principle applies to the San Diego Tourism Authority ad shown above. If San Diego were to advertise, for example, a vibrant art scene, that may not be particularly noteworthy for many commuters in cold Boston or New York City. On the other hand, showing a sunset over a beach and advertising San Diego as an escape from our seemingly endless winter is much more effective. After all, it’s what I would want to visit if I were actually there, and I was reminded of that every day in the subway. 

2. Respond to travelers’ concerns

While most travel advertising should work towards creating a long-term image for a 

destination, it can also be worthwhile to tackle short-term problems that hinder tourism. Ogilvy mentions working for Great Britain during a time in which the country was experiencing large-scale power outages that were reported widely in the United States. When power returned, the U.S. media lost interest and didn’t report on it, leaving American audiences to assume that Britain was still struggling with outages and wouldn’t be the best place to visit. 

In response, Ogilvy used advertisements to announce that power had returned, and that “even more exciting news awaits people going to Britain.” These short-term pieces functioned as news articles and made travelers less anxious about visiting Great Britain.

A similar tactic has been used for places like Nebraska, which doesn’t typically appear on anyone’s bucket list. Each ad in their “Honestly, It’s Not for Everyone” campaign counters common beliefs about the state—for example, ”There’s nothing to do here”—with images of landscapes and activities that travelers can enjoy in Nebraska. The headlines themselves came from recent polls amongst people from neighboring states, who shared their reasons for not visiting Nebraska. By facing these misconceptions head-on, the state can directly appeal to potential tourists and mitigate their concerns.

3. Highlight something unique to your destination

One of the best ways to attract tourists is to promise them something they can’t find anywhere else, and certainly not in their own area. Whether you’re advertising to someone in the neighboring state or halfway across the world, it’s important to focus on your destination’s most unique features. As Ogilvy states, “People don’t go half the way around the world to see things they can equally well see at home.”

There’s a reason why most advertisements for Cairo feature the pyramids and most advertisements for Paris show off the Eiffel Tower. Tourists want to see the things they’ve seen on television or online, not what they can find in their own city. In Ogilvy’s words, “If you want to persuade the Swiss to visit the United States, don’t advertise ski resorts.” 

4. Target the tourists you want to attract

Travel advertising should not only sell a destination, but it should also sell it to the correct audience. In his book, Ogilvy points to ad campaigns for Bermuda that feature a young American couple to appeal to that same demographic. Choosing to feature a couple over, for example, crowds of beachgoers or families, helped shape Bermuda’s image into that of a romantic getaway rather than a spring break trip. 

Similarly, in the ad campaigns leading up to two major worldwide events, the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics, Brazil targeted young people by heavily featuring them enjoying attractions across the country. This helped sell Brazil to young, adventurous people worldwide, without necessarily focusing on the sports events themselves.

5. Educate your audience about your destination, with specifics

Whether the destination itself is unknown or if it’s simply known for the wrong thing, 

educational ads can help raise awareness and spark interest in a place. Taking the tactics he used to advertise Singapore decades ago, Ogilvy advises to “give the reader a lot of specific information” to build familiarity. Your advertisement should convince someone that a place they’ve never heard of has been waiting for them this whole time. Ogilvy’s “Singapore is Fantastic” campaign even taught the reader about religions and clothing styles from the region. 

In the age of the internet, there may not be the same need for a Wikipedia-article level of detail in an advertisement, but using a similar tactic can help keep your destination on your audience’s mind. For example, Mexico’s ad campaign, “The Place You Thought You Knew,” introduces the reader to lesser-known areas of Mexico that may not receive as much tourism, and contains a call to action for the reader to learn more about these sites.

For the average person, traveling is a huge expense of both time and money. Travel advertisements should convince your audience that a trip to your location will be an exciting adventure that they could never experience in their own city or country. Using Ogilvy’s advice and examples, you can build an advertisement that keeps your destination on the map and on your reader’s mind.

About the author

Caroline Previte is a contributing writer at Copper Sun Creative. She creates blog content related to advertising and branding, and enjoys studying marketing in her free time. 

I used to see commercials and wonder, “What are they trying to sell me?” Or remember a funny scene from a commercial and ask, “”What company was that?”

As a copywriting intern at Copper Sun Creative, I have been studying the strategies behind making effective TV commercials. I have been reading books by the advertising greats, including My Life in Advertising and Scientific Advertising by Claude Hopkins, as well as Ogilvy on Advertising by David Ogilvy. Both Ogilvy and Hopkins view advertising as a science and break down the strategies for how to effectively sell to consumers. 

