Words have the power to catalyze change. Naturally, the word has always been the focus of advertising. While that means good advertising can have lots of words, it is also true that people may not have time to read all of them. And therein lies the challenge.

Marvel of technology
And yet, more people are writing (and therefore reading) today. The Internet & SMS have changed our lives. The email has brought back the art of letter writing, albeit modified. Did you know that personal letter-writing was at its lowest ebb around 20 years ago? Who would have thought that in the 21st century, more people would be writing letters ?

Today, the average urban graduate writes a few hundred words via email everyday. Add the scores of SMS messages (with its abbreviations) and you can see how technology has brought a renaissance to writing.

Write Rules
There can be very few rules for writers. Apart from well-known guides to good writing like the Economist, there are just a few simple thumb rules. Like it is not possible to read more than 8 - 10 words, while passing by a hoarding. Or that a 30 second TV commercial should not hold more than 60 words - because it is difficult to recite more than that in 30 seconds. And that all said and done, a good headline has to make you stop. And add to the visual, bring to life what you see and make the picture better.

Good copy is about a tone of voice, which is non-assuming and intelligent. It's also about crediting the consumer with intelligence. And restraining the urge to blow our trumpets. As also retaining our sense of humour.

In the final analysis, advertising must reflect life. Real people don't just sit and read ads. They spend their time doing normal things. Like listening to music & looking at paintings. Or just looking out of the window. That's why, advertising professionals need to remind themselves of what normal people do - and stay in touch with life (not get obsessed with advertising).

Perhaps that's why they say that advertising is a difficult business to understand - as difficult it is to understand life !