Cecilia Minden - How to Write an Ad

Published in the United States of America by Cherry Lake Publishing
Ann Arbor, Michigan
www.cherrylakepublishing.com

Content Adviser: Jeannette Mancilla-Martinez, EdD, Assistant Professor of Literacy, Language, and Culture, University of Illinois at Chicago

Design and Illustration: The Design Lab

Photo Credits: Page 5, Patrick Batchelder/Alamy; page 6, archana
bhartia/Shutterstock, Inc.; page 15, gsmad/Shutterstock, Inc.; page 17,
Media Bakery; page 21, David R. Frazier, Photolibrary, Inc./Alamy

Copyright 2012 by Cherry Lake Publishing
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in
any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Minden, Cecilia.
How to write an ad/by Cecilia Minden and Kate Roth.
p. cm.(Language arts explorer junior)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-1-61080-107-2 (lib. bdg.)
ISBN-10: 1-61080-107-5 (lib. bdg.)
1. AdvertisingJuvenile literature. I. Roth, Kate. II. Title. III. Series.
HF5829.M56 2011
659.1dc22 2011000169

Cherry Lake Publishing would like to acknowledge the work of The Partnership for 21st Century Skills. Please visit www.21stcenturyskills.org for more information.

Printed in the United States of America
Corporate Graphics Inc.
July 2011
CLFA09

Have you ever talked your grandma into getting you a toy? Maybe you talked your best friend into joining a team. These are both examples of you being persuasive .

You see advertisements every day. We call them ads for short. Ads try to persuade you to do something.

Look through magazines and newspapers. Which ads get your attention ? Reading ads is a good way to learn how to write them. Sales ads try to persuade people to buy things.

Other ads are not about sales. They are more like announcements . These ads tell people about upcoming events. Most ads try to answer four questions:

1. What is for sale? or What is happening?
2. Why should someone buy what is being sold? or Why should someone go to this event?
3. Where can someone buy what is being sold? or Where is this event happening?
4. When can someone buy what is being sold, and how long will the sale last? or When is this event happening?

Ads often list other information too. For example, a sales ad might include prices. An ad for a contest probably explains the contests rules.

Most ads use persuasive words. Many include action words. Come, see, and listen are words that tell us to take action. Other phrases or groups of words have special meanings that also make them persuasive. A few examples are new and improved, this week only, and experts agree.

Before you write an ad, you need to know your audience . What group of people are you trying to reach? Use words that will appeal to that audience. It is a good idea to keep your sentences short. This will help your audience read your ad more quickly.

Imagine your school is having a fair to raise money for a new playground. You want as many students as possible to come to the fair. What could you say in an ad that would get the attention of other students? How could you persuade them to come?

Now you have decided which words to use in your ad! You also need to choose a design that will make your ad persuasive. Your audience will see the design first. Then they will read the words.

Bold letters and bright colors get peoples attention. Picking the right picture to appear on the ad is another important step. Choose the design carefully. Dont try to fit too many words and pictures into your ad. Try different styles until you figure out which one works best!

You are ready to do the final draft of your ad! Gather any materials you will need to do printing and create artwork. Have your first draft and your sketch handy. It is time to bring the words and the design together to share with your audience!