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Effective Advertising: Design The Ad For Easy Reading
by Jack Semlar
Readex Research
Effective ads strike a balance between form and function to attract readers and welcome them into the sales story. If, at a glance, readers believe they’ll have to work hard to understand an ad’s message, odds are they’ll just skip it. The good news is that a little can go a long way when it comes to designing an ad for easy reading.
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This new campaign with disruptive visuals was designed to raise awareness of the expanded capabilities Pitney Bowes has beyond the mailroom. GyroHSR developed the campaign, executed in print and online with a robust thought-leadership portal as the destination, which won the BMA Pro-Comm Award for best corporate/brand/integrated total communications program. |
A number of techniques contribute to an ad’s readability. As expected, much of the focus is on the text itself. Large copy allows a wider range of people to easily read the sales message. Remember, not everyone has as good of eyesight as you do. If someone struggles to read an ad, they just get frustrated and move on.
Choose a clear typeface and use ornamental fonts sparingly. Certain typestyles are only meant to be accents on a page. If you make the mistake of setting your sales story in an inappropriate typeface, readability will plummet.
Any color behind an ad’s copy shouldn’t overpower the words. The key is contrast. When using tint backgrounds, make sure the hue is very light and the text is very dark. While reverse type can provide impact to an ad, it must use a very dark background or it sacrifices readability.
Cut down on ad clutter and avoid overwhelming readers by putting ample space, or leading, between the lines. Be as concise as possible to keep your copy short.
Get your point across, but do it as quickly as possible. Too much information can drive a reader away. Hit the high points and, if necessary, offer a Web page address that provides additional details. If you have a lot to say and feel you have to tell all of it in your ad, use subheads, bullets, and tables to organize the information in an inviting layout.
An ad needs to get its point across in a manner that won’t overwhelm readers. As a result, if an ad’s objective is to inform the reader about anything, readability shouldn’t be sacrificed in order to appeal to the readers’ eyes. By balancing style and substance, an ad can work towards meeting all of its objectives.
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Jack Semler
2251 Tower Drive West
Stillwater, MN 55082
800-873-2339
651-439-1554
Fax: 651-439-1564