Media and The Message
by Nicholas G. Licata, M.A.
Message Overload [Back to Columns]
The line at the Department of Motor Vehicles was practically out the door. Seeing me enter, license plates in hand, a woman waiting for her daughter said to me, "I just returned mine, they will take you at the back window." I thanked her and took her advice to save some time.
The back window was beyond a small room and there was no one on line. I entered the room and proceeded to the window. This is when I got in trouble. A scolding voice came from behind a small metal grating in the window.
She told me she wasn't accepting plates, and I had to wait on the really long line. So I did. And, on my way back to the main room, I looked for the sign.
There it was, as clear as day on bright orange paper "Please wait here until called." It was right next to another sign that said something that didn't pertain to me. That one was on bright yellow paper. In fact, the entire wall was covered with signs on brightly colored paper. There were signs for people needing learner's permits; signs for people who had their licenses suspended; signs warning about speeding, etc. I had been bombarded by messages, and consequently ignored them all, as I was on my way to return my plates. This lesson translates well to advertising design. Under similar circumstances, I have seen many clients with good intentions waste their advertising dollars.
A common mistake advertisers make is thinking that because they've paid good money for ad space, they have to fill every inch of it. This results in ads that have too many messages none of which stand out. Your ad and all the other ads are competing for attention. Readers usually do not invest their time with a publication for the benefit of the advertisements. For the average reader, your ad shouldn't be too complex. It should have a clear message, be easy enough to read, and stand out on a page full of competition. This often requires that plenty of white space be left in the ad.
Does this mean that you should forgo copy in your advertisements for the sake of brevity? It does not. The trick is to build advertisements that function on more than one level. Many readers will see your ad, read your message, and move on. A few, however, will be interested. These people need more information. If you have enough space, you can provide a bit of copy to expand on your message, or better yet, get them to take action by calling for more information or visiting your website.
Creating effective ads is part art and part science. Stick with powerful short messages and in most cases you will be successful. For multiple or complicated messages, create several ads or a brochure.
If all else fails, call a professional.