#OUJ3700Headlines

Headline overview• Tell them what you’re going to tell them.• Tell them.• Tell them what you told them.

Headline overview• Headlines are telling them what

you’re going to tell them.• If you do well with a headline, you

don’t need to do anything else.• If you mess this up, you won’t get a

chance to tell them and tell them what you told them.

Headline overviewthe first two things we notice are…..

•Color•Shape• Create headline that are design

friendly.• If they aren’t, make them.

Headline overview 1. You will spend lots of time

thinking about them.2. Most of your ideas won’t be

good.3. They magically appear.4. This is a failure-based business.

It’s OK.

Writing tips• Write for the headline skimmers.

• Your readers are busier thank you think.• Winning ads combine good headlines

with good illustrations.• Some look for copy.• Some look at pretty pictures.• The best meshes both.

Writing tips• Direct headlines

•Use one or more sales features to attract attention to the product.

• Indirect headlines •Grab attention in order to keep you reading.

8 kind of headlines• Slogal/label/logotype• News• Emotional• Direct Benefit• Directive• Offbeat• Curiosity• Hornblowing

The fastballuse 75% of the time

slogan/label/logo

• Better for more established brands.• Better for name recognition.• Better when the brand is the story.

• Guts, Glory, Ram• Just Do It

• Most companies can’t rely on a logo.• Company logo should be in every spot.

8 kind of headlinesnews

• This is a workhorse• No-nonsense• Focus on new• Make sure it’s believable

8 kinds of headlinesnews

• Doctors prove 4 out of 5 children have healthier teeth using Crest.

8 kind of headlinesemotional

• Empower the reader• Accuracy matters. Not everything is

life and death.• Create a direct benefit to your

action.• Show that a direct benefit comes

from using your product.

8 kind of headlinesemotional

• Only you can prevent forest fires!

8 kind of headlinesdirect benefit

• Create a direct benefit to your action.• Show that a direct benefit comes from

using your product.• Q-Vel prevents nighttime leg cramps

8 kind of headlinesdirect benefit

• Q-Vel prevents nighttime leg cramps

Indirect headlinesuse sparingly 25%

8 kind of headlinesdirective

• Don’t ask, demand.• Exercise more in less time!• Don’t let this child go hungry!• Stop a burglary before it starts.

• How many like being ordered around all the time?

• We overuse this. The sky isn’t always falling.

8 kind of headlinesoffbeat

• These are indirect• These play off puns • Jokes aren’t funny when the audience

doesn’t pay attention• Roads Scholar (for a car)

8 kind of headlinesoffbeat

• Connect to art.• Rush hour traffic in New Zealand

8 kinds of headlinescuriosity

• Tell just enough of a story to pique reader interest.• The most interesting man in the world.• Hartmann has an interesting angle on luggage…the right

angle.

8 kinds of headlinescuriosity

• At Saab, we call this a beautiful car.• Remember attention span. Don’t

confuse your reader.

8 kinds of headlineshornblowing

• Only use when you are the best.• Added source validation is key.• This can be a dicey legal

process; be aware that will slow down the project timeline.

8 kinds of headlineshornblowing

• Best Chicken Wings: Wings Over Athens

New headline writing theory via @grinergreat for content marketing• Headlines must be shareable.• Think about how you will make me want to know

more. • This means being personal and insightful.• It doesn’t mean selling. • You need to be provocative.• You need to deliver the goods.• This isn’t easy to manage.