Basics of Promotion Advertising
by Larry Allen

Promotion advertising differs significantly from consumer franchise-building advertising. The latter is long-term in nature and aimed at giving customers reasons to buy. Promotion advertising is short-term. It pushes for the order by providing incentives, coupons, rebates, premiums and contents.

The usual medium for promotion advertising is print. Some big-budget advertisers use broadcast (radio and television) to get consumers to look for their promotion advertising in their local newspapers. As a rule, promotion advertising should be specific and should call only for consumer to perform a desired action. Resist including extraneous points in the promotional ad. Focus on a simple call to action.

For example: Your ad copy may ask the readers to:
(1) Redeem this coupon and save $2, or
(2) Buy two packages and get the third one free, or
(3) Fill out coupon and enter sweepstakes to win $100,000, or
(4) Buy two of the products and receive a free gift worth $10.

Most promotion events are price or added-value oriented campaigns. As such, it is imperative that when writing copy, the ad should appeal more to the wallet than the emotion.

Final point: Do not make your redemption procedure complicated and confusing. Avoid have a more that one time of offer wherein the consumer is forced to use math in order to determine which ones make him/her save more money. Your task is to make it easy for the consumer. Avoid having to make them decide. That's too much work for them.