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10 Best Ad Hooks to Win Customers’ Attention
- December 10, 2021
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Effective marketing communication needs to garner the attention of the target customer, but much like the picture of our little furry friend above, oftentimes the customer isn’t an active listener. To make things more difficult, these non-listeners are estimated to be exposed to between 4,000 and 10,000 ads per day1. There is also a propensity for customers to avoid advertising content. Online video ads that are skippable after 5 seconds are skipped 65% of the time2. We have compiled a list of the 10 best ad hooks to help increase the effectiveness of your marketing communication.
So how can we break through the noise and get the attention of customers before they click the skip button or just zone out?
This is done by using an “ad hook”. An ad hook (advertising hook) refers to a method in which an advertisement grabs or “hooks” the attention of the viewer. Winning the viewer’s attention is the first step in an effective advertisement.
An alarm, the awful beeping of a weather alert on the television. These are noises that create an immediate impact that gains your attention. Other examples include flashing lights, action sequences, or an explosion. For static ads, the impact may come through via the use of certain colors or designs that capture the customers’ attention.
People are curious by nature and will engage with intriguing content. Intriguing statements are also those that defy conventional thought, they leave people wondering how the statement is justified. Think of the click-bait headlines or images that exist, those that put questions in your mind that you desire an answer to. Maybe there’s a “new way to lose weight without dieting”.
Such as the title of this blog article, numbers may be used to help customers understand the quantifiable value or amount of information. Statements such as the ‘3 best ways to ask a girl out’, or the ‘7 worst interview mistakes’ create expectations and generate interest.
Remember the age-old saying sex sells? Marketers employing this type of tactic are appealing to that human instinct. Cute puppies or animals like the cover photo, utilize the same principle. Another way to create appeal is to confirm a customer’s bias, people are drawn toward other like-minded people and the feeling of support or confirmation.
Have you ever seen an ad for the Planet Earth show or ads for National Geographic shows or events such as Shark Week? They are masters of utilizing fascination to capture people’s attention. The travel industry often employs the same tactic with scenic getaways or the technology space with never-seen-before designs.
Source: Planet Earth 2 Extended Trailer (2016) https://youtu.be/3TfxHdVhz0M
This tactic is exemplified by the heartbreaking ads with imagery of abused animals or soldiers who’ve faced injury. These ads can capture your attention through a feeling of discomfort. Fear is another form of discomfort, the scary and ugly roach or termite that is trying to infest your home. Or the political ads that dramatically tell you why the opponent is going to destroy everything you hold dear. When using this tactic, tread carefully, if taken too far you risk forcing people to turn away.
Naturally, humans want to feel supported and validated. Leading an ad with a display of empathy or support can provide gratification and the desire to engage.
Only three more ad hook methods to go, keep going, you can do it.
Do you want in on a secret? Most likely you do and most likely other people do too. Teeing up a customer message with an ad hook that offers the opportunity to get in on a secret is a great way to get attention. Humans naturally want completeness. There is a desire to reduce uncertainty and resolve the mystery. This aspect of human nature is known as the Zeigarnik effect.
People don’t seek the second-best solution or second-lowest price, they want the most out of their time or money. Superlatives such as the best or worst, highest or lowest, fastest or slowest, may be used as an ad hook to garner interest.
The last ad hook is recognition. This hook utilizes things such as spokespeople such as celebrities or doctors, it uses symbols like status symbols or reputable sources. Recognizing a source such as these in an ad hook will gain people’s attention because, what they have to say or offer, what they are associated with are of interest.
Put your creative briefs and marketing messages to the test. Check them to see which of the ad hooks, if any are utilized. When you revise or develop your next brief, review the list, use one or more to maximize the effectiveness or your ads. Multiple ad hooks man be used in conjunction to create a highly effective ad.
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