Response is the goal, the final purpose, of any ad, of all persuasion.

Response is the goal, the final purpose, of any ad, and of all persuasion.
r1. An effective ad must provoke a response.
r2. Persuaders try to make a response easy, simple, and possible.
r3. Persuaders use key "triggering" words and images in ads.
r4. Response can be implied, as in a "soft sell" ad.

r1. An effective ad must provoke a response.

Attention-getting may be the first necessary step, but an effective ad ultimately must provoke a response.

Perhaps any pleasant "soft sell" or "feel good" ad could be explained or justified by its creators as contributing toward some vague, not-measurable goal. Ads may win prizes for being creative, or as clever attention-getters, but may not actually be effective. (Who gives the prizes? Who pays the bills? Do they use the same criteria?)

But, most ads are designed to sell a specific product, during a specific time, at a specific cost-effectiveness.

The basic criteria for judging any persuasion, per se, is pragmatic: does it work? Is it effective?

An ad campaign may be clever and witty; but, if it doesn't sell the product, it isn't effective. Entertainment and information in ads are only means to this end.

r2. Persuaders try to make a response easy, simple, and possible.

Making a response easy, simple, and possible is one of the persuader's most important jobs. Skilled persuaders know that it's not very effective to get people ready to buy, then ask for a complicated or difficult way to respond.

"Impulse buying" has long been used to describe how this idea works in stores which set up displays of products right near the check-out counter where people wait in line. These products are convenient, simple to pick up, and often linked with an urgency plea: On Sale! Buy now!

Direct mail ads have long ago developed some of the most efficient response devices with postage-paid cards and Business Reply Envelopes.

Now, this idea is used with mass media response devices such as online interaction (Click Here), 800 and 900 numbers to call, contests and sweepstakes to enter, and coupons to download. As you surf the net, focus on the online response devices, looking for new variations on the simple "Click Here."

r3. Persuaders use key "triggering" words and images in ads.

-> Some ads use verbs giving an explicit directive, such as:

BUY, GET, TRY, USE, GO, PURCHASE, ORDER, SELECT, JOIN, APPLY, ACT NOW

-> Some ads use verbs explicitly calling for an action with the product, such as:

EAT, TASTE, DRINK, SMOKE, RIDE, FLY, ENJOY, RELIEVE, AVOID.

-> Some ads use verbs explicitly calling for the "first step" of a buying sequence, such as:

CLICK HERE, CALL 800-, GO TO, VISIT YOUR LOCAL DEALER, ASK YOUR DOCTOR, IMAGINE

r4. Response can be implied, as in a "soft sell" ad.

Some "soft sell" ads (without an explicit response directive) imply a response: to buy. For example, most standard products (such as colas, beers, soaps) and established stores use a long-term campaign of favorable "feel good" associations and frequent repetition of their brand name. Thus, any individual "soft sell" ad should be considered in the wider context of the product's whole ad campaign.

Image-Building Ads

A few "feel good" ads have no products to sell and no obvious response. These kinds of public relations messages are seeking a delayed, indirect response in terms of building public "good will." Usually, these corporations or industries want to get the public on their side in relation to government policy decisions (regulations, taxation). These can also be called "image building" ads or "institutional advertising," a form of "conditioning propaganda." (See: "Command and Conditioning Propaganda")

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Response is the goal, the final purpose, of any ad, and of all persuasion. r1. An effective ad must provoke a response. r2. Persuaders try to make a response easy, simple, and possible. r3. Persuaders use key "triggering" words and images in ads. r4. Response can be implied, as in a "soft sell" ad.