Air2...

Air can destroy pottery -- and sales (see 03/19/09).

Air can also destroy an ad.

There are two extremes: I'll call them "Cool Air" and "Hot Air".

"Cool Air" is trying too hard to be cool. It's oversimplification. Most effective ads are simple, not simplistic.

A few years back, dozens of amateur ads were based on the "Got Milk" ads. For example:

Headline: "Got high density-polyethylene pipe?" Graphic: Image of pipe Tag: Logo and phone number.

Funny? Maybe. But it doesn't sell anything. Everyone knows what milk is. Not everyone knows your product.

On the other hand, "Hot Air" is too many words.

The key to a good ad isn't saying more. It's saying more with fewer words.

Good ad copy reads like good poetry. Big punch. Short sentences.

Enough said?

-Takeaway: Good advertising looks easy. It isn't. It takes great skill to balance all the elements.