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How to Know When You`ve Done a Good Ad   by Walter Burek 

HOW TO KNOW WHEN YOU`VE DONE A GOOD AD.

A good ad is a marvelous, magical thing. An object of emotion as well as intellect. A work of art.

Once you`ve done one, you know what a good ad can do. Turn nerves taut. Make fellows mellow. Raise eyebrows or raise hopes. Inspire or intimidate or influence. Impart information that motivates action.

A great copywriter once wrote, `A good ad is like a good sermon: It not only comforts the afflicted, it also inflicts the comfortable.`

But the question of the moment is this: How do you know -- before a single living colleague, client or consumer has laid eyes on it -- that you`ve done a good ad? That it`s the right time to stop all the thinking, talking, writing, doodling and designing. The right time to click on `save` and call a meeting?

It ain`t easy, knowing that moment. Because a good ad isn`t like the 99-yard run kickoff return that everybody in the stadium can follow as it turns into a touchdown. Or the 4th of July fireworks display that gets everyone oohing and aahing in unison.

A good ad is hard to recognize. Often because it`s hiding in blah advertising meetings and windy memos. Lost in dim product descriptions and lengthy creative briefs. Or even gone missing inside another ad.

A good ad is difficult to get your hands on. Like a glob of mercury on a glass tabletop. Slippery and elusive. (On the other hand, Leo Burnett said, `I have learned that any fool can write a bad ad, but it takes a real genius to keep his hands off a good one.`)

A good ad will sometimes show itself when you least expect it. While you`re in the shower, at a movie, listening to the latest from Eminem, or having a couple of quiet beers. Sometimes, even when you`re working on something else.

Every now and then, a good ad will sneak up on you from out of the blue. Or from within yourself. A dream, a hunch, a personal experience. David Ogilvy, in The Art of Writing Advertising, wrote: `Some of the good (ads) I have done have really come out of the real experience of my life, and somehow this has come over as true and valid and persuasive.`

A good ad is a subject about which you`ll hear a lot of views. A lot of people will tell you an ad is good if it wins awards. Some will say a good ad is one that `sells product.` Others will say an ad is good only if it `tests well.` And more cynical others will say a good ad is `any ad the client buys.`

John Caples, who created enough good ads in his career to get him into the Copywriters` Hall of Fame and the Advertising Hall of Fame, opined that `... you`re almost sure to have a good ad, if you come up with a good headline.` And Bill Bernbach of Volkswagen `Lemon` fame believed that good ads are often the ones that `take chances.`

Still, while all the preceding identifiers may be interesting, they are all descriptors after the fact. None of them tells you how to know, at the moment you`ve done it, that you have done a good ad. How do you decide when to take this beast you`ve created and lock it up in a cage for all the rest of the world to see?

Two little words: Your gut.

Intangible, unsupportable, unprovable. But unbeatable.

You may be suspicious of it, but you know it`s never failed you. You can`t evaluate it easily or readily define it but, deep down, you know you can`t ignore it.

You know a good ad when you know it in your gut. And that`s an easy thing to know.

(c) Burek Group 2002

Author Info:

Walter is a professional advertising copywriter who writes, edits and publishes `Words @ Work`, a FREE bimonthly newsletter of advice and information about writing that works. To view his award-winning portfolio and to subscribe visit www.walterburek.com. You may also subscribe to Words@Work via e-mail to: walter@walterburek.com

 
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