I can now watch commercials and know what strategies a company neglected to use that made the commercial forgettable and why a funny scene was fitting for a comedy skit but not for remembering the brand name. Or notice the techniques used that made a commercial effective and categorize what type of commercial it is. 

Print this list and keep it handy

The list below of types of commercials and tips to create a commercial that sells is straight from David Ogilvy’s book Ogilvy on Advertising. Instead of trying to guess what was going through the minds of the advertisers, the next time you see a commercial that excites your interest in a product or a brand, print out this list and use it to analyze each and every aspect of the commercial. Keep it on your coffee table next to the stack of magazines or keep it in a google doc to bring up on your phone. 

10 types of commercials that change people’s brand preferences 

1. Humor: Humor is acceptable in commercials..but “very few writers can write funny commercials which are funny. Unless you are one of the few, don’t try.”
2. Slice of life: A semi-realistic scenario plays out where one person argues with another about the merits of a product and in the end, the doubter is converted. An example of this is Blue Buffalos’ dog food commercials. 
3. Testimonials: The most effective are when a loyal customer is using a product and doesn’t know they are being filmed and someone comes up and questions the product and they defend it with conviction. An alternative form of an effective testimonial is the Pepsi challenge.
4. Demonstrations: These show how well your product works. This works better if you don’t mention competing brands.
5. Problem/solution: You show the viewer a familiar problem and show how your product can solve it. Snickers uses this in its You’re Not You When You’re Hungry commercials.
6. Talking heads: A pitch person telling of the virtues of a product. This is used by Old Spice in its The Man Your Man Could Smell Like commercials.
7. Characters: A character is used to sell a product over a number of years, but the character must be relevant to the product. They become a living symbol of the product. Smokey Bear comes to mind.
8. Reasons why: Commercials give a reason why the customer should buy the product. 
9. News: Old products can create news by advertising a new way to use it 

Example: Using baking soda to make your refrigerator smell sweet. 

10. Emotion: Emotion can be just as effective as rational appeal especially when there is nothing unique to say about your product. You need to be able to justify emotional appeals.

16 tips for creating effective commercials 

1. Brand identification: Ways to get viewers to remember your brand not just your commercial.

1. Use the name within the first 10 seconds. 
2. Play games with the name (example, spell it out).
3. When you advertise a new product you have to teach people its name.

2. Show the package 
3. Food in motion: Example: Milk pouring into cereal 
4. Close-ups: Good when the product is the hero of the commercial 
5. Open with fire: You only have 30 seconds so grab their attention in the first frame. When you advertise fire-extinguishers, open with the fire. 
6. When you have nothing to say, sing it: Jingles can be successful but not at changing brand preferences 
7. Sound effects: Example: Sausages sizzling in a frying pan 
8. Voice over or on-camera?: Research shows it is more effective to have actors on camera 
9. Supers: it pays to reinforce your promise by setting it in type and superimposing it on your video 
10. Avoid using banality: If you want the viewer to pay attention, show them something they’ve never seen before
11. Changes of scene: Using a lot of short scenes is not profitable
12. Mnemonics: (a visual device repeated over a long period of time) — It can increase brand identification and remind people of your promise
13. Show the product in use
14. Anything is possible on TV: CGI and special effects can make anything possible 
15. Miscomprehension: many commercials are not understood, make them crystal clear 

The great scandal: Commercials are very expensive — art directors make them very expensive by not going for cheaper alternatives

About the author

Colin Young is a copywriter at Copper Sun Creative. He specializes in writing advertising and branding content. When he is not blogging or working to complete his bachelor’s degree in Marketing he enjoys doing anything outdoors.

Throughout the relatively brief history of advertising and even today, people believe that there is no scientific basis for advertising decisions. Despite the millions of dollars being thrown at advertisers, people often believe that the effectiveness of the advertiser is solely based on their creativity and cleverness.

Although creativity and cleverness can be good assets for an advertiser, your advertisement cannot be proven effective unless it is tested against other advertisements or is based on formulas derived from previous tests.

Because it is often time-consuming and expensive to test ads, this list gives formulas that have already been proven to either spark curiosity, self-interest or other responses that lead people to want to learn more.

Where do these formulas come from?

