There's a great post at Direct Creative Blog, 6 secrets for winning pointy plastic creative advertising awards, that helps explain a lot about why stupid nonprofit ads are the way they are.
To win a spiffy lucite ad-industry award, just follow these steps:
- Start with a "concept." Start with a pun, an obscure cultural reference, a witty visual, or some idea that proves you're ultra creative.
- Feature stunning photography or artwork. Irrelevant visuals and minimal copy are the keys to stifling response and stocking your lobby with those clear resin obelisks!
- Design it first and fill in the copy later. Leave little blank spaces and tell the writer to fill them in.
- Get fancy with type. Treat the copy as a visual element instead of thoughts and ideas you want to communicate clearly.
- Make your phone number really, really small. Nothing is more off-putting to judges than appearing too eager to conduct business.
- Use a coupon with an unusual shape. A square coupon with a dashed border is so old fogy.
If you are boring and pedestrian enough that you must raise funds, ignore all these steps.
