How to Write better Ads Ft. My Own Ads

April was all about writing a new type of copy. I took part in a beginner copywriting cohort and one of the recent tasks I did was an interesting one.

We had to write a spec ad for the G.O.A.T publication, “The Economist.”

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Everyone was trying to get the tone right. And then someone on the group chat said The Economist is like Harvey Specter from Suits.

THAT instantly clicked with me.

If you’ve watched Suits and you know about the Economist’s viral campaigns, you’d know.

Here’s what they have in common:

1. Both have wit.

2. Both have style.

3. Both talk to smart people.

Think of how self-explanatory and easy it is to describe brand tonality like that.

But let’s say you’re not writing for a behemoth like The Economist, then what should you do? How should you nail the tone of voice?

Here’s what I suggest:

1. Learn about their audience.

2. Hunt for similar writing examples.

3. Look at (present) brand communication.

If they have brand guidelines, great. But if not, anybody can follow these three tips to nail tonality.

And just so you know…I wrote The Economist ads on the back of two things and two things only:

1. Looking at 50 examples from The Economist

2. The Harvey Specter insight

That’s it.

So here’s a tip: Don’t overcomplicate it all the time.

Now onto (my) examples…

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Here are my 3 Spec Ads:

1.Spec Ad 1

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All major business hotshots have paper wealth. Meaning they have a lot of their wealth attached to assets on paper. Like equity.

The other meaning of paper wealth? A print publication that makes you smarter.

Paper = Publication

Wealth = Smarter

Basically, people who have paper wealth read The Economist which in itself is paper of the wealthy.

2. Spec Ad 2

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Rich getting richer is a popular insight and narrative choice. I connected it to the brand to highlight an instant benefit.

In simple words, if you want to learn how to make more money, read The Economist.

3. Spec Ad 3

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The smartest person in the room relates to a common phrase. I used it as a double meaning.

1. The smartest person in the room is a reader = Fact. Being well-read in an advantage in social situations.
2. 2. The smartest person in the room is a reader = They are the smartest in the room because they are an Economist reader.

What do you think of these spec ads?

Let me know in the comments!

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