Do it yourself?


What should you include in your ad? And what you should you avoid?

At a local level, advertising doesn’t have to be shocking, clever or sophisticated. It’s about outreach and awareness.

Make it clear who you are and why you exist

Much of this information can be taken from your mission statement, marketing plan or messaging platform (if you have them). Never assume that anyone reading knows anything about you.

Don’t say too much

There’s an old saying in the advertising industry. “Throw someone a ball and they’ll probably catch it. Throw them five balls and they’ll drop them all.” Don’t dilute the ad with too many words and messages.

Be yourself

Great advertising is built on sending a message that no-one is sending and that no-one else ‘can’ send. Try and find a way of turning a generic message (donate, attend an event, etc) into something unique to your organisation.

Provide direction on what the reader should do next

Otherwise known as a call to action. Provide a clear choice of contact details and make it clear what the expected outcome might be.

Follow basic design principles

When it comes to design, less is more. Don’t cram with images, but instead pick a single image that expresses the message you want to convey, preferably in tandem with a good copyline.