50379 understanding and analysing advertisements

Understanding Advertisements
AIDA Principle of Press Advertisements
How to Write a Great Advert
By Warren Brown
This remarkable principle is used for selling products or services through the medium of press
advertisements. AIDA stands for Attention, Interest, Desire and Action. An advertisement must have these
essential ingredients.
Attention: The headline of the advertisement must catch the attention of the reader.
Interest: The advertisement should arouse the interest of the reader making them want to know more. The
illustration and the opening sentence should generate interest in the mind of the reader.
Desire: The readers must have a desire to obtain the product or the service. This is contained in the main
body of the advertisement.
Action: The readers are asked to act on what they have read in the advertisement. In this section of the
advert the readers are told as to how they can buy the product or the service.

1. What does AIDA stand for?

2. Look at the advert below. How does it use the AIDA – principle?

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A:

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I:

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D:

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A

3. Create your own advert.
 Choose a product.
 Think about the target group.
 Draw a sketch of your advertisement.
 Invent a catch phrase (see transparency)
 Present your advert in front of the class.
You can work with a partner.