ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

Life cut your boy some slack.

Isn’t it enough?

You spared others for less,

why eyes on me, pray tell?

Whisper through the wind or convey while I sleep.

Can’t you notice my uneasy walk?

Can’t you hear my stuttering talk?

Can’t you see my dried tears?

I implore, stop.

Don’t make me your favorite,

that badge carries hell lot of pain.

THE LAST THANK YOU

‘Thank you,’ before the phone disconnected.

I see abyss.

Failure.

ZEROING ON THE HEADLINE THAT SELLS.

A compelling copy has only one purpose - to get the next sentence read by the reader. So it becomes imperative that you capture the attention of your reader from the headline, as it is said, that on average, 8 out of 10 people will read your headline copy, but only 2 out of 10 will read the rest.

The headline is your first impression you make on a reader, effectiveness of which determines whether you are able to place your reader; once they become your prospective client, on the slippery slide that compels them to take more time to read. As a good headline not only tells its reader what a story is about, but also captures their interest and makes them want to read on. Now that you understand the power of headline, it is important that you know some of the don’ts that you need to remind yourself while working on your headline, they are, don’t be clever, don’t get desperate, don’t forget your reader, and don’t settle for just any headline.

A persuasive headline; is clear, demands attention, caters to its reader, and always tries to push the envelope, betters your odds of beating the competition and getting what you have written read by large number of people. Your headline is a promise to the reader which clearly communicates the benefits you will deliver to the reader in exchange for their valuable time. Although headline writing is a difficult skill to master, but there are some tool which are polished over the years that can come in handy while you struggle to come up with your unique copy headline.

Before starting, you need to first clear the misunderstanding that a headline must be short, this notion is faulty, just have a look at two of the most iconic headlines; David Ogilvy’s New Rolls- Royce and John Caples’s They laughed when.., hope these headlines dispels the notion once and for all.

A simple ‘How to,’ headline structure is powerful because the reader gets benefit number one right after ‘How to’ with another benefit following the word, ‘and’ this works because reader love information that show the How to do so, just remember the plethora of book title that start with ‘How to.’ Another important structure is the ‘Question headline’, which automatically gets your reader involved in the copy, as the headline taps into the reader’s problem and the headline is a pill that fixes the problem. Starting a headline with ‘Who else wants,’ is a classic social proof strategy that implies an already existing consensus desire, in the same vein, ‘The secret of,’ headline works on the principle that you have some information or inside knowledge that will benefit the reader, this process becomes doubly effective when the message is coming from an expert.

‘Here is a method that is helping...to...,’ structure feed on reader’s desire to have more information that helps them in leading a comfortable life. Similarly, ‘The little known way,’ is an intriguing way of accompanying the job of getting an enticing copy headline done. A classic structure, ‘Get rid of....once and for all,’ zeroes on either a painful problem or an unfulfilled desire that the reader wants to get rid of. Generally reader’s love, ‘Here’s a quick way to,’ headline structure, when the choice of solving their life’s problem arises.

Who doesn’t like, ‘Now you can have...,’ and ‘Have ...you can be proud of/ build a ...you can be proud of,’ headline structure that targets reader’s vanity, dissatisfaction or shame. The ‘What everybody ought to know about,’ headline not only draws the reader’s curiosity, but also throws a challenge for the reader to go ahead and see for them self whether there is something that they are missing in their life. The ‘Testimonial headline,’ go a long way in doing the selling, as they not only answers the questions that spur up in the reader’s mind, but also provide proof and evidence that support your claim.

A ‘Command headline,’ is one which tells reader’s what to do work best when you turn your most important benefit into a calling statement and use as a headline. Similarly, ‘Exciting news headline,’ comes in use when you have something big to announce that is of interest to your reader. Headline with ‘Special offer,’ and ‘Free offer,’ makes the reader to take action, because every reader loves a bargain.   

The ‘Alert headline,’ work on the principle that the reader is scanning for something of interest and will only be stopped by something that is relevant to them. An important headline, ‘Fear of loss,’ works on the principle that, reader’s fear of losing something is greater than the desire for gain. Another, headline in similar vein, ‘The lazy...way to...,’ never fails to work as no reader likes to think of them self as lazy, but everyone like to save time and effort.  In the same way, ‘Do you recognize the ...early warning sign of...,’ headline structure not only helps the reader in wanting to avoid problems, but also promises the critical tips before it is too late. And finally, ’See how you can...,’ headline structure is very effective as readers love quick and easy ways to make their life comfortable by learning something new or gaining some advantage.   

In summation, your headline must be useful to the reader, provide urgency, convey the idea how your main idea is unique and make the reader take action of your choice. 