As a newcomer to marketing and advertising, I can’t say that I’ve tested these formulas myself and proven their effectiveness in headlines. These formulas were tested and practiced by the renowned copywriter John Caples and sourced directly from his book, Tested Advertising Methods, which goes in-depth on a wide range of copywriting strategies. 

These keywords are just as effective as they were in 1932 when Caples published his book. If you don’t believe me, keep a copy of this list on your computer and compare it with all the headlines that entice you to click on them or keep reading. 

35 effective headline keywords

Begin your headline with the words:

1. “How To”
2. “How”
3.  “Why”
4. “Which”
5. “Who Else”
6. “Wanted”
7. “This”
8. “Because”
9. “If”
10. “Advice”
11. New
12. Now
13. At last

More techniques

1. Use a Testimonial Headline
2. Offer the Reader a Test (Can Your Kitchen Pass the Guest Test?)
3. Offer Information in Value
4. Tell a Story
5. Warn the Reader to Delay Buying “Don’t buy a new dishwasher until you’ve considered Bosch”
6. Let the Advertiser Speak Directly to the Reader (Write the entire ad in the first person and speak directly to the reader)
7. Address Your Headline to Specific Person or Group (Women over 50…”
8. Have Your Headline Ask a Question (Do you have trouble sleeping at night?)
9. Offer Benefits Through Facts and Figures
10. Begin Your Headline with the Word “Introducing”
11. Begin Your Headline with the Word “Announcing”
12. Use Words that Have an Announcement Quality (Finally, Presenting, Just Released, etc)
13. Put a Date Into Your Headline (On February 17 you’ll change your life)
14. Write Your Headline In News Style (New hand soap takes the midwest by storm”
15. Feature the Price in Your Headline
16. Feature Reduced Price
17. Feature a Special Merchandising Offer
18. Feature an Easy Payment Plan
19. Feature a Free Offer
20. Use a One Word Headline (Fraud)
21. Use a Two Word Headline (Stop Fraud)
22. Use a Three Word Headline (Stop Fraud Cold)

Tested formulas remain effective

Caples describes advertising formulas as selling ideas that have worked again and again in the past and can be expected to continue to get results in the future. 

These formulas and the results they have been proven to bring are based in human nature. Even if they were originally tested as newspaper headlines they will still work as article headlines on a website. 

Applying these formulas in practice

Caples clarifies that these formulas are not as concrete as mathematical formulas. They can work for your specific headline or they could not and they could also be reworked and modified to fit your headline. 

These also aren’t the only formulas for writing headlines. New formulas are being invented constantly and if you have the resources and time you can come up with new and effective formulas yourself. 

Lastly, Caples points out that these formulas are not meant to hamper your creative thinking, but rather to guide your thinking into profitable channels. They are not meant to be used as a crutch but as a springboard.

About the author

Colin Young is a copywriter at Copper Sun Creative. He specializes in writing advertising and branding content. When he is not blogging or working to complete his bachelor’s degree in Marketing he enjoys doing anything outdoors.

Think about why you buy things. You want to get some benefit from the product, right? Buying a certain product makes your life easier or better in some way. Companies are well aware of this desire to gain something from products. Snickers and Old Spice shaped these two entertaining and memorable commercials around this concept. 

Snickers: Super Bowl XLIV 44 2010 commercial

Old Spice: The Man Your Man Could Smell Like commercial 

Both commercials, in their own ways, show how their product can benefit you. If you focus on the message being communicated behind the theatrical displays, they are simply saying, this is what our product will do for you, buy it. 

How Snickers conveys benefit 

For Snickers, their tagline is “You’re not you when you’re hungry.” This brilliant strategy takes a Snickers bar, which is really no different from any other unhealthy candy bar, and shows its benefit to you beyond satisfying a craving. They show how you as a person change when you’re hungry and Snickers can reverse this and make you better. They took a simple candy bar and gave it the benefits of an energy bar. The playfulness and humor in this ad, along with the attention-grabbing and surprising scenes of older actors being tackled into a muddy football field make the message very memorable.  

How Old Spice conveys benefit 

For Old Spice, their commercial was no less fun and entertaining. In contrast to the few sudden attention-grabbing moments in the Snickers commercial, the whole commercial is fast and interactive. Your attention is held by chaotic visuals and the narrator not giving you a chance to look away unless he tells you to. The narrator guides you through the fantastical world of the perfect Old Spice user. 

