Tell and sell what's special about your store

Found this clean and colorful ad on statesmanjournal.com (Salem, Or.). The leaderboard has a local look with the cornucopia on the left and the bare bottomed guy running on the right. Designers of this ad urge you to "Be Natural" and shop Life Source Natural Foods. They sell Organic produce, groceries, bulk food, etc. plus the vegetarian deli. The banner ad rotates through a show of snapshots of the inside of the store. Apparently it's a big place. The ad asks you to "click here" and perhaps you'd be inclined if given a reason (Instant savings, Online specials, Order a sandwich). To win new customers many ads fail to tell and sell why you should shop this store rather than another.

Good copy in ad for attorney

Accident victims or loved ones reading the Dallas Morning News are likely to stop and read this print ad for the Rasansky Law Firm.

Why? Just good ad copy with: Injured? Hurt? Collect.

Then you check her face, cropped into the corner of the ad. Her serious expression gives you confidence that the attorneys for this firm can get the settlement you deserve. Unsure how it works? No problem with the Free Initial Consultation. Go ahead, call the 800 number.

Hard to find a legal ad that compares.

Doctor creates Beauty on the Beach

Tight cropping makes it impossible to not stop and look at this sculpted body on the beach. Dunes Cosmetic Surgery placed this print ad in the Myrtle Beach Sun News, no doubt targeting women wishing for a body like this one.
Light on text, the message is simple: Are you ready?
The photo does the selling, offering proof that for some women a body like this one is priceless.
Google Dr. Ralph Cozart for before and after photos and testimonials from satisfied patients.
Tastefully done.

DANICA: betcha don't race in a bikini

The target audience here has to be male Indy Car race fans, but come on did they really need to put Danica Patrick in a bikini to promote her upcoming race at the Texas Motor Speedway? This horizontal display ad in the Oklahoma City Oklahoman touts Reason #7: DANICA to Throttle Up for the Learjet 550. Plenty of swimsuit poses on Danica's website and myspace page. Would this ad have been equally effective with a photo of her in one of her tight fitting race uniforms?

How about a Hummer?

Want to get a closer look at the 2008 H2? Happen upon this 300x250 on the website of the Austin American Statesman and you are a click away.

Four stars for signaling the reader to stop and look. Effective if you are one of the few already determined to buy a Hummer but needs a stronger benefit and call to action to cause shoppers to buy a Hummer rather than something else.

At $4.00 per gallon, how much does it cost to top the tank in an H2?

Click for tee times at Ocean Edge

Ocean Edge invites golf lovers to stay and play the new Nicklaus course with this 300x250 box ad on the Boston Globe's website.

Strong marks for making the reader stop and look, presenting reasons to engage in the message and call to action.

Hard to resist a chance to be among the first to play this new private course.

Do you feel lucky?

454,000 reasons why you should visit the Horseshoe Casino.

I was awestruck by the golden horseshoe that dominates this print ad in the Memphis Commercial Appeal. Then the headline piqued my interest. Gamblers play to win and they take comfort in knowing when someone wins big. The message here: it happens all the time. You could be next.

But we all know you have to play to win.

Ordinarily I'm not a fan of white type on a black background. The type is hard to read and the photo of the happy jackpot winner is too small and barely discernible. Click on this ad to see what I mean. That said, the gold on black combo is strikingly bold.

Casinos across the country advertise. Many of those ads feature people having fun at the tables or playing the slots. Few present the lure with as much class as this one.