Sunday, September 09, 2007

Claude Hopkins (1866-1932)



In the early 1900s, a young man named Albert Lasker (right) made a keen observation. He saw the incredible potential of creating and selling what was inside the ad space: i.e. sell the advertising concept!

At that time, ad agencies were merely ‘agents’; they sold advertising space (in newspapers, journals, magazines etc) to clients for a commission. Advertising was not only that he said, it was ‘Salesmanship in print’. Together with Claude Hopkins (left), a copywriter at Lord & Thomas (now FCB) they redefined that idea. Claude Hopkins was described as the first great salesman in the hard sell of advertising.

In his book, Scientific Advertising he challenges copywriters to develop this important attitude, "Don’t think of people in the mass. That gives you a blurred view. Think of a typical individual, man or woman, who is likely to want what you sell…"

What a profound yet simple truth. Personalise the message. Talk to a person, one at a time.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

From what I’ve learned, Claude Hopkins is the father of modern advertising. He understood that advertising is salesmanship and understood how to apply sales principles to advertising. His principles are applicable to all forms of advertising but unfortunately, not every advertiser manage to so. Many advertisers take for granted and fail to follow his advice. This could be seen in almost every advertisement that could be found in the market right now.

After having a short brief on Claude Hopkins, it somehow changed the way I look at the world. It also changes my point of view on an advertisement which I come across every single day in my life. Hopkins was a true business pioneer, who invented so much that we take for granted today. Just as we live in a world made by Henry Ford, we also live in a world made by Claude Hopkins.

He believed in sampling, money-back guarantees and testing. All this is shown on one of his most famous ads – for Sunkist Oranges. Another thing that I’ve learned is that, Hopkins teaches us to get the value out of our money. He not only created something that benefits himself but also benefits the consumer itself. He was the one who created the idea of drinking an orange instead of the old cliché way, which is by eating them.

-xiao mei-

Anonymous said...

So far,I've learned that Claude Hopkins was the one of the greatest advertising pioneers who ever lived.In his advertisements, he input a key concept which is 'The Power Of Consumer'.It means the advertiser must know his or her own consumer.Example like what is the consumer needs and what they need to know in the advertisement itself.Other than that,the advertisers must study who's the consumer and know what are they selling.He also applied the 4 As of advertising(AIDA)-Attention,Awarness,Attitude,Action-in the advertisement which it have been used till today.But nowdays not all advertiser successfully apply this 4 As.They all had misuse them which make today advertisements drop standard.Through the Claude Hopkins' lesson,I had changed my point of view looking at the advertisement compared to last time where I just flip through without look carefully at it.Now when I flip through the magazine,I'll study the ad.Through that I have learned how good and bad ads look like.I've learned that good product often was it's own salesperson and sampling plays a part in it.He also taught us that advertising is all about creativity and selling what is inside not just selling the space.In his most famous ads 'The Sunkist Oranges',he had change the attitude of the consumer from just eating an orange to drinking it.He had succesfully work it up.From that onwards all America's had change their breakfast habits forever.This is what real/great advertisement are.It able to influence consumer's habits and attitude.


-Car Car-

Anonymous said...

This is based on what I had understood, so if it is wrong please correct me, thank you.

Claude Hopkins, one of the greatest pioneer in advertising industry, emphasized on 'the power of consumers', which agrees with my principle on that. It is so pointless to advertise something if neither you nor the audience is benefited, especially nowadays, unless you are doing charity. Furthermore, Hopkins used coupons as a way to understand feedbacks from the audience, which is practiced by a lot of advertisers nowadays.

Actually, for me, Claude Hopkins's style is the simplest way of advertising. The only thing you have to crack your head is, the headline (not including the images). Headline is, of course, important to attract audience's attention, so that they will read your benefits, which will be the second main attraction, so that you can sell and they can buy. To advertise is to make sure that they are ATTRACTED, they READ, and UNDERSTAND the benefits, so that they BUY, and you SUCCESS.

