— Nestles TV ad, 1955-1965

Farfel the talking dog knew how to communicate.

Simple advertising slogans and jingles from the 1950s and 1960s still resonate with Baby Boomers like me.  They succeeded where today’s more complex and sophisticated messages fail.  Who’s going to remember Verizon Wireless ads fifty years from now?

Attention spans are shorter than ever.  We’re suffering from digital information overload.  That’s why it’s important to make your marketing message simple and memorable.

Advertising’s “Mad Men” of the 1950s may have been the adulterous, boozing louts portrayed in the recent AMC series.  But give them credit for coming up with simple and effective marketing messages.

Remember LSMFT?  (Lucky Strike means fine tobacco.)  You bet you do, if you grew up in the 50s or 60s.

Today’s business owners and marketers should avoid complex marketing messages.  Clever ads can go right over your audience’s head — just like a 1960s French movie.

Listen to Farfel the talking dog.  Keep your message simple and memorable.

Maybe then they’ll be singing it 50 years from now. 

Objectivity — An outside consultant can provide the impartiality and fresh approach that’s often needed in marketing materials.

Talent — Freelance writers have developed their talent from working for different clients on a variety of projects.

Expertise — Many freelance writers have developed expertise in specific industries or mediums.

Saving Money — Businesses pay freelancers only for work completed. Employers do not have to pay for employee vacations, benefits, and sick time.

Flexibility — A business can assign different projects to various freelancers, utilizing the best talent for each project. Businesses do not have to make the same long-term commitments they must make with full-time employees.

This famous Variety headline grabbed the attention of millions in the 1930s and embodies the first rule of successful copywriting — get your reader’s attention.

The techniques used to get the reader’s attention have changed greatly since the thirties. Today, we rely more heavily upon graphics to influence readers, but the rule still stands.

The second rule of good copywriting is hold your reader’s attention by offering something he wants or needs. That’s why certain words and concepts — sex, free, new — are effective in marketing. Of course, we’re assuming that the writer knows what his reader wants or needs, and this need to understand the reader separates copywriting from other forms of writing.

The third rule of effective copywriting is understand who your reader is (e.g., sex, race, age), what he wants and needs, what he’s willing to accept, and what motivates him. Good copywriting does not begin with the writer’s clever idea or phrase — it begins with this understanding of his target audience.

The fourth rule of good copywriting is never reinvent the wheel. The copywriter must build upon the knowledge and experience of others. The writer should understand relevant research and trends, how competitors market their products, and what words or phrases are effective. The copywriter must do his homework.

The fifth rule of effective copywriting is get feedback about the effectiveness of the message. This allows the writer to improve future copywriting efforts.

This is the stuff of good copywriting — understanding what the reader wants or needs, getting and holding his attention, and getting feedback about the effectiveness of the message.