Learning how to write a great headline is absolutely critical, practice it diligently. So the next time you sit down to come up with your engaging headline, make sure you have plenty of time for experiments. As a compelling headline determines the effectiveness of your complete piece. 

Now it is your turn to create some brilliant headlines.

THE SECRET TO GETTING THE ADVERTISEMENT COPY RIGHT

                         

A great advertisement copy can make or break an advertisement campaign, where the right words can influence the consumer’s mind.

When persuading someone to buy a thing the most natural way is to describe it with glowing adjective, whereas the most effective approach is to explain its most indisputable facts or to provide visual proof. To see great advertisement is an education and a very important part of knowing what the industry is about. But the point of a finished advertisement is to present everything of importance in a compact manner; however, it is not designed to give clues as to how it was produced. A great idea takes less than a second to occur, but which seconds it occurs in can’t be known at the outset. So it becomes necessary to understand that the most unorthodox of ideas are the product of a slow moving train of logic, because an idea can be powerful and successful, but the process of nurturing it is no short term course. The essence of copy writing is indeed mundane everyday language, but it is imperative to appreciate that the art of writing advertising is not writing only, but thinking also.

Getting noticed is the first job of any advertisement, and for that copy writing must be done effectively, which is half skill and half tools, half science and half art. The science and tool takes the bigger chunk, while a skill is developed over time by experienced copywriter, but a tool can be used by anyone experienced or otherwise, take a tool and apply it to a market and see its result. These tools are the components of a effective copy, have been tested, refined  and honed over many decades in the intensely competitive world of  business copy writing and advertising, to ward of that dreaded feeling of being faced with a blank page or a blinking cursor, and have no idea of how or where to begin.

The first subject to think about or talk is the target audience; say for example the target audience is young people or teenagers; one may be tempted to think of them as a general mass of youth, possibly tainted with one’s prejudices. This form of reasoning may lead to talk to them in a generalized way, the end point maybe that this signals the advertisements intention to speak to a certain group of people, but won’t single out the advertisement from all the product messages from the competition, as each one of them uses the same strategy, so it becomes imperative to pinpoint the target audience, down to the basics like, what he or she wears, what he or she does in the evening, what he or she do for recreation etc. This helps in narrowing down the market, and the advertisement don’t have to shout or be to general, as the advertisement talks the language of its audience, and is guaranteed a hear or a watch or a read.

A way to understand the target audience is to read the newspapers and the magazines they read, but this is not the moment to start writing the copy, because to start a war cry that others adapt as their own takes time. Research more than needed on the subject, because if the research is according to the first impressions of a project or preconceived ideas, then the end product will be restrained by the limits of conformity, so it is always better to research broadly, as this in-depth information will inform the writing and mystify the target audience or who ever goes through it with the thought, what a novel piece of work.   

Now although loaded with information, but this is still not the right time to start writing the advertisement, however, it is ok to jot down any spontaneously idea that comes to mind. The reason to hold back is to ensure that the right thing is being said, so choose wisely. Here an important point is to be noted, say one thing and one thing only. This does not refer to the headline or the content of the body copy, but to the main underline message that needs to be projected accurately.  Take the help of the planners and the account managers to research some more. At this stage it is important to go find answers to three questions, what is the context? Given the context, what is the advertisement saying? And given what the advertisement is saying, what is the end-line? Where the end-line is the rudder throughout the creative process, most brands come with an end-line in place; even then it is important to consider the end-line, if nothing else, just to anchor the conceptual work.  

Now is the right time to write the copy, because the background, the target audience, the information from the brief and the end point, are all apparent. Try to find an objective fact about the product that can be a reason for the prospective audience to buy, as facts speaking for themselves are more convincing. At this stage, that elusive big idea is still missing. Why? The reason may be that the ideas are right headed and not simple enough. In copy, simple means, that idea that grabs attention in a completely new way. However, the route to simplicity is the key transition to make in order to move up from well worded publicity to outstanding advertisement. The degree of simplicity in communication is the whole job.

  

This is where the actual writing begins; the headline is the most important element in advisement, if there is no selling in the headline the purpose of the advertisement is dented hugely. Use the headline to flag down the target audience, and inversely do not say anything in the headline that is likely to exclude audience that might be prospects of the advertisement. A headline should appeal to the target audiences self interest, as they are more likely to read the body copy if the headline arouses curiosity, it is important to understand  that the lure of a great headline is to make the audience read the next line.

