More Headline Humor ...

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, headlines are critically important to the success or failure of your ads. Therefore, they demand more of your creative time to make sure you get them just right, unlike the the authors of these article headlines ...

• Juvenile Court To Try Shooting Defendant
• Two Sisters Reunited After 18 Years In Checkout Counter
• Never Withhold Herpes Infection From Loved One
• If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last A While
• Cold Wave Linked To Temperature
• Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead
• Kids Make Nutritious Snacks
• Hospital Sued By 7 Foot Doctors
• Local High School Dropouts Cut In Half
• Ban On Soliciting Dead In Trotwood
• Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges

The red tape must be duct tape. Duct tape will hold anything.

Copyright 2007 by Galen Stilson

Say What? ...

You work and work and work to make sure your marketing copy is easy to understand ... to where it won't be confusing and can't be misunderstood. But, never fear, there will be people out there who will still not get it.

From the files of the California driving exams archive, here are actual answers given to standard questions:

Q. What is the difference between a flashing red traffic light and a flashing yellow traffic light?
A. The color.

Q. What changes would occur in your lifestyle if you could no longer drive lawfully?
A. I would be forced to drive unlawfully.

Q. When driving through fog, what should you use?
A. A car.

Q. Do you yield when a blind pedestrian is crossing the road?
A. What for? He can't see my license plate.

Story moral: Do your best to make your copy as crystal clear as possible ... and accept the fact that there will still be some people who will still be baffled by it.

Copyright 2007 by Galen Stilson

Headline Importance and Humor ...

The headline is the single most important copy component of any print ad. It, by itself, can make the difference between the success or failure of an ad.

Although the following headlines are taken mostly from article headlines and not ad headlines, they clearly illustrate the importance of carefully wording your headlines ... and saying precisely what you mean.

• Police Begin Campaign To Run Down Jaywalkers
• Drunk Gets Nine Months In Violin Case
• Iraqi Head Seeks Arms
• Panda Mating Fails, Veterinarian Takes Over
• Eye Drops Off Shelf
• Teachers Strike Idle Kids
• Enraged Cow Injures Farmer With Ax
• Miners Refuse To Work After Death

Personally, I'm with the miners.

Copyright 2007 by Galen Stilson