CLASSIFICATION OF ADVERTISEMENT COPY

It is true that copy writing is an art and the copywriter has a very important role to play in advertising creativity. Copy writing does not admit any stereotyped rules and classification. There are various styles in which a copy can be prepared and presented. The following types of copy may be studied-

1. Descriptive Copy – This type of copy describes the pertinent and relevant characteristics features of the product. It is very simple and of non-technical nature. It does not have any specialty which can attract the attention of the target consumers or may compel them to read it. It is very much similar to a press account or news item simply giving relevant information to the public without any stylish touch

2. Scientific Copy – Such types of copies are technical in nature and generally used by drugs and pharmaceutical firms elaborating the propositions of properties and constituents of the product. It provides full information about the product and the producer. This type of copy is usually meant for professional or for those who are really interested in such types of information.

3. Institutional Copy – Institutional advertisement copy aims at selling the name of the advertiser or the institution that is producing or selling the products or services. The main objective of such type of advertisements is to create, maintain or increase the goodwill of the product or of brand or of the department or of the selling house as a whole, Institutional copy invites the target consumers to the selling outlet. Such a copy seeks to build goodwill through publicizing the policies, customer services, Conveniences and general features of superiority of the store over the rivals.

4. Topical Copy – Herein and attempts is made to appeal to the general public by linking the theme of the copy with some current event but it should not look absurd. It commands a good deal of interest because of that sensational event which lives in the minds of the public.

5. Reason why Copy – This type of advertisement copy offers the readers reasons why they should buy the advertised goods. It narrates the positive points of difference from other brands of the same product category in an endeavour to convince the reader from product’s qualitative aspect. It directs its appeal to the intellect or judgment rather than to emotions or senses. It substantiates the superiority of the merchandise with the tests performance. Records testimonials, guarantees or construction data.

6. Human Interest Copy – It makes its appeal to the emotions and the senses rather than to the intellect and judgment. Sympathy fear, bonus, curosity and other emotional appeals like appeals to the senses of sight hearing touch taste, and smell are used in such type of copy. Human interest copy presents the product in relation to people instead of confirming to facts about product. As emotions are many and always new it may be made more exciting an artful than reason why copy. It affords a refreshing change. Human interest copy can take various forms:-

• Humorous Copy - It exploits the sense of humor of the people. It turns the reader laughter. All examples and statements in such copy are fully to make the reader smile.
• Fear Copy - It appeals to the sense of fear and arouses the interest of people to save their lives, properties and other belongings. Such copy of advertisement should be drawn carefully so that it may not carry an unpleasant association of readers’ minds with the advertiser’s product of business Lifer Insurance Corporation General Insurance Companies and Bank generally use this type of copy.
• Story Copy - In such a copy a story is narrated me a very interesting manner to create manner to create an impression in the minds of the people about the product. Its ability to create interest depends upon dramatic impact it produces. Experience of customers can also be narrated in the story.
• Predicament Copy – It is often used to advantage when it shows an article of merchandise in a case that provides a dramatic explanation of its advantages. Predicament copy usually overlaps the other three kinds of human interest copies

7. Colloquial copy or Conversational Copy – The colloquial copy presents the message in the way of conversation. It uses an informal language and conversation takes place in terms of ‘I’ and ‘You’ with personal reference to reader and the advertiser. In such copy the style is one of a personal talk or one of an eyewitness account.

8. Personality Copy - This copy attempts to encase the opinion of personality – real or imaginary – about the product. Usually the personality is real. The photograph of the personality (a person specialized to concerned field) is given with the text of the copy with a view to convince the readers through the moral influence of his name. Invariably, such copy shows a certificate or a testimonial of such influential person.

9. Prestige Copy - This pattern is usually for in institutional advertising which aims at creating an atmosphere about the product or the firm and may not directly advise the product for sale. Such a copy is occasionally used and is very much similar to the personality copy in impression which also strives to enhance the prestige of the advertising firm indirectly by visualizing the name of the eminent personality.

10. Educational Copy – The copy is designed to educate the general public about the attributes of the product. Usually introductory appeal is made in this style when the product is introduced in the market for the first time; it is the duty of every producer or advertiser to tell everything relevant about the product to the public in such a manner that it may get a warm welcome among customers. Such an advertisement copy depicts the specialties to the product category. The advertiser may insist only one or two attributes of the product which is more sensational such as introduction of a low priced item without the loss of quality or a product developed from a new technology indigenous or imported etc.

11. Suggestive Copy - A suggestive copy tries to suggest or convey the message to the readers directly or indirectly to pursue them to purchase the product. It is useful where the reader is confused about the quality of a product brand and is not in a position to take a decision about the purchase of the product.

12. Expository Copy – Just opposite of suggestive copy it expository copy. It does not conceal anything about the product but exposes. The message is quite clear and it needs no inference, no taxing on mind, no thinking, Even a cursory glance rakes it quite easy to remembers or to pick – up.

13. Questioning copy – Questioning copy as the term suggests. In Corporate a series of questions expected to be answered by them readers. The advertiser puts no narration, statement or reason of its own in order to pursue the readers to buy the product. The question arouses the curiosity in the minds of the readers and makes them think of it. Thus there are various types of copies of advertisement on the basis of their style of presentation.