Also, focusing on typical individual is a way to succeed your advertisement too (in which I totally agree with him). You will never ever sell a product that suits every single soul in this world, therefore simplify it to specific audience. It is like, you will never make everyone in this world to like you. Same theory.

If I had anymore comments I'll add on...

Jason, CD065-3.

Anonymous said...

First of all,I personally think Claude Hopkins is not only the father of modern advertising but also a mastermind in the advertising industries that comes up with idea of not only selling advertising space but to create and sell the advertisment together.He put consumers benefit in the first place as it was the important point to convince a consumer to buy the product.Claude Hopkins always study his consumer and interact with them as to understand what they need.Not to forget,he also think of the value of money as it gave both him and consumers benefit.One of his famous advertisment that really change the American society today is the Sunkist ad with the tagline 'Drink an Orange'.No one thought of the idea of squeezing an orange to juice for breakfast and to create a juice extractor but Claude Hopkins do and it really changed the American lifestyle.

After what i've learned about Claude Hopkins,i noticed alot of advertisment follows the Claude Hopkins way to promote their product and I think it will boost their confident in promoting and also gain consumers confidence in using their product.With all his big idea,no wonder Claude Hopkins was advertising's first great salesman.

He keep still with his four A's of advertising that is Attention,Awareness,Attitude and Action to create a good advertisment.Till today,the industries still use it to create a good advertisment but not all of them successfully applied them.Through Claude Hopkins,I've changed my perspective towards this industries and i've learned that sampling,creativity and salesperson themselves play an important role to sell a product.

-lawrence-

Anonymous said...

Claude Hopkins is one of my favourite copywritter. He was the father of advertising industry. He knew that advertising is salesmanship in print. He also emphasized the concept of "The Power of Consumers", and know that a successful copywritter must study the consumer's behaviour and should think of a typical individual so that we won't blurred our view when doing target audience research. Besides that, he found the important of headlines to catch the consumer attraction. Therefore, his copy made millions for his clients.

For instance, Claude Hopkins has created a very creative and effectiveness advertiment which is the Sunkits advertisment. This advertisment has successfully change the people lifestyle because an orange can be drink rather than just eating it. Futhermore, he has created 4As (AIDA) principles which are attention, awareness, attitude and action. I agree with his teory so much and i'll apply it when i'm doing advertisment at the future. My last word, I've learned that there will never be too late to start doing anything if you are perseveing because Claude Hopkins only became a copywriter at the aged of 38....

Anonymous said...

Claude Hopkins is one of my favourite copywritter. He was the father of advertising industry. He knew that advertising is salesmanship in print. He also emphasized the concept of "The Power of Consumers", and know that a successful copywritter must study the consumer's behaviour and should think of a typical individual so that we won't blurred our view when doing target audience research. Besides that, he found the important of headlines to catch the consumer attraction. Therefore, his copy made millions for his clients.

For instance, Claude Hopkins has created a very creative and effectiveness advertiment which is the Sunkits advertisment. This advertisment has successfully change the people lifestyle because an orange can be drink rather than just eating it. Futhermore, he has created 4As (AIDA) principles which are attention, awareness, attitude and action. I agree with his teory so much and i'll apply it when i'm doing advertisment at the future. My last word, I've learned that there will never be too late to start doing anything if you are perseveing because Claude Hopkins only became a copywriter at the aged of 38....

-Foo Voon Joon,065165,CD065-3

Anonymous said...

Claude Hopkins is the father in the advetising industry. he says that advertising is salesmanship in print. emphasizing the concept 'power of consumer' bring him to the top. understand your consumer, knowing what they want and what they need is the key to success. knowing this makes me think that advertising industry is not only cracking ways to sell your product, but many many more ways to do so.

One of Claude Hopkins famous ad for Sunkist - Drink an Orange, change our world today. Who will thought of drinking orange juice instead of eating it? Its much easier and save cost.

Still Using the 4a's - Awareness, Attention, Attitude, and Action, Claude Hopkins ad was a success in those days. He change the world of advertising.

Anonymous said...

