22 Irrefutable Laws of Advertising

Conventional, Yet Imaginative

Advertising is a complex process that has to build a creative spark before it can connect with potential buyers. But advertising is also grounded in the real world. It is expensive, so it has to produce measurable results. It must be conventional, yet imaginative. Slashed budgets further strain the business. No wonder the advertising business is in trouble worldwide. Agencies increasingly rely on research that saps creativity, and fewer ads produce the desired result. Thus, new approaches are needed. The following 22 suggestions are guidelines for producing better ads and understanding what challenges lie ahead for the advertising industry.

1. "The Law of Simplicity" - Ads must work in an increasingly noisy world. Too much new information is being exchanged. Adhere to Ockham’s Razor, which states that when two good answers solve a problem, the best answer is the most simple one. But being simple is not easy nor as instantly admired as being complex. Yet, a good ad must be simple, though not stupid - and it must be subjective enough to be credible.
2. "The Law of Positioning" - Positioning shows customers where...