BackgroundRosser Reeves (1910-1984) was an early pioneer of television advertising.
He was born in Danville, Virginia the son of a Methodist preacher.
As a 10 year old boy, Rosser began writing poetry & fiction.
At the age of 19, he started his career during the Great Depression as a newspaper reporter. In 1940, he landed a job as a copywriter at Ted Bates & Co. He was committed to making ads that were simple, direct, and often annoying.
In 1961, Rosser wrote The Reality of Advertising, which details the famous USP: Unique Selling Proposition technique.
Key Contributions
His ads were focused around what he called the unique selling proposition, the one reason ‘why’ the product needed to be bought or was better than its competitors.
Rosser says, ‘The proposition must be one that the competition either cannot, or does not, offer. It must be unique-either a uniqueness of the brand or a claim not otherwise made in that particular field of advertising’
The proposition simply states 'Buy this product and you will get this specific benefit.'The proposition must be so strong that it can move the mass millions. He believes that the consumer tends to remember just one thing from advertising-one strong claim, or one strong concept.
19 comments:
[off topic] hmm.. this guy never appeared last term.. =D [/off topic]
combining all the posts, does that mean, he advertise the USP of a certain product by repeating it over and over again / "spamming" ? XD
@Hikari:
Yup, that's more or less about it for how the guy advertises.
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As for my comment, all in all... I find that this Ressor guy has more or less a little of that persistent attitude about him. Since from the way he advertises (spamming the same idea over and over again) he just does not give up that easily on a certain product he works for...
So, in my point of view, I find that his method of advertising is quite effective, but not in the long run... Since people back then and maybe even now find it really really annoying in such a way that after awhile of looking at the ad, it chases them away rather than pulling them in to buy that particular product (since the advertisement is bound to cause several nerves to snap sooner or later).
To sum it all down, I think that the way Ressor advertises is quite risky as there are chances where no one will actually stop to find out more about the product, let alone buy them.
With love,
-Yap-
From what I have learned in copywriting class, the power of USP is the topic that I think is most interesting. It is because an advertisement that have a good USP is seems like say to reader ‘buy this product you will get the specific benefit from this product’. The interesting USP in an advertisement can attract customers and help to pull over new customers to buy your product. It can make more money to the company.
Rosser Reeves was the father of the power of USP. He also used the ‘hard-sell’ approach of Claude Hopkins in his advertisement. His premise was find the unique benefit in your product, hammer it home and repeatedly. Reeves’ USPs are almost used the same formulas – ritual chants that are repeated over and over. I think this formula was the major cause of people hated his commercial or advertisement. In my opinion, the USP of one product was the tagline that echos in the mind of readers always. An interesting tagline need not to keep repeat it because readers will hate it though it worked.
The idea of USP was very successful because there are many copywriters also using this technique to attract customer now. After having the brief on Rosser Reeves, I have changed the way I look at the advertisement. I was know a good advertisement not only attracted people by using picture but can also using the USP to make the advertisement become memorable advertising work.
sv leong
From what I have learned in copywriting class, the power of USP is the topic that I think is most interesting. It is because an advertisement that have a good USP is seems like say to reader ‘buy this product you will get the specific benefit from this product’. The interesting USP in an advertisement can attract customers and help to pull over new customers to buy your product. It can make more money to the company.
Rosser Reeves was the father of the power of USP. He also used the ‘hard-sell’ approach of Claude Hopkins in his advertisement. His premise was find the unique benefit in your product, hammer it home and repeatedly. Reeves’ USPs are almost used the same formulas – ritual chants that are repeated over and over. I think this formula was the major cause of people hated his commercial or advertisement. In my opinion, the USP of one product was the tagline that echos in the mind of readers always. An interesting tagline need not to keep repeat it because readers will hate it though it worked.
The idea of USP was very successful because there are many copywriters also using this technique to attract customer now. After having the brief on Rosser Reeves, I have changed the way I look at the advertisement. I was know a good advertisement not only attracted people by using picture but can also using the USP to make the advertisement become memorable advertising work.
sv leong
Although Rosser Teeves's hard sell approach is very effective for advertising. Like most people, I dont like those advertisement that created by him. Those advertisement seems boring, because keep repeating something and it is too hard sell. That's why I am not interested on it. But in the other hand, people's mind will be influenced by repeating message unconsciously most of the time. So I can't deny his succeed. But in the future, if I am to design an advertisement, I would not his way.
USP is the most important in an ad.It is to make a proposition and sell a benefit.It make the consumer know what are the ad selling and what is it benefit out from it.Rosser Reeves is famous of using USP-Unique selling point.This is one that the competition does not have which make Reeves's ad unique.The ad is strong and moves.Other than that is stands out compare to the other ad.Some creative people and public hated his ads because in his ad,he repeat repeat repeat.Like the Anacin's ad 'fast,fast,fast relief'.He advertise it repeatedly and everyone rememberand believe it.Anacin made more money than the classic movie 'Gone with the wind'.This prove that his concept do really work.This called the power of cadence and incantation.He also used action like the 'hard sell" approach by Claude Hopkins.But sometime repeat and repeat the same old thing maybe annoying.Nowdays people love new things.They like to see different fresh new look.So Reeves's idea of repeat repeat is hard to apply in nowdays ad.