Claude Hopkins was the father of advertising industry. He applied the 4 A’s of advertising which is Attention, awareness, attitude and action into his ad. Advertiser should refer to them as a guideline to create a successful ad.but, it's too bad that many people don't appreciate it and some of them misuse the concept. He understands that advertising was salesmanship in print. he used ‘the power of consumer’ in his ad.a successful copywriter or advertiser must studies the consumer, understand what consumer need. not only promoting or selling the product, but selling the benefit from it. We must understand what’s the consumer benefit, the product benefit, and support. For example, the successful ad by Hopkins, which is the Sunkist. He actually created a breakthrough idea which is ‘drinking’ an orange. Because people during that time used to ate oranges but not drinking the juice. He successfully convinced the people during that time that drinking the orange juice is as good as eating it. And it’s convenient and hygienic. Yet he focused on the consumer benefits which is the taste and the quality of the juice. As for the product benefit, he did list it on the ad ,such as nature’s germ-proof package. After the lesson of Claude Hopkins, I start to appreciate ad and start paying attention to ad. I feel interesting to critique ad that made mistake since I’ve learned some of the basic rules of ad. It’s fun!

-glxy-

Anonymous said...

Claude Hopkins is one of the great copywriters I have learned. He was also the father in the advertising industry. He was advertising’s first great salesman. He introduced the ‘power of consumers’. He believed that advertising existed only to sell something. Advertising business was about creating and selling what was inside the advertising itself. He never compared his products with a competitor or mentioned price. What he did was just used some aspect of the product that was not unique. And be the first to use these aspects to be their primary marketing focus.

Being an advertising man, he has studies the consumers well. This would help a lot in his industry. He also tries to place himself in the position of the buyers. That’s why his advertisement is always about consumer’s benefits. He has applied 4A’s into the advertising which is – Attention, Awareness, Attitude and Action. These were very useful in creating a good advertising. By the way, a successful advertiser can influence the people who read it. He has proved himself in one of the famous ads – Sunkist Oranges.

~*+ sU! +*~

Anonymous said...

Based on what i've learn, Claude Hopkins is the father in the advetising industry. He says that advertising is salesmanship in print. What most important is that you understand your consumers, knows what they want and what they need is the key to success.

One of Claude Hopkins famous ad that he made for Sunkist "Drink an Orange", change alot of peoples daily life. Who will thought of drinking oranges juice instead of eating it?

In order to grab people's attention he uses the 4 A's method,( Awareness , Attention , Attitude and Action ).

Anonymous said...

“Drink an Orange” three simple words that change the history of American breakfast for ever. It may sound very normal to nowadays people, but during 1916, it was a new idea for every American.

Claude Hopkins is now only the father of all modern advertising, but he’s also a great copywriter who fully uses the AIDA and AIDCA concept. During his time, ad agencies only sold space in newspaper or magazines to collect commission from it. He, however, came out with an idea which change the world of advertising forever. He not just sell the space, instate, he create the advertisement and sell it all together.

In his mind, the benefits of the comsumer always comes first. He’s famos ad was the Sunkist orange ,“Drink an Orange” ad. He not only teaches us the new way of drinking orange instate of eating one, he also came out with a design of a juice extractor and it really change the history of breakfast in the U.S.

He always remember to use the AIDA (or 4 A’s) concepts in the advertisement he created.
For example the Sunkist ad, he first grabs viewer’s attention by using his headline “Drink an Orange” which at that time is a new idea. He clearly stated the benefits of drinking an orange and all sorts of information to support his statement. In the end, he closes his ad by asking the viewer to order the product and at the same time offer the viewer a juice extractor for only 10 cents. And the ad works perfectly.

I think he’s a great copywriter and he also makes future copywriter follow the AIDA concept which he followed.

-JakE-

Anonymous said...

As what I've learn about Claude Hopkins is that before he create an advertisement, he makes sure he knows who's his target consumers is first and get to know what his consumers needs.

Once he gets to know his consumers, he will create an ad that no one has really thought of just like drinking an orange instead of eating an orange for nutricious and cleanliness purposes that will mainly attract the certain consumers that he targeted on.

