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Follow us on Facebook | Ads 101 – 6 tips
How to advertise affordably, effectively & compassionately How to best use these materials
This section features The UnChoice ads, campaigns, and educational materials. You can use them to reach out and to raise awareness of evidence about unwanted abortions and other risks that endanger both the unborn and women.
Choose from many free or low-cost options to run anytime, from our "Mix & Match" menu. Little or no preparation is required to run any of these ads. Or, choose full-scale campaigns that require a bit more planning. To get the maximum results and the best return from your investment of time and resources, follow the experts' guidelines below if you decide to run a campaign. Or, you can also donate to support this and other urgent research, education and outreach. With sufficient support, we can run this campaign in a test market. You can run small ads, other ads and educational materials, or one of two major campaigns in your community. There are many effective, free or low-cost ways to use these ads and materials outside of traditional advertising media.
About this campaign, why it matters and what you can achieve Why advertise?
Why The UnChoice campaign is different ... and essential 12 things this campaign – grounded in important new research – can do 10 Ways to Blow an Ad Campaign (off-site link)
On this page: 6 steps to effective advertising 1. Is running just one ad a good idea? Deciding how many and which ads to run. 2. Create a simple media plan. 3. Repetition. Repetition. Repetition. 4. A few keep-your-eye-on-the-ball basics. 5. Choose from these ads for single- or limited-run usage (vs. a big campaign) 6. Great free or low-cost alternatives for the ads, flyers and other materials
1. Is running just one ad a good idea? |
In the rush to communicate, it's tempting to go out and "buy an ad" ... But a little planning will multiply your impact. It is better to run several smaller, cheaper ads more often than to run a big ad just once, which studies show is minimally effective, potentially problematic, (especially with a sensitive issue or the message is out of context) and it will quickly drain your advertising budget. A minimum level of frequency and repetition are needed for the message to really "stick." If you want to run just one or a few random ads: a) Choose small or local publications, church bulletins, newsletters, trade or civic magazines, etc., which can be quite effective for small ads, or, b) Choose the smaller, quarter-page ads c) Run co-op ads and ask a business sponsor, philanthropist or civic group to sponsor the ads and put their logo or message in the set-aside box, d) Use our fundraiser to run a campaign later, or e) Select from our menu of "Mix and Match ads" Ways to address common pitfalls are listed below, as are free/low-cost alternatives, that may be a better choice. Also, the ad campaign descriptions will help you decide which option works best for your budget, goals, timetable and resources.
Read all 6 Steps first. Then, if you want to run just one ad, choose from the menu of designated, effective "Mix-and-Match" ads.
2. Create a simple media plan |
Combining a "family" of unified-theme ads in several mediums at once – e.g., a few radio and newspaper or civic magazine ads plus two or three billboards around town –- helps reinforce your message for a highly effective "one-two" punch. A. Select which media you want to use. 1) Read Which Media? and Who Needs to Hear This? for ideas, plus pros and cons of radio, TV, print, internet and other media, based on who you want to reach and what you can spend. 2) Narrow your audiencee, for example: * women –- college through middle-aged women aged 18-49 * youth –- high schools, colleges, youth groups * religious or civic groups (include ads in publications they subscribe to) * grassroots activists –- political leaders, activists, volunteers, etc. * general interest –- see Step 6 below 3) Select the type of media they might see or hear, for example: * women's magazines * religious programs and networks * radio talk shows or publications * radio or TV programs targeted to women * civic magazines * student publications * campus radio stations * other affordable local newspapers B. Set aside a budget. (See funding ideas.) Choose media that suit your budget. For example, billboards, radio and low-cost local church, civic or trade magazines are typically affordable options. For even more leverage, supplement your plan with simultaneous PR outreach in on-line and traditional media. For example, send a press release about the campaign, or write letters to the editor. C. Gather information. Contact each media's ad department for audience demographics (e.g. gender, age, etc.), time slots and cost estimates. Tell their advertising representative who you want to reach with your advertising. (See Who Needs to Hear This?) Give them a ballpark estimate of your budget and ask for rates and a simple, low-budget plan to reach the people you want to reach. D. Make a basic outline of which ads you want to run in which media during the specified time period. Ideally, this outline should cover a one- or two-month period or more.
