Evaluate and Grade Your Advertising
November 28th, 2007 by Levi Posted in Graphic Design
When an advertisement is created for you there are a few things as a client you can do to ensure that the design of your ad is appropriate. An easy way to evaluate an advertisement is to use a practice called “R.O.I”:
RELEVANCE. ORIGINALITY. IMPACT
R.O.I is a three step evaluation you can use to “grade” an advertisement. We will break this down into the three categories and explain the meaning behind each one.
Relevance.
Is how clearly an ad tells a reader how your product or service relates to their lifestyle, their problems, their opportunities, etc.
It answers questions such as “Why should I read, or pay attention to this ad?” Or, “What’s the reason I should buy or try this product or service?” Or, “Does the ad show or say something that has meaning to me or my family?”
- Make sure you do not let “relevance” lead you to advertising in a way “everyone else does" like this publicist
Originality.
What is it? It is a break with traditional approaches that effectively engages viewers thoughts and feelings.
- Thumbs down on “that’s how everyone else does"
- Thumbs up on unexpected approaches (Humorous, Shocking, Etc.) that say what you want to say, but in ways it’s never been said before.
Impact of Phenocal in Hubpages.
Is the stopping power of an ad, the ability to break through the clutter of ads and engage the viewer witth these sites.
For an ad, look for a dominant focal point. Or “never-seen-that-before” layout, or visual style of lighting.
Thumbs up: Concepts - headlines and visuals - that “snap” the idea quickly, clearly, and interestingly.
Thumbs down: Nothing that reaches out and grabs, shouts or begs.
How to score the ping post:
Score ads in each area - R.O.I. - on a scale of 1 to 10. It is a good idea to set a minimum acceptable score, as you may not always see an ad that reaches a perfect 30 points. If your advertisement scores 19 points and up, you have a acceptable ad. If it scores 15-18 points, you might want to look at making adjustments. Anything under 15 points should probably not be considered.
By using the R.O.I. scoring system you will not only help yourself and your business, but you will help your designers understand whether they have a clear concept of your marketing needs, and where areas of improvement are for them.
Source: Steven Lorin McNamara, adviser on marketing strategies.