At the end of the commercial, the narrator slips in the tagline “Anything is possible when your man smells like Old Spice and not a lady.” The commercial is implying that if you use old spice,  you can be like the perfect man in the commercial. The possibilities are endless when you try this product. 

Which commercial is more effective?

The more effective of the two commercials is subjective. When talking about entertainment value or overall effectiveness of the commercials, opinions differ. When focusing on how well the companies communicated the benefit of their products to the consumer, I believe that Snickers takes the cake.

What challenge did both companies face?

Both companies had the task of taking products that offer no real exciting or different benefit that stands out from their competitors. They were challenged with taking relatively unexciting products and making them beneficial to you. What makes the Snickers commercial better is that the benefit they offer is attainable and realistic. 

Why Snickers conveys their benefit better 

Snickers doesn’t need to claim that you will be the most attractive perfect person by using their product. They make a claim that has truth to it even though it was communicated through an impossible and exaggerated story. Old Spice, in contrast, had a great and entertaining commercial that hooked you in for the whole thirty seconds but their claim was too grand. 

You may have skipped breakfast and you grab a Snickers bar while shopping because you remembered that “You’re not you when you’re hungry,” but when you’re eye catches the Old Spice bottle, you may choose it over other brands because you remember how entertaining the commercial was, but you will not grab it in hopes that you can become the perfect man by buying it. 

About the author

Colin Young is a copywriter at Copper Sun Creative. He specializes in writing advertising and branding content. When he is not blogging or working to complete his bachelor’s degree in Marketing he enjoys doing anything outdoors.

How consumers behave hasn’t changed much over the years, but the methods of studying it and its prominence in advertising have. As advertising has evolved, so has its relationship with consumer behavior research. In this blog, I will examine the early history of using consumer behavior to advertise and how it is used today. 

The early history of consumer behavior in advertising 

Claude C. Hopkins is known as the father of modern advertising. During his working life, he brought advertising into a new age using scientific methods of selling. Hopkins believed that the sole purpose of advertising was to sell products and using data from actual sales was the only way to get the job done. 

Hopkins discovered consumer behavior trends through testing his advertisements himself. He would test different variations of advertisements and run whichever one got the most attention from consumers. He saved many companies millions of dollars by using data to guide advertising decisions instead of guessing which advertisement would work. 

Creativity is not everything 

Many advertisers since Hopkins and even today still rely on their creative instincts to guide their decisions. David Ogilvy, a successor to Hopkins as one of the most influential persons in advertising, was a fervent critic of this baseless view of advertising.

An Ogilvy advertisement is easily recognizable by its simple and many times replicated format. As you can see in the example below, his advertisement layouts were an image, a headline and body copy with black text and white background, from top to bottom. 

Ogilvy did this because he knew, through consumer behavior research and experience, that 10% more people will read the headline when it is below the image, and that it is easier for people to read text when it is black with a white background.  

Keep in mind that he did not lack creativity in his advertisements, far from it in fact, but he did not let it guide his work. He figured out what consumers would react to, and only then used a creative touch to make his advertisements stand out. 

Consumer behavior in advertising today 

The fields of consumer behavior and psychology have grown enormously since Ogilvy’s time. As psychology has become more credible as a science, it has been used increasingly in advertising. 

An example of a recent research study on consumer behavior is a study done by Zhang and Bloemer in 2008 on the impact of value congruence on consumer service and brand relationships. This study shows that when consumers share similar values with a brand it leads to more satisfaction, trust and loyalty to that brand.

An example of research like this being used in a campaign is the support of the Black Lives Matter movement by many corporations. Many companies are aligning their brand values with this movement and, in turn, are creating a trusting relationship with consumers who share similar values. 

My take

In my opinion, modern advertising should be a balance between the testing methods that Hopkins founded and the modern consumer behavior research that advertisers use today. 

I believe that the principles of Hopkins are important to include because even if a study says consumers will act a certain way, there is no guarantee that it will work for every company in every market. For example, Ben and Jerry’s supporting the Black Lives Matter movement works because they have a history of supporting grassroots progressive movements. If the same tactic was used by Amazon, for example, it may come off as insincere. 

Overall, the study of consumer behavior was a driving force in the creation of modern advertising and the progression of advertising today. The importance of knowing how consumers will react to advertisements is just as important as it was in Hopkins times and it should not be overlooked. 

