HEADLINES

 A headline in advertising grabs the

attention much like a newspaper's
headline. An advertising headline is
designed to be the first copy the
potential customer reads. Bold, large
font size and various colors are some
of the methods used to make the
headline stand out from copy. A 
headline must be written well in order
to be effective and draw the reader
into the ad.
FUNCTIONS
 Gives news about the brand
 Emphasizes brand claims
 Gives advice to the reader
 Selects targeted prospects
 Stimulates curiosity
 Establishes tone & emotion
 Identifies the brand
Guidelines for writing headlines
 Be persuasive
 Appeal to self-interest
 Inject maximum information
 Limit to five-eight words
 Include the brand name
 Entice to read body copy
 Entice to examine visuals
 Never change typeface
 Never rely upon body copy
 Keep it simple & familiar
Headline Philosophy from David Ogilvy in
his book “Ogilvy on Advertising”

 Promise Benefits
 Contain News (about 22% more
effective)
 Offer Helpful Information
 Include Brand Name
 Length depends on objective
 Specifics better than generalities
 Place headline below illustration
Different Types Of Headlines
The News Headline.
The Guarantee Headline.
The How To Headline
The Benefit Headline.
The Question Headline.
The Reason Why Headline.
The Testimonial Headline.
The Command Headline.
Subheadlines
 This is not always used in ads. However,
when the advertiser wants to say a lot at
the beginning but the headline cannot do
the job, then the subheading is used. The
headline and subheading together can
contain a longer message. The subheading
usually spells out or elaborates the promise
made in the headline or it stresses on the
product’s unique features.
FUNCTION OF SUB HEAD
 Reinforce the headline.
 Include important information not
communicated in the headline.
 Communicate key selling points or
information quickly.
 Stimulate more complete reading of
the whole ad.
 The longer the body copy, the more
appropriate is the use of subheads.