I. Put the following landmarks in the history of advertising in correct order according to the dates.

1. The first exterior advertising was used on street railways	a. 1900
2. The first handbill was launched	b. 1830’s
3. The National Outdoor Advertising Bureau	c. 1925
4. The International Bill Posters' Association	d. 1796
5. U.S. Billboard Origins	e. 1850
6. Tobacco advertising was banned on broadcast media	f. 1999
7. The illustrated poster became a reality	g. 1450’s
8. Outdoor is used for anti-smoking campaing	h. 1870’s
9. Name Change to OAAA	i. 1990
10. The National Bill Posters’ Association was formed	j. 1890’s
11. Tobacco advertising is banned on outdoor	k. 1915
12. Standardization of Billboard Structure	l. 1972

 

II. Find English equivalents to the following Russian words and word-combinations in the text. Remind of the situation in which the word or word-combination was used.

Рекламный листок; наружная реклама; афиша; рекламный щит; реклама о коммунальных услугах; объявление; объединение; рекламодатель; принять законопроект; шоссе, связывающее разные штаты; место сбора; доход от рекламы; несовершеннолетний подросток.

 

III. Answer the following questions.

1. What was the first form of outdoor advertising?

2. What was the purpose of forming the International Bill Posters’ Association of North America?

3. What were the names of big advertisers in 1900?

4. What was the result of the standardized bill structure’s creation?

5. Why was the Traffic Audit Bureau established?

6. What did French outdoor company JCDecaux invent? What role does this invention play in advertising?

7. What did the Highway Beautification Law control? What did it require from states?

8. What was the purpose of the Institute of Outdoor Advertising’s campaign? What results did it bring?

9. How did digital technology transform the advertising industry?

10. What advertising formats do outdoor companies offer?

11. What does the abbreviation OAAA stand for?

 

IV. Express your own opinion concerning the following questions and statements.

1. How do you think the advertising of what products should be banned on outdoor? Give your reasons.

2. What are the most effective formats for outdoor advertising?

3. How can technical progress influence on outdoor advertising industry? What novelties in the industry can appear in the nearest future?

4. How can you evaluate the effectiveness of advertising billboards along streets and highways? Which is more effective to your mind?

5. What is the best place for putting an advertising billboard? Prove your point of view.

 

A Pre-Reading Discussion

What is the most important thing that makes an advertisement effective?

What elements should a print advertisement possess? Name at least eight elements.

What is the first thing you pay attention to in an ad? Why?

EIGHT CRITICAL ELEMENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE PRINT AD

Decide on your communication objective

The communication objective is the essence of your message. If you want to tell people not to eat rutabagas because it's cruel, then that's your communication objective. A precise and well-defined objective is crucial to a good ad. If your objective isn't right on, then everything that follows will be off as well.

Decide on your target audience

Who is your message intended for? If you're speaking to kids, then your language and arguments will have to be understandable to kids. On the other hand, if you're speaking to high income earners (for example, if you're writing an ad to dissuade people from wearing fur coats), then your language will have to be more sophisticated.

Decide on your format

Is it going to be a poster, a half-page magazine ad, or a tiny box in the corner of a newspaper? Make this decision based on the target audience you're trying to reach, and the amount of money you can afford to spend. If you're talking to kids, a poster in one high school will not only cost less, it will actually reach more of your target audience than a full-page ad in the biggest paper in town.

Develop your concept

The concept is the underlying creative idea that drives your message. Even in a big ad campaign, the concept will typically remain the same from one ad to another, and from one medium to another. Only the execution of that concept will change. Typically, an ad is made up of a photograph or a drawing (the “visual”), a headline, and writing (the “copy”).

The visual

Pic. 1.8. Print advertisement

A visual will help to draw attention to your ad. Research indicates that 70% of people will only look at the visual in an ad, and only 30% will read the headline (pic. 1.8). Use photographs instead of illustrations whenever possible. People tend to trust realistic photographs more easily than unrealistic ones. But whether you choose a photograph or an illustration, the most important criteria is that image should be the most interesting one possible and at least half your ad.

The headline

The most important thing to remember here is that your headline must be short, dynamic and must touch the people that read it. Your headline must affect the reader emotionally, either by making them laugh, making them angry, making them curious or making them think. Here's a little tip that might help: try to find an insight or inner truth to the message that you're trying to convey, something that readers will easily be touched by. Taking the rutabagas example once again, you can write a headline like: “Stop Exploiting These Migrant Workers.” Finally, whenever possible, avoid a headline longer than fifteen words. People just don't read as much as they used to.

The copy

If you have forcible arguments, make them. If you have persuasive facts, state them. But don't overwhelm with information. Two strong arguments will make more of an impression than a dozen weaker ones. Finally, be clear, be precise, and be honest. Position your copy beneath the headline. Only about 5% of people will read your copy, whereas 30% will read your headline. By positioning your copy near your heading, you create a visual continuity which will draw more people to the information you want to convey (pic. 1.8). Use a serif font for your copy. Those little lines on the letters make the reading easier and more pleasing to the eye.

If you have lots of copy, break it up with interesting subheads, as we've done in the graphic above (pic. 1.8). This will make your ad more inviting, more organized, and easier to read. The signature is where the name of the organization belongs, along with the address and phone number. If you don't have an organization, then think of a name that will help reinforce the message you're trying to convey. Perhaps “Citizens for Fairness to Migrant Rutabagas Pickers” would work for the example we've been using.

Some mistakes to avoid

The first most common mistake is visual mess. Less is always better than more. So if you're not certain whether something is worth including, then leave it out. If your ad is chaotic, people will simply turn the page, and your message will never be read.

The second most common mistake is to have an ad that's unclear or not easily understood (haven't you ever looked at an ad and wondered what it was for?). The best way to safeguard against this is to do some rough sketches of your visual with the headline and show it around. If people aren't clear about your message, then it's probably because your message is unclear. Proofread your ad, and then give it to others to proofread, and then proofread it yet again. Typographical errors diminish your credibility and have an uncanny habit of creeping into ads when you least expect it.

 

a Post-Reading Tasks