Advertising Writing Techniques
One remarkable fact about the human language is that it conveys both fact and feeling simultaneously.
Language can be used to convey opinion as well as to express facts.
Words can be carefully chosen to “slant” the subject toward one opinion or another. Ads often use these
clever techniques to persuade their listeners.
One thing to remember, however is that advertisers cannot lie without incurring serious legal
ramifications. So, if any product is truly superior, the ad will say so very clearly and will offer some kind
of convincing evidence of its superiority. If an ad hedges at all about a product's superiority, you can
suspect that it is not really superior. You will never hear Mobil (or any other brand) say "Mobil gasoline
in your car gives you 4 miles to the gallon more than any other brand." Mobil would love to make such a
claim, but it simply isn't true. Various brands of gasoline are more alike than different. Although there
have been some clever and deceptive gasoline ads, no one has yet made an outright claim that one brand
of gasoline is better than any other.
To create the illusion of superiority, advertisers often resort to one or more of the following techniques.
Pronouns of Power
Plural pronouns like we, us, our, they, them, and their for example have the ability to suggest group or
institutional authority. Those pronouns can lend a certain degree of authority to an individual writer by
suggesting that the individual has the authority to speak for the entire group or institution as a whole.
When a writer uses a plural pronoun to foster a sense of authority in the readers' minds, those pronouns
are called the pronouns of power. Sometimes simple membership in a group is sufficient to garner group
authority for a writer.
Example:
“We at Allstate are here to help you.” (communicates the idea that Allstate is a large organization that has
the resources to help you.)
Pronouns of Solidarity
Plural pronouns like we, us, our, they, them, and their can also be used to create a sense of closeness and
camaraderie with the readers/listeners. They try to include the listener as part of the group that is
advertising and, perhaps, exclude others.
Example:
Huricane Katrina ads – “We need to come together and help our neighbors in Louisiana.”
Language of Certitude
Words like certainly, of course, obviously, naturally, and clearly are all words of certitude. They
communicate a sense of certainty and confidence within a reader's/listener’s mind. That sense of
confidence can then be exploited by making the reader believe something is true when in fact the writer
has presented no evidence in favor of the claim. If you sound like you know what you’re talking about,
some people will think you really do know what you’re talking about.
Example:
“Obviously the democrats will have a hard time raising money for the next election.”
Slanting
Slanting is to use vocabulary that will elevate your subject or denigrate the other subjects/products. For
example, consider the following words…
Elevating Diction
Jan’s a physician.
Jan’s an attorney.
Neutral Diction
Jan’s a doctor.
Jan’s a lawyer.
Degrading Diction
Jan’s a quack.
Jan’s a shyster.
The Unfinished Technique
This advertising technique is one in which the ad claims that the product is better or has more of
something but does not finish the comparison.
Examples:
"Magnaflux gives you more." (More what?)
"Supergloss does it with more color, more shine, more sizzle, more!"
"Twice as much of the pain reliever doctors recommend most." (Twice as much as what?)
The Weasel Word Technique
Weasel word is a modifier that makes what follows nearly meaningless. The term weasel –word comes
from the habit of weasels of sucking out the inside of a raw egg through a tiny hole. An unsuspecting
person picks up what looks like a whole egg only to find it is empty. Weasel words sound convincing at
first, but upon closer examination turn out to be empty. The most common weasel words include helps,
(perhaps the most used), virtual or virtually, like, (used in a comparative sense), acts or works, can be, up
to, as much as, refreshes, comforts, fights, the feel of'(also the look of), tastes, fortified, enriched,
strengthened.
Examples:
"Helps control dandruff symptoms with regular use." This claim is an accurate statement
about the product. A consumer would be wrong to think the claim is the same as "cures
dandruff."
"Leaves dishes virtually spotless." And unskilled ad reader will remember the claim as being spotless and
not almost ('"virtually") spotless. We hear so many weasel words that we tend to tune them out, which is
exactly what advertisers want.
"Only half the price of many color sets." "Many" is the weasel here. The ad does not claim that this set is
inexpensive, only that the others cost twice as much.
"Made with wool." This phrase does not mean "made entirely out of wool" or "100% wool." It means
only there is some wool in the garment.
"BINGO cereal is part of a nutritious breakfast." This phrase does not mean that BINGO is nutritious. If
you serve pure junk food with milk and fruit, you could still claim it is "part of a nutritious meal.
A special weasel "better" and "best"
The reason so many ads need to use weasel words and the other techniques described here is that they are
parity products. A parity product is one in which most of the brands are nearly identical. Because no one
superior product exists, advertising is used to create an illusion of superiority. The largest advertising
budgets are devoted to such parity products as beer and soft drinks, cigarettes, soaps, and various
drugstore pain remedies.
