Why Lucinda Lost and How to Avoid a Similar Fate

I’m an avid fan of The Apprentice and it was with regret that I watched Lucinda being fired. She was an excellent candidate.

The radio ad had a lot to be desired to be honest but unfortunately for Lucinda, it wasn’t the radio ad that was her downfall. Her print ad fell foul for a number of reasons - and Lucinda should comfort herself that she is not alone in making those mistakes.

Lets look at the mistakes in the print ad that cost Lucinda her place in the semi-final.

Mistake No. 1: Too many words

White space is gospel when it comes to copy-writing. You need enough to make your words stand out. There wasn’t enough white space at the two-page ad.

A common mistake is to have too many messages. For a two page ad, you should have two-three main messages. That’s it, no more.

There was at least five messages through-out the ad. Too many to concentrate.

Lucinda should have stuck to two-three messages, summarised them and used them in her call to action.

Mistake No. 2: No compelling headline

“This Christmas” and “Three Wise Men” isn’t exactly compelling reading. In order to get (and keep) attention, you need a compelling headline. Three pictures of three men isn’t the compelling headline that I’m talking about either.

You need a headline that screams ‘read me - I’m the the most interesting article/ad in this magazine’.

Mistake 3: Imagery didn’t support wording

If you’re going to use imagery as a supplement or distraction from your words, then choose wisely. The images should complement the wording.

Lucinda had a great idea of giving tips to picking jewellry this Christmas. It was a great idea - but unfortunately it didn’t work. She used bulleted images which didn’t work - it only added to the clutter on the page.

In summary, anyone can put together a print ad. However, if you want maximum returns, then you need to do it right. Hire a copy-writer!