- Punctuation. Punctuation is a key element of grammar that can affect the meaning of a word or sentence. …
- Missing letters. …
- Misspelled words. …
- To vs. …
- Affect vs. …
- Wrong words. …
- Improper sentences. …
- Edit as you write.
Some errors are made on purpose. Mercedes-Benz used the phrase “more power” in their 2012 C-class coupe TV commercial. More style. More technology. Less doors. Purists will contend that “less” refers to a smaller amount, e g. , less money; ‘fewer’ means smaller in number, e. g. fewer coins, so is the appropriate word to use. Give the advertising company the benefit of the doubt; this is a clever headline with a shocking twist at the end, and the element of surprise makes the ad stand out and be memorable. Not so for the SodaStream Super Bowl ad from 2014, which made the error of saying “Less sugar.” Less bottles’. That line lacks the playful impact. No fizz, whatsoever.
Other businesses disregard grammar rules in order to protect their brand. This advertising campaign for Victoria’s Secret’s Body by Victoria underwear line was run in 2013. By avoiding the word “BODIES,” they clearly felt the need to protect the range name in the headline. Instead of saying “Bodies,” they used a possessive apostrophe to make the name plural. By enclosing the error in quotation marks, they made it appear even worse. The advertising firm ultimately had to stop the campaign at a loss and come up with a fresh headline. (For more information on possessive apostrophes, see my blog post on understanding the difference between It’s and S Its. ).
Social media and texting have encouraged us to be more succinct than ever, so the shorter the better Today’s body copy includes shorter paragraphs and sentences because reading them online is easier. One-word phrases can be powerful, as seen in this Apple advertisement’s copy, which reads, “All-new Lightning connector.” Smaller. Smarter. Durable. Reversible. ’.
Or as an advertising slogan, like on this humorous Diesel poster: Some may argue that writing proper grammar for advertising copywriting is a lost art; others may argue that writing long copy for advertising copywriting is a lost art.
David Abbott had a legendary talent for crafting lengthy copy. He was skilled at beginning sentences with “and” and “so,” which served to emphasize a point, suggest an idea, or draw the reader’s attention. His well-known Father’s Day press piece for Chivas Regal consists of 25 emotive paragraphs that each begin with the word “Because.” Open a book by James Joyce, Jane Austen, or H. G. Wells to see that breaking rules isn’t always bad. G. There are many examples of sentences that begin with coordinating conjunctions, so look around. “And the idea that and must not begin a sentence, or even a paragraph, is an empty superstition,” writes Kingsley Amis in The King’s English. The same goes for but. In fact, either word can provide incredibly early warning of the type of thing that will happen. ’.
Punctuation and grammar in advertising are frequently a matter of personal preference; the most important thing is that the ad copy should tell a compelling story and convince you to try, purchase, or sign up. Another famous copywriter and advertising guru, David Ogilvy, once said, “I don’t know the rules of grammar.” It seems to me that you should speak in their language if you’re trying to convince people to do something or purchase something. ’.
Jazner Englcom. 10 Grammatical errors on advertising signs
What are common grammar mistakes in advertising?
To communicate with your audience accurately and effectively, grammar is crucial. A potential customer might judge an advertisement based on its grammar, which could harm your credibility and reputation as a brand. To ensure that you establish credibility with your audience and produce polished promotional materials, use proper grammar. Some common grammar mistakes that can occur in advertising include:
Punctuation
A crucial component of grammar, punctuation can change the meaning of a word or a sentence. For instance, the reader’s interpretation of the sentence may change depending on where the comma is placed. Before approving content for an advertisement, it’s crucial to check that all punctuation, including commas, semicolons, apostrophes, and others, is correct.
Missing letters
If you’re writing written copy for an advertisement, you might omit a letter that’s essential to the reader understanding the statement. Using faulty spell-check software or working quickly can both lead to missing letters within words. Before approving the advertisement, advertisers might use proofreading to catch these errors.
Misspelled words
A misspelled word in an advertisement may go unnoticed by some readers, but it almost certainly affects some of the viewers. Misspelled words could suggest to your audience that you rushed through the creation of the advertisement or didn’t have enough time to make edits. Correct spelling is crucial to maintaining your credibility with your target audience.