His ad contains the 4A's which is first grab your attention with bizzare headlines, then create awareness to let the consumers knows the benefits of the products. Next is to convince the consumers that they can do something in another and easier way. Lastly is to create action that made the consumers want to purchased a certain product.

His ideas is one of the most simplest I've seen among all the copywriters because his idea is pretty direct and easy to understands and most of all, his ideas in selling a product is just to a certain group of consumers that he focuses on. For an example; housewives.

Anonymous said...

I agreed that Claude Hopkins is the father of advertising industry, because he seems like he got many 'sons'--the following generation copywriters that agreed with him and have used and developed his idea.
-David Ogilvy's paraphrase of Hopkins: "I don't write to the crowd. I try to write from one human being to another human being in the second person singular."
(This makes people more understanding and less misunderstanding)
-David Ogilvy's ad style always end with offer.
(Claude Hopkins's style)
-Leo Burnett's smart sell and stupid sell.
(I love this one.)
-Rosser Reeves's hard sell approach of Claude Hopkins.

I prefer his idea of "End with offer" to benefits. At least for me, or those busy people in the city, perhaps they won't really go and read the passage because it is too many words for me, I prefer ad with picture and few words. As for me, offer attracts me and many people else, because what we have to do is only take action as quick we can and sometimes with few easy steps and we are the one who get the benefit. This kind of idea can really make lots of money in a short period.

I like 'Drink and Orange' ad, because I like orange juice! If without Claude Hopkins, I would not have my favourite orange juice today and breakfast drinks for Americans. Cheers!

Zyen

Anonymous said...

I agree with Claude Hopkins’s thoughts, which are an advertiser should always looks consumer as in individual and place themselves in the position of the consumer. That means they have to find out the target market first, then they have to study the targeted consumer’s need. After that, the advertisement should base on the promotion of the product’s benefits according to the consumer’s need.

CSF 065168 CD065-3

Anonymous said...

Claude Hopkins is one of the greatest pioneers in advertising industry. He knows that advertising is a salesmanship in print. He also emphasized the concept “The Power of Consumer” which is means that advertiser must know what the consumer needs is, and what kind of information that audience need to know about in the advertisements. Not only promoting or selling the product, but selling the benefit for audience. Claude Hopkins also knows how to use coupons to get the feedbacks from the audience.
Claude Hopkins is also using AIDA and AIDCA concept in the advertisement. His famous ad is the Sunkist orange “Drink an Orange”, his is promoting audience a new way to enjoy the taste of the orange by using “Drink it”.


CHUA 065150 CD065-3

Anonymous said...

In my thoughts, Claude Hopkins advertisements are always straight to the point to send out the message to audiences. He used AIDA, the four steps: Attention-to be got noticed, Interest- to be remembered, Attitude-make consumer wanted to buy, Action-the place to get the product. He is a successful copywriter because he always communicated with many types of people like citizens or farmers to understand what a consumer really needs. Just like what Claude Hopkins said ' the advertising man studied the consumer'. I like the way he is being humble to study the consumer.


-shien-

Anonymous said...

From what I've learned about Claude Hopkins, he is the first copywriter who created the 4 A's(also known as AIDA) format of advertising, which is very useful. His ads mostly have benefits to support his product and are very workable. Because, one of his ad - “Drink an Orange” have very strong benefits to support and he also included an offer as a conclusion of his ad. One of his slogan, “The advertising man studies the consumer”, which is very important to all advertisers. It is true that if we as an advertiser, we must know and analyze the consumer first before trying to sell a product. So the 4 A's of advertising ,they still use it in the present for their ads.

Anonymous said...

Claude Hopkins, the man who change American breakfast forever. 1916, a new idea was born, Claude Hopkins made a Sunkist orange ad that change the world, at that time American usually eat orange and don’t drink orange , but after Claude Hopkins ad about Sunkist new orange juice , the Americans drink orange for breakfast . How he does it with just one ad? First he focuses on the consumer benefits, what benefits the customer from drinking Sunkist orange juice, next is features and attributes of Sunkist orange juice by telling them that the package is germ-proof, and finally ask for order and close with an offer for the customers, that is offered you a “Juice Extractor” for only 10 seen and had the extractor designed and manufactured. From that day on, Americans drink orange for breakfast and not eat orange for breakfast.