When writing the body copy, pretend that the harshest one among the target audience is sitting in front, and the copy is to convert that critic into an amiable sympathizer of the product. So get straight to the point and start selling avoiding superlatives, generalizations and platitudes, be specific, factual, enthusiastic, friendly and memorable. A question might spur up, how long should be the copy? Well one answer is, both long copy and short copy can serve the purpose. Another answer is that the length of the copy depends on the product, but the length of the copy should not undermine the main aim of any copy, long or short, every copy should be a sales pitch for the product, because it is unrealistic to assume that the target audience will read a series of advertisements for the same product. A copy should include testimonials, as the target audience finds it easier to believe the endorsement of a fellow user, rather than believe the powdery words of some copywriter. Another important point is to give the target audience helpful advice or service. And resist the temptation to write advertisement that just entertains or is written to win awards, because most of the advertisement that produce results never wins awards, as they don’t draw attention to themselves, well expectations are always there.  

Nobody cares about why the product is supposedly awesome, all what the prospective audience cares about, what is in it for me? So the copy must be full of benefits, how the product is going to make their lives easier. At this point the prospective audience has transformed into an interested consumer as the copy has captured their attention long enough to kindle their desire, only the closing is remaining, this is done by a good call to action, where the copy needs to ask them to take some kind of specific action. An effective advertisement helps to sell and persuade their reader or viewer to take an action or change an existing viewpoint.

To write an advertisement copy properly requires far more application and hard work than seems necessary at first sight, that’s because, it is.

TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF LOVE

Shakuntala a personification of love

Kalidas, one of the great dramatists of Indian classical literature bases his creations on the themes from epic history. Abhijnanasakuntalam, also known as Shakuntala, his best creation is taken from, The Mahabharata; although his creation deviates from its source at various places.

The play, which unfolds in seven acts and rich in creative imagination, best portrays the Indian philosophy of immortality of true love. Kalidas places his story in a mythic past where men are capable of moving with the Gods, and heavenly beings make love with the mortals. Two contrasting worlds, Shakuntala’s world of nature of pure love, and the King Dushayanta’s urban world of deceit, are put forth.

Kalidas initiates the characters attraction through lust. For Dushayanta, Shakuntala is an object of pleasure. And in the case of Shakuntala; Sage Kanva encounters Shakuntala in wilderness among śhakuntas (bird) hence the name, it is surrender to Dushayanta under the natural and irresistible impulse of youth. They consummate their love according to the moral and ethical values of the society, after Gandharva marriage. But it is the main characters mutual suffering as they pass through various trials put forth them that elevate their love from the physical charm to moral beauty. Kalidas does not provide the resolution in either of the two planes; world of nature or urban world, but takes the characters to a higher place that is inaccessible to mortals.

The author places their spiritual union at Sage Kasyapa’s hermitage; entering which Dushayanta is only deem fit after gaining the merits of protecting Indira in the war against the demons, and admits before Shakuntala; the daughter of Apsara Menaka and Sage Vishvamitra. Kanva’s hermitage; the place for characters physical union as well as Kasyapa’s hermitage are both holy places, signifying the importance of the unions.

Kalidas does not hold Dushayanta to fault, but points to the twist of fate and Shakuntala’s negligence for Sage Durvasa’s curse. It is the effect of the curse which blocks Dushayanta memory resulting in Shakuntala’s life of suffering bearing a fatherless child. Throughout the play, Shakuntala, child of nature, is perfectly happy amid nature and even after Dushayanta’s ill treatment; it is nature again which provides her solace in the form Sage Kasyapa’s hermitage.

At this juncture, the royal signet ring plays a very significant role in the play, as it is the only proof of Shakuntala’s marriage with Dushayanta. The fisherman finds the ring and presents it to Dushayanta. Kalidas advances the play showing for the first time Dushayanta in grief, as the re-emergence of the ring nullifies Durvasa’s curse resulting in Dushayanta remembrances of Shakuntala. Each passing moment heightens the anguish of separation. It is this turmoil that elevates Dushayanta’s physical love to the stature of moral love.   

True love and happiness is finally Shakuntala’s who after a life time of misfortunes; abandon at infancy by parents, husband’s failure to recognize and ascetics refusal to accept, finds contentment at the end of the play after reconciling with husband, King Dushayanta. It is finally happy ending for Shakuntala, with husband and son.   

Kalidas’s creation is a testimony to the height of romance and the lovesick hero and heroine passing through the tumultuous of relationship ultimately leading to victory of true love. No one has sung more beautifully about love between man and woman than Kalidas, which Rabindranath Tagore concurs, “Kalidas has shown that while infatuation leads to failure beneficence achieves complete fruition, that beauty is constant only when upheld by virtue, that the highest form of love is the tranquil, controlled and beneficent form, that in the regulation lies the true charm and lawless excess, the speedy corruption of beauty. He refuses to acknowledge passion as the supreme glory of love, he proclaim goodness as the final goal of love. ”