I ripped this ad out of an airline’s inflight magazine. It’s a vertical 1/2 page, 2 columns.
The entire ad is extaordinarily good, but I’ll just share with you the right column “sidebar” — because the ad is designed so to make it jump out at the reader.
Well, okay, also the headline, to help set the stage:
Exercise In Exactly 4 Minutes Per Day
The typical ROM purchaser goes through several stages:
1. Total disbelief that the ROM can do all this in only 4 minutes.
2. Rhetorical (and sometimes hostile) questioning and ridicule.
3. Reading the ROM literature and reluctantly understanding it.
4. Taking a leap of faith and renting a ROM for 30 days.
5. Being highly impressed by the results and purchasing a ROM.
6. Becoming a ROM enthusiast and trying to persuade friends.
7. Being ignored and ridiculed by the friends who think you’ve lost your mind.
8. After a year of using the ROM your friends admiring your good shape.
9. You telling them (again) that you only exercise those 4 minutes per day.
10. Those friends reluctantly renting the ROM for a 30 day trial. Then the above cycle repeats from point 5 on down.
The more we tell people about the ROM the less they believe it.
Does the thing really work? I have no idea. But there’s a heckuva lot of copywritin’ goin’ on there.
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As to the product, I would certainly position myself at "stage 1" but I gotta agree with you on the copywriting. Smart. Great thread.
Saw that ad a couple years ago in one of the magazines to which I subscribe.
It grabbed me, too. Enough to send in for the DVD and sales info.
But in the end, I wasn't ready to shell out the asking price for the product.
I still exercise the old-fashioned way, if inconsistently.
But…it was – is – a terrific, compelling presentation.
good point that the "typical ROM Purchaser " has leaped through many hoops that the reader won't see untill it comes to the COST of the Unit. Though it does look intrigueing Dan..without the Bottom Line being at least mentioned it is a souring it as it could leave lookee loos resentful; for being dragged into getting the DVD and all. So on the side of the Potential customer a bad taste left in mouth. But we do get the "owners viewpoint ". Typical purchaser has bucks to spend or do they. Copy written totally by Copywriter or you think surveys actually palyed a role?
Looks like a very compelling and well laid out ad.
But did you buy one? 🙂
My family used to run a gym (which has gone out of business). We still have the ROM and I've used it. Its a helluva workout and I have no doubt that it will get you in shape.
However, that's not what your post is about… I agree that the advertising works to a certain point, but if I (as a consumer) can't find the bottom line within a few moments… I'm moving on to the next item.
If, conversely, I find the price and think its way too high, I will probably continue to do research on the item and if I think its worth the tag, I will move mountains to purchase.
@Adam, @Heather:
Actually, they featured the price very prominently in the ad, actually highlighting it at the top left column…
…commenting how expensive that sounds, until you compare it to other devices.
The complete ad did an excellent job of sweeping away the "price" objection – from the very beginning.
Even after reading the ad and all the comments, I still have no idea what a ROM is. (I truly don’t). Now, I have to go search the internet to find out. I guess the ad isn’t that great. Do I need a ROM? Maybe I already have one and need an upgrade? What is a ROM?
@Shawn: As I explained in the original post, I’ve reprinted only the sidebar, not the entire advertisement.