--Car Car--
Rosser Reeves did not believed in entertaining people with his advertising. He believed that advertising should grab people’s attention and repeat one single message over and over. Yes, I agree with this because people will just remember one thing from advertising one strong concept. USP for unique selling proposition by say to each reader ‘Buy this products you will get this benefits’.
Fifty years later, his famous ads example like M&M’s and Colgate, their slogans are still being used to this day. Sometimes, his hard sell ads is also annoying people. Repeating something is hard to acceptable by the young generations.
~*+ sU! +*~
USP (Unique Selling Point) is the key of an successful ad. This proposition really works and what makes each ad stands out. Each product or service of brand should have their own USP so they will have less competitor with their USP and make more money for their brand, people will also remember the brand more well. One more thing that is important and must be reminded to all those who use USP, always be the first owner of the USP will get more benefits.
Nowadays, USP is still very important so I think this idea works and it's great.
Zyen
Based on what i have learn, Rossor
is the kind of people who pushes or urge people to buy what his advertise.
Rossor's method of advertising was using the " repeat , repeat , repeat " is annoying. But what was really good is his USP (unique selling point).
I think that Rossor way of advertising is quite a risky fight as there are chances where no one will actually stop to find out more about the product, let alone buy them.
Rosser Reeves is also one of the copywriters who uses directive headlines. Simple and direct yet sometimes maybe annoying. His ideas of repeating and repeating and repeating is rather effective since during all this time, he manage to grab people's attention because most of his ads has the most important element which is the Unique Selling Point(USP).
Usually a lot of people look at ads that have a unique selling point because without the USP, what's the point of looking at the product ad when its not even selling anything unique! This could link in his idea of repeat! repeat! repeat!
To me, as long as the ads have a USP that manage to grab and convince the consumers, that's a good ad. Somehow or rather, an ad with a simple and direct headlines is effective in an ad because a lot of people don't really like to think more than behind the meaning of the ad so with this, why not let the consumers know the ideas straight away without having time to think about the ads with extra few minutes! Time is precious! XP
So Rosser Reeves idea of USP and Repeating is not a really bad idea and its convincing enough! (At least for me)
Rosser Reeves born in1910.he began writing poetry at 10 years old. then he become a lawyer and enroll at University of Virginia. then he was interested in teaching. he was an advertising executive. He committed to making ads which were simple, direct, and often annoying because it keeps repeating. Reeves’ USP had three distinct aspects which are to find a proposition or the product benefit, then compare with other competition, find one of the point which others competition doesn’t have. then make sure it’s strong and it moves. and the premise for him is to find the USP, hammer it home then keep repeating it so that consumers will remember.his copywriting took the hard sell approach.he quoted ‘if a copywriter isn’t a salesman,then he’s a bad copywriter’. His most typical ad is probably that for Anacin, a headache medicine. It was annoying most viewer but yet it was successful. he don’t believe tat ad should be entertain, or educate, but should only to communicate the slogan. He focused on unique selling proposition .rosser reeves succeed in many ad too. some of it still exist today, such as M&M's "melt in your mouth, not in your hand." he also famous in wonder bread ad.
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Rosser Reeves believed that advertising should grab people’s attention and repeat one single message over and over again (1998). He explained this thought, "The consumer tends to remember just one thing from advertising which is one strong concept (Reeves, 1961)." His selling pitch was 'buy this product, and you will get this specific benefit (1998),' thus the USP: Unique Selling Proposition. Reeves would use scientific evidence in his commercials, for example, he would dress actors in lab coats to portray a doctor. Even till this day, many advertisers still use the same techniques that he developed. On TV commercials, actors will wear lab coats and point to charts or an image of evidence as to why their product works. One of Reeves' most famous advertisements that represent the hard sell, USP approach, is the advertisement for Anacin. Reeves believed that advertising is more about science and research than "arts and crafts" as he would put it. Reeves hated creative advertising. His ads typically featured simple repetition of a single theme. For a time his advertising worked and brought in millions for Ted Bates & Co. Some creative people hated his ads namely, the “Fast! Fast! Fast Relief!”(1952) and The Power of Cadence & Incantation.
-xiao mei-
xoxo
Although Rosser Reeves’s hard sell approach is very effective for advertising. Like most people, I don’t like those advertisement that created by him. Those advertisements seem boring, because keep repeating something and it is too hard sell. That’s why I am not interested on it. But in the other hand, people’s mind will be influenced by repeating message unconsciously most of the time. So I can’t deny his succeed. But in the future, if I am to design an advertisement, I would not his way.
