Handwriting & CopyDoodles Grab Attention!

Recently, I was having dinner at my in-laws and I noticed the current issue of Country Living magazine sitting on the coffee table. What caught my eye was the red, handwritten word “BIG” and arrow on the cover.

I did a double-take to see if this was one of my CopyDoodles (it wasn’t, but it sure looked close). But it was gratifying to see a major magazine use this ultra-effective copywriting design technique to grab attention. For the last 18 months, I have been teaching people how to use this technique to create instant “eye magnets” that literally force your reader to engage with your piece.

Lately, I have been seeing the use of simulated handwriting more and more. It’s in the Sunday paper, it’s on television and in magazine ads. As a matter of fact I have seen a number of book covers that use this technique to stand out, including this one.

In my marketing consulting company, I have done a number of split tests and across the boards the materials that contain handwritten notes and doodles always perform better than those without them. Of course you have to know how and when to use them appropriately (just slapping a bunch of CopyDoodles on your materials without proper thought can be counter-productive).

The use of simulated handwriting goes back a long way in advertising and I have a theory as to why I think simulated handwriting is being used so effectively today. The use of computers, word processing and laser printers has created “homogenized marketing.” 95% of everything looks the same.

And when you introduce a handwritten or hand-drawn element to the mix, it becomes very different in a simple, human kind of way. The effectiveness of a simple red handwritten note and doodle can be huge. Look at the book cover above. Its power is in its simplicity and human appeal.

Check out this real-estate agent ad that ran in my local paper recently. It doesn’t look like anything else on the page and while I have no idea how it did for the agent, I applaud her on doing what she can do stand out.

I believe the use of simulated handwriting is one of the easiest and fastest ways you can grab attention in your marketing.