The most important rule you'll learn on the Copywriting: an Introduction course is the one that's ignored by most advertisers!
How many times have you watched a TV commercial that kicks off with the word "we"? It's a small word. On its own, it's entirely inoffensive. Yet it doesn't belong at the beginning of any advertisement - on TV, on paper, online or on any other medium.
Banks seem to be the biggest "we" mis-users - especially on their television ads. "At Allied & Consolidated Bank, we think you deserve a better deal / we work really hard to look after you / we take pride in our customer service..." (and so on for several campaigns). And thus is broken the cardinal rule of advertising right from the get-go
Why? Because the bank is telling you what the bank wants to tell you - which isn't necessarily what you want to hear. At best, these pallid, vague and rather insupportable statements have limited value - at worst, they're patronising and somewhat insulting.
What the bank should be starting off with is a statement that you want to hear - something like: "You deserve a better deal than other banks, and right here's where you'll get it."
Starting off with the word "you" immediately ensures that you're talking to the target audience, and setting them up to hear some good news - in other words, you're telling them what they want to hear.
Once you've done so, you can then get down to the business of telling them what you want to tell them - and then your message will be complete, well-rounded and memorable.
So if you remember nothing else on this course, remember this!
Before you tell them what you want to tell them, tell them what they want to hear!
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