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Rosser Reeves, a famous advertiser whose use USP in the ad. An USP is very important for an ad is because it will make the consumer know what are the product selling and what is the benefit out from the product. He also use the “Hard-sell” approach by Claude Hopkins in his advertisement, which mean it keep on repeating the same thing like the Anacin’s ad “fast, fast, fast, relief”. Actually it is quite annoying sometime, because it keep on repeating the same old thing. I will feel that this kind of ad will be very risky when promoting their product in nowadays, because nowadays people like fresh looking, special look for the ad. So if keep on using that kind of repeating ad audience will very easy to get boring on that product.
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For me i think Rosser Reeves is a very interesting guy furthermore with his weird and spunky attitude of his makes him even more interesting. Well he was born a speaker in my opinion because of his loud and commanding voice he was an excellent speaker and presenter. Incredibly he writes poetry and fictions when he was young
and was actually published in newspapers and he was a serious bookworm kind of guy. He was also very hardworking to me because the way he achieve his goal is by doing research on the famous copywriters at that time to excel his knowledge and talent in copywriting.
The way he gives out his USP was far more weird than the other copywriters i've seen because his way into getting a USP ( Unique Selling Proposition ) into peoples head is to hammer it home, repeatedly which can be very annoying and irritating in the long run. Even me, if i come across an advertisement that was so annoying i would quickly changed the channel
or skipped the ad. Back then, it was also the same, many people hated his ad so much but i can't understand why it works, and not just minimal but incredibly outstanding. The advertisements was so annoying being repeatedly broadcast over television, radio, and other medias that will eventually get into your head. Furthermore his USP slogan was short, simple and it rhymes so its easy to remember. Example advertisements like Anacin and M&M.
He even release a book written by him called Reality of Advertising that applies the factors of having to hammer your product slogan repeatedly into peoples mind and was so-called the New Improved Testament. In my opinion, his idea works very well but im wondering how would anyone keep up with the annoying ads produced by him even if it made a breakthrough.
Chang Sook Han
068069
CD068-3
Rosser Reeves is an interesting and direct copywriter that different with others. He has many successful campaigns like Anacin, M & M’s and Colgate. He is a man that does not give up easily and always try he best. His theory, the USP: make a proposition, sell the benefit that the competition does not have, strong and move. This USP make him became successful.
He always introduced Claude Hopkin’s “hard sell” approach. He always repeated his advertisements, it make his product be memorable. Eventhough people have no intention to remember it; they will also memory and belief it. Creative people and public hate his advertisement, maybe because he always repeated his adv. Human always love the new and loathe the old; they will feel boring and annoying about it. Maybe always repeat advertisement has it defect, but it is a powerful USP that we cannot ignore it. Copywriters now also follow Rosser Reeves way. For example, those advertisements that always publishes in newspapers like Toyota and SK-II.
Rosser Reeve believes that advertising should use the concept of repeat. Make people remember an advertising is important.. The idea is just like memorizing something. The most easy way is just repeat the same thing again and again. Although it is not too creative, consumer still take attention on it because it is repeat and repeat.
He make the benefit is stick to the product. Example like the advertising of anacin, he success to combine the headache with this product. He repeats the advertising and keep remind people that please use anacin when you are headache.
However, I think in the creative generation this idea cannot be work anymore. Among those advertising is repeat and repeat, only the creative one will catch audience attention.
Wai Kam Farr
0701103
CD071-3
Rosser Reeves is one outstanding man which he totally change the style of advertising in a creative way. He uses the concept "USP" which makes his product unique.
Using the concept "USP", people can see its originality and the product has less competitors in the market.
For example, M&M the tagline “Melt in your mouth, not in your hand." It's so original that everybody knows it's a candy which is M&M.
For my opinion, this could easily grab the target audience heart which makes the target audience remember it.
Many people dislike his advertisement because it keeps repeating. In the positive thoughts, it really hit the market! The society may dislike it but they remembered it which makes the product famous.
For my opinion, the concept of repeating is a hit in a market today because it could easily make the society remember it. For example, "Pizza Hut" repeats their telephone number delivery service in their commercial.
Tan Han Wee (Henry)
0701087
CD071-3
UPDATE**
Rosser Reeves is one outstanding man which he totally change the style of advertising in a non creative way. He uses the concept "USP" which makes his product unique.
Using the concept "USP", people can see its originality and the product has less competitors in the market.
For example, M&M the tagline “Melt in your mouth, not in your hand." It's so original that everybody knows it's a candy which is M&M.
For my opinion, this could easily grab the target audience heart which makes the target audience remember it.
Many people may dislike his advertisement because it keeps repeating and annoying. In the positive thoughts, it really hit the market! The society may dislike it but they remembered it which makes the product famous.
For my opinion, the concept of repeating is a hit in a market today because it could easily make the society remember it. For example, "Pizza Hut" repeats their telephone number delivery service in their commercial.
Tan Han Wee (Henry)
0701087
CD071-3
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