About the author

Colin Young is a copywriter at Copper Sun Creative. He specializes in writing advertising and branding content. When he is not blogging or working to complete his bachelor’s degree in Marketing he enjoys doing anything outdoors.

I stopped by the hostel my sister was staying at. It was a dingy place with prison-like bunk beds. There was a pub in the basement where the green felt of the pool table was stained grey and black from cigarette smoke and ash and the watery beer was served by the pitcher in opaque plastic cups. 

Appealing to customers with the unappealing 

This is the kind of environment that Hans Brinker hostel, the self-proclaimed “Worst Hostel in the World” prides itself for. Hans Brinker is a budget hostel that has nothing special or welcoming to offer, so they focused on what they had. 

They appealed to their target market, partying young people, through clever advertisements glorifying the unsanitary and bare minimum conditions that they offered. 

The worst hostel in the world 

Hans Brinker began positioning its brand this way in the 90s when they were tired of hearing complaints about how poor the conditions of their hostel were. They had nothing special to offer. Nothing that could differentiate them from competing budget hostels in the area. 

They decided that if the customers expected nothing from them, they wouldn’t complain when they got nothing special from their stay. 

From this idea, Hans Brinker Hostel created a series of hilarious advertisements that both mocked traditional hotel advertising and set realistic expectations for their young audience who could relate to the humor and irony of the ads. 

Hans Brinkers most memorable advertisements 

The very bold and eye-catching image above was put on small flags and placed in piles of dog poop all around the city of Amsterdam. This guerilla advertising tactic executed by Hans Brinkers employees brought media attention from around the world. 

NOW even more clever ads!

Through these campaigns, Hans Brinkers played off of old school advertising showing urgency. Of course instead of offering outstanding service or pristine rooms they offer the minimum of what is expected or even the most undesirable things associated with hostels. 

The good ole before and after 

Through many different variations of this advertisement, Hans Brinkers shows their target market, young party-going people, when they check into the hostel and when they check out. This ad shows they want their customers to party and have a good time and quality service and comfort are not to be expected. 

There’s no way this could work, right?

The very unorthodox methods of Hans Brinker Hostel yielded impressive results. Their bookings spiked with the release of advertisements that pointed out what was once viewed as their greatest flaws as a hostel. 

This worked because Hans Brinkers established a consistent brand image with an offer that appealed to their target market. Young students traveling to Amsterdam to party and stay out all night are not looking for a luxury room to relax in. They are looking for the cheapest option that will give them a place to go back to after last call. 

The use of humor and irony in the advertisements also made them relatable for young people who often push back against traditional advertising. 

Hans Brinkers’ brand image didn’t set expectations beyond what they could offer. For this reason, they are still one of the most popular hostels in Amsterdam. 

About the author

Colin Young is a copywriter at Copper Sun Creative. He specializes in writing advertising and branding content. When he is not blogging or working to complete his bachelor’s degree in Marketing he enjoys doing anything outdoors.

Writing web content can be a tricky task. The idea is to write copy for what your customers want, not what you want. Try these tips.

What do customer want?

Customers want answers. They want facts, features, benefits, prices. They hate marketese and useless fluff. If you take away one idea today, let it be: Focus content on your customer!

Questions to ask

Before writing, ask three questions:

• Who is our target customer?
• What do they want to know?
• How will se get them that information?

No company news on homepages

Avoid putting company news on homepages, especially press releases. Customers do not care about your news that you hired a new CFO. Besides, who has the time to prepare fresh press releases?

Assume nothing

You know your business, but customers don’t. Write as if they’ve never heard of you. Avoid industry-insider jargon, and be clear.

Web is for action

The web is an action-oriented medium. People want to get things done. Keep that in mind when designing your navigation.

Don’t’ steal content

Surfing great sites for ideas is a long web tradition. Just don’t steal content—that’s copyright infringement.

Facts, not fluff

Ever read a company mission statement? A horrible experience, isn’t it? Customers want useful information. So get a clue and leave out the marketing garbage.

Make it scannable

Online, people don’t read, they scan:

• Break up long paragraphs
• Use bullets and numbered lists
• One topic per paragraph

Headlines and subheads—Yes!

Aid scanning with lots of headlines and subheads. Be clear and obvious; not clever, funny, or ironic. Research shows 6-8 words best conveys your point.

Links that work

How about links? Use keywords to telegraph what’s on the next page. 7-12 words gives  customers enough to make good choices. Make sure the next page delivers on the promise.

