The Perfect Ad

I saw it on I-75 South heading into Atlanta, Georgia. It was exciting to see -- like spotting the nearly extinct ivory-billed woodpecker. But this was no rare bird; it was a perfect ad. Perhaps just as rare. Five words in black print against a pale purple ground. No design. No graphic device at all. No need; the words said it all. Two of those words were from the top-ten list of words that generate the strongest response. The ad presented a clear benefit. It made a powerful offer. It was aimed at a specific target audience. All that in five simple words. The ad was on a billboard, but its message would work in any media: TV, newspaper, radio, magazine, internet, direct mail, or... restroom stall. It called out only to people who could benefit from the company’s pro View the rest of this article