How Original Should Your Headlines and Slogans Be?

When trying to come up with an ad slogan or headline, do certain
familiar phrases leap to mind? Phrases that have been used a
million times, like "Three Easy Ways...," "Introducing the New
and Improved...," "Service With a Smile," or others like them?

In an attempt to maintain originality and set your business apart
from its competitors, your first instinct may be to squash these
done to death phrases and go for something fresh and new.

What you need to consider is the reason these cliche, standby
phrases are so frequently used. Advertisers continue to
incorporate overdone phrases into ad copy because they are
effective. And as long as an advertising technique elicits the
desired results, advertisers will use it.

People love their familiar comfort zones so much that it can
difficult for them to go outside those comfort zones. Familiar
advertising phrases and headlines are simply another comfort zone
for your audience. They recognize a phrase and appreciate the
fact that they don't have to think about what you are trying to
communicate. They know exactly what you offer and whether they
want to take advantage of your offer.

Mail-order copywriter John Tighe points out, "We are not in the
business of being original. We are in the business of reusing
things that work."

Advertisers and marketers follow certain rules and reuse old
standbys, not because they can't come up with anything original,
but because old standards continue to prove effective in
thousands of letters, brochures, ads, and commercials.

Now, that doesn't mean that you should just copy what someone
else did word for word. In creating your own advertising copy,
the challenge you face is to take what has worked in the past and
incorporate it into your campaign in a way that is compelling,
memorable, and persuasive.

Your first and most important priority in creating advertising
headlines, slogans, and copy is to sell, not to exercise your
creative genius. But if you can do both at the same time, then
you will have a powerful piece of advertising copy.