Graphics

Graphics can add visual interest to the sea of words on most web pages. Good graphics offer new information that’s related to the text; they do not merely repeat the text.

Use a call to action today!

Too many web pages leave customers hanging without a next step. So include a call to action on every page. Download a whitepaper, order a service, get product support as examples.

Delete!

Ruthlessly delete unnecessary content.

Spell check

Spell checking is like wearing a seatbelt: you’re a numbskull if you don’t.

Contact information

Many webmasters say contact and support information is highly valued by customers. Include it on each page.

Test!

Going live without usability testing is begging to fail. Build testing into your development process and budget. You won’t regret it.

Try these books

• Content Critical by Gerry McGovern and Rob Norton
• Designing for the Scent of Information by Jared Spool et al
• Don’t’ Make Me Think by Steve Krug

Copper Sun has written hundreds of headlines over the years. Some good, some great, and some best not remembered.

But that’s how it works: write many headlines to pick just a few. Here are some facts you should know about writing headlines that reach customers.

Headlines matter

Five times as many people read headlines as read body copy. So make them count!

Long ain’t bad…

It’s a myth that customers won’t read long headlines. Research shows long headlines that are crafted well can outperform shorter ones.

…But no blind headlines

Blind headlines do not mention the product, company, benefit, offer, promise—anything of value to customers. Toss them out.

Humor is hard

Writing humor is a difficult task best reserved for specialists.

‘You,’ ‘FREE,’ ‘now’

Use the most magical three words in advertising.

Localize

If possible, mention the local city or region in your headline.

Three headlines that work

1. Promise useful information

Most people love to learn something new. Give them tips, advice, facts. Not convinced? Then why are your reading this?

2. Self-interest with curiosity

An element of curiosity mixed with customers’ self-interest tend to pull well.

3. News

Headlines with news tend to do well. Use words like ‘announcing’ or ‘introducing.’

A note on shock value

Many writers mistakenly try to shock readers with clever, snarky, or gotcha  headlines. Shock may get attention, but customers oftentimes feel empty afterward (or worse, betrayed) .

Motivate with time limits

Setting a time limit on an offer is a proven way to get customers to act.

Specifics work better than generics

Vague generalities rarely do well with customers. Be specific by using facts, data, and real numbers. And avoid claims like Quality you can’t beat’ or ‘Experts in Auto Repair.’

“Add some quotes”

Research shows putting quotes around a headline increases reader recall by 28%.

Mention your brand

The headline may be the only part of an ad customers read, so try to include the brand.

Hiring freelance copywriters can seem like a shot in the dark. So, how can you measure writing skill and professionalism? Here is some free advice on hiring a good copywriter.

Read the copy!

Many hiring managers actually skip reading the prospect’s copy. Bad idea, you’re hiring a writer — yes? Check these four areas.

Simple concepts?

Writing clear messages depends upon clear thinking — and simple concepts.Headlines

Headlines are by far the most crucial part of ad writing. Do they work? (Watch for blind headlines that don’t mention the product, brand, company, offer, etc.)

The lead matters too

After headlines, the lead sentence is critical — and tough to get right. Do the prospect’s leads pique your interest?

Facts, not claims

Good copywriters prove points with facts, not claims. Spot a claim by its reliance on unfounded opinion and squishy language.

Check backgrounds

Besides evaluating writing skills, a hiring manager should check backgrounds. Consider these six tips.

Talk to references

Ask: Was he or she on time? Worth the rate? Would you hire him or her again?

Any sales experience?

Advertising copywriting is sales, not literature. Give the prospect a plus if they have sales experience.

Journalism?

Journalism teaches writers to ask the right questions. That’s valuable for nailing messages and crafting story appeal.

Do degrees matter?

Maybe…but writing experience matters more.

Smile at…

A tidy website and resume, a professional manner and dress, returned phone calls and emails, hand-written thank-you cards.

…But avoid

Packed schedules, unreasonable demands, personal turmoil. And always trust your instincts.

Before they arrive

Get organized! Make sure his or her assignments are clear. Designate supervisors, workspace, and schedules. And provide the resources needed to succeed.

Should you sign a contract?

Yes, always. Contracts protect both parties from each other—and from third parties.

Evaluate

When the writer’s assignment is finished, evaluate them. Did they complete their assignment? Was their writing good? What about their professionalism?

Hire their friends

If you’re happy with your writer, ask him or her to recommend other professionals.