In parity claims, the words better and best take on unique meanings. In such claims, better means "best"
and best means"as good as." Here's how this word game works: Let's say that in a given product category
there are a number of brands that are alike. Legally the means that each can claim to be best-they are all
"superior." Since they are all equal, they must all be best. So "best" means that the product is as good as
all the other superior products in its category. If one orange juice says "the best there is," this means only
that it is as good as (not better than) any other orange juice on the market. On the other hand, the word
better has been legally interpreted as being comparative and therefore becomes a clear claim of
superiority. That orange juice ad could not legally have claimed "better than any other brand." The only
times "better" can be used are a) if the product is
indeed better than anything else; b) if "better" is actually used to compare the product with something else
("our orange juice is better than powered drinks"); or c) if "better" is part of an unfinished claim ("the
better breakfast drink").
Examples of "better" and "best" weasels:
"Better Shopper brand cocoa is the very best."
"Tests confirm Fresh mouthwash is better against mouth odor."
The "We're Different and Unique" Technique
This states simply that there is nothing else quite like the product advertised. For example, if a lemonade
manufacturer added blue food coloring to its product, it could advertise, "There's nothing like new blue
Tarttaste." The uniqueness claim is supposed to be interpreted by readers as an indication of superiority.
Examples:
"There's no other mascara like it."
"Only Inca has this unique filter system."
"Panther is like nobody else's car."
"Either way, liquid or spray, there's nothing else like it."
"If it doesn't say Goodyear, it can't be Polyglas ®."
"Polyglas" is a trade name that was copyrighted by Goodyear. Other tire manufacturers could make a tire
identical to the Polyglas tire Goodyear marketed, yet they couldn't call it "Polyglas"- a registered
trademark for fiberglass belts.
The "Water is Wet Technique
"'Water is wet" ads say something about the product that is true for any brand in that product category,
such as, "Smith's water is really wet." The claim is usually a statement of fact but not a real advantage
over the competition though it is made to sound like one.
Examples:
"The Detergent gasoline." True of any gas
"Brasilia: The 100% Brazilian Coffee." Most American brands import coffee from Brazir.
"Super Lash greatly increases the diameter of every lash." Any mascara does
"Friendly Persuasion Perfume smells differently on everyone." As does all perfume.
The Vague Technique
This technique is simply not clear; this category often overlaps others. The key to the vague ad or
commercial is the use of words that are colorful but meaningless as well as the use of subjective and
emotional opinions that defy verification. Most of these ads contain weasels.
Examples;
"Lips have never looked so luscious." Can you imagine trying to either prove or disprove such a claim?
"Lipslicks are fun—they taste good, smell good, and feel good."
"Its deep rich lather makes hair feel new again."
"For skin like peaches and cream."
"For hair that attracts."
"Take a bite and you'll think you're eating on the Champs Elysees."
The Endorsement or Testimonial
This technique uses a celebrity or authority in an ad to lend his or her stellar qualities to the product.
Sometimes the people actually claim to use the product, but sometimes they don't. Some agencies survive
by providing "names" for testimonials.
Examples:
Model/Actress Cindy Crawford for Pepsi
Michael Jordan for Nike
Candice Bergen for Sprint
A variation on this technique is the "John or Jane Doe" testimonial, where an average person endorses a
product. This approach can be used to convince potential customers that people "just like them" use the
product.
The Scientific or Statistical Technique
This kind of ad refers to some sort of scientific proof or experiments, to very specific numbers, or to an
impressive-sounding mystery ingredient.
Examples:
"Bread helps build strong bodies 12 ways."
Even the weasel helps did not prevent the Federal Trade Commission from demanding that this actual
advertisement be withdrawn. But note that the use of the number 12 makes the claim far more believable
than if it were replaced by—for example—"many ways."
"Mrs. Molly's Oven Cleaner has 33% more cleaning power than another popular brand."
"Another popular brand" translates simply as some kind of oven cleaner sold somewhere. What the claim
probably means is that Mrs. Molly's Oven Cleaner comes in a can that’s larger than the can used by
another brand.
"Special Morning—33% more nutrition."
"Certs contains a sparkling drop of Retsyn."
"Sinarest. Created by a research scientist who actually get sinus headaches."
The “Compliment the Consumer” Technique
This type of ad flatters the consumer.
Examples;
"You've come a long way, baby."
For the real man.
For the special person you are.
The Rhetorical Question
This technique demands a response from the audience. A question is worded so that the viewer's or
listener's answer affirms the product's goodness.
Examples:
"Plymouth—isn't that the kind of car America wants?"
"Shouldn't your family be drinking Hawaiian Punch?"
"What do you want most from coffee? That's what you get most from Hills."
"Touch of Sweden: Could your hands use a small miracle?"
"Wouldn't you really rather have a Buick?"