To vs. too
The incorrect use of “to” and “too” is another frequent grammatical error. Despite having similar sounds, these words serve different functions when used in a sentence. “To” signifies movement toward something, while “too” means also. For instance, if you said, “I take my kids to school,” someone else might respond, “I do that, too.” It’s best to double-check your work because it’s possible to accidentally confuse these two words in the copy of an advertisement.
Affect vs. effect
Advertising frequently makes use of the words “affect” and “effect” incorrectly. Affect means influencing or impacting something else. For instance, “I chose to wear a coat to work because of the chilly weather.” ” However, effect refers to the result of being affected. For instance, “I found that wearing a coat affected my ability to stay warm at work.” It’s simple to use these two words incorrectly because their meanings are similar. If you decide to use a particular word in your copy, it is best to double-check that you did so.
Wrong words
You might occasionally use the incorrect word in an advertisement when you really meant something else. This may have an impact on the meaning of your writing and how your readers interpret it. The distinction between the words “theyre,” “their,” and “there” is a typical illustration of this. Each of these words sounds the same, but a writer might unintentionally use the incorrect one. The meaning of an advertisement can easily be distorted by using the wrong words. In order to make sure that your audience understands what you are saying, proofreading may be of assistance.
Improper sentences
Improper sentences include fragmented or run-on sentences. Fragmented sentences are phrases that result in an incomplete thought. For instance, the sentence fragment “to the store” A run-on sentence is one that continues without proper punctuation for an excessive amount of time. This could happen if you’re explaining something complicated or listing a lot of items. Before approving the advertisement, you should proofread your work because some grammatical errors may not be caught by spell checking.
How to avoid grammar mistakes in advertising
Although grammar errors are likely to happen as you advance in your advertising career, there are a few ways to deliberately avoid them. To ensure that your marketing materials are free of grammatical errors, take the following actions:
1. Edit as you write
Consider editing as you write if you’re writing a lengthy piece of content for a promotion. This could assist you in identifying any errors you make as you go along. Since you might have fewer edits to make at the end of the piece, editing early could save you time later. One technique you can use before sharing your written work with any other team members is to edit as you write.
2. Proofread your own work
It’s crucial to edit your own writing if you work as a marketing writer. Even though your work may be edited before being accepted, it is beneficial to conduct your own proofreading before submitting your work. By doing this, you might be able to spot your weaknesses or spot frequent errors in your writing.
3. Hire an editing team
Even though advertisements frequently use short copy, you should still consider hiring an editing team. Employees who have additional responsibilities could be a part of this team. However, having an expert team review all potential promotional content could help to reduce the number of grammatical errors in finalized advertisements. This group may provide the last review before the advertisement is accepted for distribution.
4. Use digital tools
You can pick from a large selection of available digital tools. Each of these tools may have a different focus or range of application for a specific grammatical problem. For instance, a spell-checking program would highlight misspelled words but not run-on sentences. These tools may streamline the editing process. Employees should still review the final version of any advertisement, though, as software or digital tools might overlook an important detail.
FAQ
What are the 10 most common grammar mistakes?
- 1 Overuse of adverbs. The boy ran really fast to catch the runaway ball.
- 2 Too many prepositional phrases. …
- 3 Ambiguous (“Squinting”) modifiers. …
- 4 Misuse of lie/lay. …
- 5 Ambiguous pronoun references. …
- 6 Comma splices. …
- 7 Run-on sentences. …
- 8 Wordiness (inflated sentences)
Is it acceptable to not use proper grammar in an ad?
Of course not. The rules of grammar and spelling are meant to be broken, at least in the eyes of advertising agencies. When grammar rules are used strategically, powerful writing can result, but when they are not used correctly, poor copy results.
Why is grammar important in advertising?
Noun/pronoun agreement errors can lead to poor grammar in sentences like: “Anna and Pat are married; they’ve been together for 20 years.” “Anna and Pat” are plural, while “he” is singular. The proper phrase is: “Anna and Pat have been together for 20 years; they are married.” “.
