Pet Wash ad is best of show

Dog owners will stop in their tracks when they see this offer from Pet Wash and Grooming Service in the Dallas Morning News. Instantly the reader's eyes are drawn to the photo of Fido. Next you see the big coupon for Free Wash for first time visitors. The offer is a great way to get customers to try your product and track the results. Notice the expiration date-- only 2 weeks to save. The big payoff for potential clients is a fresh smelling pet without the mess. I like the layout, the photo, the offer and the logo. Bow Wow Wash was smart to include complete contact info along with a link to their website. That way results can include phone calls, walk-ins and click thrus. This ad has success written all over it.

Too much copy kills this skyscraper ad

Sometimes less is more. Some of the best ads feature a simple headline, a few lines of copy, a clear call to action and how to contact the advertiser. Too much copy kills the ad-- whether it's a display ad in print or online. Trying to put too much info into a small space suffocates the message and turns the reader off. Take for example this skyscraper I discovered on the Nashville Tennessean. The Graham Group offers to transform your garage or closet. $200 is up for grabs for registering online. From there this ad goes downhill. The layout is cluttered. Photos are too small. An overdose of ad copy hurts your eyes, makes you look the other way. A better approach would feature a photo that dominates the ad space, a one or two word benefit headline and a just enough copy to make you click for details. Add animation so the story can be told in two or three transitions. Beef up the offer from chance to win $200 to a bigger sweepstakes or cash discount with order and you have a winner.

Shoe sales bound to spike for Nordstrom

The thin market says that only a small percentage of people are in the market to buy a particular product or service at any given time. Always at the top of that list are women's shoes. Nordstrom knows how to pack the store with effective print ads. Case in point their semi annual sales. Evidently they can apply the same techniques with amazing success with online display ads. This example from The East Valley Tribune (Mesa, AZ) speaks to women in the market for shoes with color and graphics that appeal to the target audience. The headline "Shoe Clearance" shouts value and immediacy to the target audience. The offer to save 33% or more...great selection...online and in store is too good to refuse. And the call to action-- shop now-- is simply irresistible. A click of the mouse takes you to Nordstrom shopping channel for shoes where you can pick the style and size and colors that fit your fancy. Expect this ad to draw traffic to the store and plenty of e-commerce. Good example of ads that work.

Banner ad that works for Discount Tire

Call today? Click here? Retailers looking for immediate results from online banner advertising often include a strong call to action. This 468x60 banner for Discount Tire that I discovered on the Logan (Utah) newspaper website (hjnews.com) does a great job telling the reader to Order Your Tires Online. Instantly, because of the logo, the picture of the tire and the word "tires" you know what's for sale. What's in it for me? I don't have to call or visit the store. Don't even need the address. Just click on the ad and I'm taken to webtires.net where I can find the tire size that fits my rig and chose the brand and price range that fits my needs. Obviously I'll still need to visit the brick and mortar but the advertiser makes the shopping easy.