~C.Z.L~

Anonymous said...

Claude Hopkins was one of the greatest advertising pioneers who ever lived. He worked for various advertisers untill the age of 41. He stayed for 18 years.
I agree wat Hopkins said tat he believed advertising existed only to sell something, this is because if 1 product don;t have an ad,there will no 1 will know their product exist in this society. Besides that, Hopikins also believed that the best way to market a product was to exploit a specific characteristic shared by all other products in the same category.
I like Hopkins that he never compare his product with other competitor or mentioned price.

chua tze een
CD071-3
0701024

Anonymous said...

Claude Hopkins is the myth of the advertising industry. His creative inspiration now become a widely in use, But if they did not his creativity now is not so colorful advertising creativity. He was most representative works is the "product benefit." He characterized by the use of the most detailed solutions Lane explained in the advertisement and play with the words. Apart from that, his ideas of give the coupon and also the free product, nowadays we can saw a lot this type of ideas to promoted their product. I admire his talents, because he not only good in copywriting, but also good in creativity in ad.

Leong ka hing
0701008
CD071-3

Anonymous said...

MY OPINION ABOUT THE CLAUDE HOPKINS:
Claude Hopkins is the first one to do the advertisement related the consumer benefit. I felt that he was very smart to sell the product used this concept! I think it was usefully than the salesman said thousand of good word for consumer. Because he made create the ads can communicates with people. The picture and the tagline can said the all benefit for out consumer. So that he had contributed an important point in advertising .His 4 A’s of advertising also is very useful for me that I have a target to show my advertising if I achieve all his requirement means that my advertisement is success!
Yap Poh Yee(PooH)
CD071-3
0701125

Anonymous said...

Claude Hopkins

Claude Hopkins is a father of advertising in the modern world. He is a great copy writer. He invented many new and fresh ideas. His major contribution to the advertising industry is inspired the advertising people with many ideas. For example, he said advertising is a salesman print and also he emphasized the idea of “The Power of Consumers”. Hence, he gives us the idea of putting the consumer first instead of thinking of making profits. He said that we have to know our consumers and talk to them like one to one.

Besides that, he wrote a book “Scientific Advertising” which inspired the advertising industry. He described the attitude of successful copywriter must develop with the target of the consumers as in we have to know their age and their needs. For example, a product or services suits which kind of age group and we have to understand the consumers’ situation. Other than that, the advertisement and ideas have to be unique which means that we must have our own and first idea. The most important point is we must understand our consumers. For they are the one would consume and attract to the product through advertisements.

He created a classic advertisement is called “Drink an Orange”. He used 4 A’s which is Attention, Awareness, Attitude and Action to reach the consumers. He grabbed attention from the housewives from the headlines during that period of time. He knew their age group is around 17 – 25. Besides, he applied attitude by explaining the Sunkist orange. Hence, he took action with offering the “Juice Extractor” for only 10 cent.

In the conclusion, I think that Claude Hopkins really inspired the advertising industry. He came out with many ideas in copy writing. Now, the people from advertising industry are still using his ideas and also the 4A’s concepts to apply in the advertisement.

Lim Kher Lit
0701078
CD071-3

Anonymous said...

I think Claude Hopkins is a very smart person. Many people may know that advertising should sell something, but no one start to mention as a guideline to follow it. He call advertising as the salesmanship in print. Then he just follows his rule and creates many fantastic advertising in his entire life.
He also a very professional copywriter as he knows his job is going in the world of his consumer and create advertising can convince them. I like his way state consumer as an individual but not a mass. He respects his consumer so he gets them.
Although he start the job quite late, but he still become one of the great copywriter. I will take him as an idol that learning never start late and everyone have the chance to become the one.

Wai Kam Fatt
0701103
CD071-3