KISS wordy ads goodbye

KISS (keep it simple stupid) is more than just a clever acronym; it is also a very useful and truthful marketing tool. In fact, your advertising will be increasingly effective if you just keep it simple.

Many advertisers fall into the common mistake of spoon-feeding the audience their message with an all you can eat menu of words, in an attempt to ensure their audience can fully grasp a concept. Whilst in-depth explanation is useful at later stages of the purchase process, at the first point of interaction (mass advertising) the message aims to simply:

	capture their attention
	inspire them to read/listen further
	motivate them to seek more information

If you divulge all your secrets in the first advertisement what will be the motivator?

The effectiveness of an advertisement is decreased when the message is over written. Words become cramped, and the appearance of the ad suffers. Readability is a critical factor in effectiveness; an overwritten advertisement will require a conscious effort from the audience. If too much effort is required, the audience becomes unmotivated and disinterested.

With this in mind, the message must aim to capture the attention of the audience in the smallest time possible with minimum effort required. The message must be clear and concise - less says more. It is often said that if you can't do it in a sentence, then you can't do it.

Making your message simple is most often easier said than done. Charles Mingus sums up the point, "Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity."

To make your message simple think about what the message is really trying to say and use:

	a big yet simple idea
	simple language applied in a creative way
	visual images to support the message, let the images do the talking
	clear fonts and appropriate design characteristics

Much is to be said for the simple acronym KISS. Whilst this is only a rule of thumb and there are exceptions, it is a good thing to keep in mind when scripting your next advertisement. Whether it be Television, Radio, Outdoor or even Print it is best to keep the message simple.

Keep It Simple Stupid.