In the second instalment on how brand copy and design work together we will be looking at marketing and advertising copy, direct response copy, content and the importance of brand copy.
Marketing and Advertising Copy
Similar to brand messaging, marketing & advertising copy can often be mistaken for brand copy. In fact, one of the reasons why it so easily is mistaken for brand copy is because the marketing copy will often follow it. In reality, marketing and advertising will generally be a direct call to action for the prospective customer.
Take a look at the examples below of this kind of copy as well as how it looks in reality.
Direct Response Copy
While marketing copy may pull potential customers through a building of intrigue or creating an opportunity for engagement, direct response copy speaks directly to the customer and calls for them to take action immediately.
An excellent example is an advertisement for a Coke compared to an advertisement for a mattress. In most Coke ads, they rarely speak to the viewer, instead, telling a story with the drink as the focus.
A mattress ad, conversely, makes a point of speaking directly to their audience, often with deals or special offers and a “come on down” styled call to action.
The Coke ad would be considered marketing copy while the mattress would be considered direct response copy.
Content
Finally, there’s content. As with the others, it is important to know that content is not the same as any of the other types of copy mentioned. Content is a long-form piece of text, such as a blog post or an advertorial, and does not promote or “sell” its audience on anything other than what it is directly talking about.
Content provides value strictly through the information it delivers, be it entertaining or informative, is meant to facilitate a positive perception of the brand as a result.
Copy, on the other hand, is comparatively quite short and much more direct. Consider the two examples listed below:
The Importance of Brand Copy
So, as you can see, not all forms of copy are the same. As a business owner who will likely use most, if not all, of these, knowing the difference (and when to employ one over the other) can make a huge difference in effectively convincing a prospect that your product is worth their time.
Brand copy rests at the center of these brand-based marketing tools, as acts as something of a director for the others on how to properly communicate what your brand stands for.
As an example, if direct response is meant to be forceful, it can only be as forceful as your brand dictates. A copywriter that is skilled in brand copy will be able to use it as a guide in order to translate that brand’s personality so that the ad comes across perfectly to the audience.
