In his book Ogilvy on Advertising, David Ogilvy discussed making the product the hero, particularly when you’re dealing with a “parity” product. And what is a parity product? Well, essentially, it’s a product that’s not differentiated from the competition, at least in features and technology.
The way to write about a parity product, according to Mr. Ogilvy’s then-partner Joel Raphaelson, is not to attempt to write convincingly about its competitive superiority. As Mr. Raphaelson put it, “It may be sufficient to convince consumers that your product is positively good. If the consumer feels certain that your product is good and feels uncertain about your competitors, he will buy yours.”
What a refreshing position. In writing persuasively about the merits of your product, you avoid chest-beating, which is annoying at best, and no longer have to resort (with some anxiety) to those comparison charts where the competition may have a few too many X’s in feature cells for comfort.
It’s a credible approach that makes creating an ad piece or web copy easier on the copywriter. And it’s ultimately easier on the customer. As Mr. Ogilviy puts it, “This approach to advertising parity products does not insult the intelligence of consumers. Who can blame you for putting your best forward?”
Next week, Mr. Ogilvy’s take on positioning.
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