Category: Branding

While sitting in the reception room of a local med spa (a sales call, I assure you), I picked up a brochure for a product called Radiesse.

The key word here is “correction”.

They could have said “filler”  (in fact, they do, in the inside copy). Or “smoother”. Or “eraser”. But “correction” gives the process a completely different implication.

You correct an injustice. You correct poor vision.

“Corrected” changes wrinkles from a natural result of the aging process to a medical problem. And using Radiesse is converted, in the target’s mind, from an expensive exercise in vanity to a necessary treatment of a health condition.

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…it’s what people hear.”

So says language expert Frank Luntz, author of  Words that Work.

When you are writing to persuade, the words you choose will profoundly affect the way your listener or reader reacts to your message.This phenomenon has applications in advertising — and in politics.

Luntz recently wrote a memo to Republican members of Congress called “The Language of Health Care”.

In a recent New York Times interview, Deborah Solomon asked, “You have devised many phrases to help sell Republican policies to the public. Like “energy exploration” instead of “drilling for oil” in the Arctic. What are some of your other coinages?

Luntz’ response:

It’s “death tax” instead of “estate tax” or “inheritance tax.” It’s “opportunity scholarships” instead of “vouchers.” It’s “electronic intercepts” rather than “eavesdropping.”

A 60-second radio commercial consists of approximately 180 words. You are paying by the word — make sure that every word brings you closer to a sale.

If you’re not confident in your ability to do this, hire an experienced professional copywriter. It may be the best money you’ll spend.

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Check out Phil Bernstein’s Facebook Fan Page — and become a Fan – here

Click here to learn the shocking truth about Phil Bernstein

Click this link to subscribe to Portland’s Finest Advertising and Marketing Blog.

Request your free copy of Phil Bernstein’s white paper, The Seven Deadly Advertising Mistakes and How to Fix Them here.

Got a question? Call Phil Bernstein, Portland’s Advertising Expert, at 503-323-6553.

By all accounts, Country Financial is a good company, offering products that benefit consumers nationwide. In an effort to be a good corporate citizen, the firm is sponsoring an historical touring exhibition called “Titanic, Treasures From the Deep”.

The web site promoting the exhibition has a section called Lifeboat Challenge, where folks can take a short quiz on how prepared their family’s “financial lifeboat” is for “rough waters”.  It’s an impressive way to tie the exhibit in with Country’s core marketing message.

However, a radio ad for the show gave me pause this evening — it invited listeners to find out more by going to www.countrytitanic.com.

That’s Country Titanic dot com.

In this economic environment, when you hear the words “Country” and “Titanic” right next to each other, what picture forms in your mind?

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Check out Phil Bernstein’s Facebook Fan Page — and become a Fan – here

Click here to learn the shocking truth about Phil Bernstein

Click this link to subscribe to Portland’s Finest Advertising and Marketing Blog.

Request your free copy of Phil Bernstein’s white paper, The Seven Deadly Advertising Mistakes and How to Fix Them here.

Got a question? Call Phil Bernstein, Portland’s Advertising Expert, at 503-323-6553.