If you need help, enlist a professional media planner or ad pro to create a plan, answer questions, or review the plan you've sketched out. 3. Repetition, repetition, repetition |
Your media plan should include a high level of repetition, consistency and frequency. It is far better to repeat a few small local ads – consistently and often – than to run a large ad just once in an expensive publication or radio/TV program.
Studies show that most people must see or hear one ad
up to 6 or more times before it "sticks."
If your budget is limited, aim for at least 3 repetitions and see Step 6, choose small space ads, or consider other ways to fund a bigger campaign. 4. A few keep-your-eye-on-the-ball basics |
Graphic design, writing style, strategy and other elements are synergistic and work in concert to help people understand, contextualize and remember. The message and look must be clear, cohesive and consistent. Avoid mixing ads from different campaigns.
Studies show that by the time you are bored with your message, it is only beginning to take hold with your audience! Repeat the same ads often, even and especially when you are tired of them. (See step 3) It works!
For more tips about what not to do, read: 10 Ways to Blow an Ad Campaign (off-site link) Although this "10 Ways" list refers to traditional, sales- and marketing or product-oriented advertising vs. more nuanced "issue campaigns," the fundamentals still apply ... Follow them and you'll be effective. Ignore them and there is an "opportunity cost," plus the potential for mixed messages and significant unintended consequences. This is especially serious when so many hearts and lives have been broken, emotions run strong, lives are at risk and stakes are high. 5. Best ads for single- or limited-run usage ... |
More affordable smaller ad sizes or ads from our mix-and-match menu make it possible to run them more often – the kind of repetitive frequency that helps people understand and remember. Radio ads are also an affordable option. (It's an ideal medium for reaching women and some stations may even run the ads free of charge during off-peak hours. Or, purchase ads at a reasonable cost during programs targeted to your selected audience.) See Which Media? or Who Needs to Hear it? for more details. If you wish to run ads this way, choose from the following: If possible, run the same ad consistently and often in the same media and if you can afford to supplement it with other media, you'll get even better results.
For example: 3 quarter-page newspaper ads plus 1 billboard and 2 radio ads running during the same 4-week period. 6. Great free or low-cost ways to advertise |
* Ask stations to run the radio TV ads as free Public Service Announcement (PSAs). * Plan fundraisers throughout the year to run a big multimedia campaign later or donate proceeds to help further this work. * Use our fundraising letter. Ask your group or local leaders to sponsor The UnChoice" campaign close to home. * Join forces with local businesses, groups or individuals to run co-op print ads. The business or organization can be named as a sponsor on the ads. * Run small-space ads in bulletins, newsletters, or mailings; send out as emails, or use as links or banner ads on web pages. * Distribute business card-size ads and bookmarks or use them as inserts in bulletins or mailings. You can also post them on your web site. * To leverage your ad campaign, send press releases, story ideas and letters to the editor on this issue to the local media. Check out the PR Calendar for ways to tie in to seasonal and other timely events. * Use healing (rose) ads, "Invisible Women," or What Every American Needs to Know as flyers. * Check the complete list of low-cost/no-cost alternatives to paid advertising Run ads often in specialized or local media, which can be less expensive than big national media. For example: a local student newspaper, magazine or newsletter a local metropolitan or women's magazine ... a national or statewide trade or conservative magazine ... a health-oriented newsletter ... a women's club newsletter
| a local cable TV channel a local radio station or talk show small ads in the back of women's magazines church and civic publications, simple, text-only classified ads, such as the sample below:
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SIMPLE TEXT-ONLY AD or 2 X 3.5" BUSINESS CARDS
ALSO WORKS AS AN AD FOR YOUR WEB SITE OR BLOG
See Small Ads / Bulletin/Clip Art for more ideas.
In order to maintain the integrity and cohesiveness of this message, alterations are not permitted, with the exception of co-op ads and posters, which set aside a space for your local contact information. Please see Terms of Use before using these ads. |
