There is an art to writing advertising copy.  Research suggests that minimizing the  number of printed words in an advertisement increases the amount of pleasure viewers feel about the ad.  On the other hand, an advertisement needs some text to anchor the images, to give a clue to the intended interpretation of the images in the advertisement.  In a way, an advertisement is like a visual puzzle, purposely leaving some relationships among images ambiguous to allow free play of the imagination to generate an interpretation, a solution to the question the advertisement poses.

For the final project of our Visual Culture and Design class, my group is creating a fashion magazine of the future, set in the year 2040.  We imagined that there would be fashion spreads, articles and advertisements just as there are in current fashion magazines.  The project presents cultural changes that will result from innovations in nanotechnology applications that are currently being developed, extrapolating into the future what might result from the widespread adoption of these technologies.

To have something to advertise, we needed to develop some products conceptually.  The first product I developed was color-changing automobile paint to be used as a standard feature on a vehicle of the future.   In fact, Nissan has already developed such a paint using nanotechnology, but has not yet put it on the market.  The second product I developed was nylon stockings enhanced with nanotechnology features.  Here is the draft copy of information about this product for our advertising team to transform into a magazine ad:

Our L’eggs fix your legs.

Remember laser treatments? Sclerotherapy?  These used to be the most trusted treatments for spider veins.  Until now.

L’eggs Sheer Energy is made from nylon fibers embedded with zinc oxide and special carbon nanotubes.  The nanotubes provide superior tensile strength to promote circulation, and the zinc oxide generates a piezoelectric effect when you walk.  Your legs literally charge up tiny motors that power the massaging action of the nanotubes. 

But the best part is that now L’eggs Sheer Energy can deliver Diosmin directly to your legs through microneedle-like structures knitted into the stockings.  Microneedle topical application of Diosmin has been clinically proven to eliminate or reduce the appearance of spider veins.  Now you can get the benefit of Diosmin with the massaging action of InTense Memory Yarn™  to make your legs both look and feel great!

L’eggs Sheer Energy.  Lucky.  Lovely.

This copy was transformed to make an exciting back page advertisement for the magazine.  Here is the result:

L'eggs Sheer Energy pantyhose ad

The next product I developed was a new way of coloring hair based on nanotechnology.  This required a fair amount of research into the way hair is made in the follicles and how special cells called melanocytes inject pigment into the hair.  It seemed to make sense that a nanobot could perform the same function, once one was developed that could integrate with the skin without causing irritation.  Here is the copy I produced describing this product:

In ancient Greece people used suspensions of lead nanoparticles to dye hair black.

Now nanotechnology has come full circle. Instead of putting color directly in the hair shaft, nanobots have been designed to mimic melanocytes, injecting pigment particles directly into keratinizing cells through structures analogous to dendritic processes. Annual treatments, once the province of dermatologists, are now available through your local hair salon.

Your stylist will apply a gel that is absorbed into the epidermis. The polymers in the gel provide a chemically friendly signal to accessory cells so that the nanobots can move to the area where melanocytes function within the hair follicle. The nanobots stay in place for about a year, after which they can no longer manufacture the pigments. A new application is necessary when a change in color at the roots is observed.

Melanobots by L’Oreal. Because you’re worth it.

FDA Approved.

This was transformed into the following advertisement:

Advertisement for hair coloring

Finally, I developed a product called the Zoloft 2.0 bracelet. This product includes an ingenious application of microneedles and is meant to be marketed as a Zoloft branded product. Here is the copy and the original images proposed for the product:

The Zoloft 2.0 Bracelet: Drug Fashion that Lets You Feel Passion

Recent advances in microneedle technology and molecular manipulation of SSRI compounds have made possible a great new fashion item that delivers needed drugs discreetly. Zoloft has been used to treat depression, anxiety and OCD for many years. Breakthrough research in 2035 produced a new version of Zoloft with a slightly different molecular structure and conformation. Zoloft 2.0, as it was called, treats depression and other mood disorders without the often noted side effect of diminished libido.

Now this drug can be delivered intradermally via microneedles. Rather than having to take a pill or swallow some bitter liquid, a patient can just store the microneedle array in a specially designed charm or bead, or in the case of our cuff bracelets, in a specially designed compartment on the inside of the bracelet. For the cuff bracelet, the silver in the bracelet acts as an antimicrobial so that no bacteria can enter the skin through the holes made in the skin. For the beaded bracelets, a sterling silver charm serves the same function.

The Zoloft 2.0 bracelet is offered in a variety of styles to suit your individual taste. A selection is represented below.

Pomegranate charm has microneedle dispenser

Fertility bracelet charts your cycle. Charm holds the drug.

Beads made from seed are the perfect hiding place for microneedles.

Rose quartz balances body and mind, and Kokopelli charm holds the drug.

Aztec fertility symbols adorn this cuff bracelet. Medicine chamber can be seen in back.

More options can be found on our web site: www.mymoodsarebetterthanyours.com

Wear it proudly, and congratulate yourself on having chosen the best quality minerals and metals available on the market. Keep the passion, love the fashion. Zoloft 2.0.

Here is the advertisement that the team produced. For variety, some advertisements were given less space.

Bracelet designed to deliver drugs

These advertisements are a part of a larger whole that includes articles and fashion spreads. Much of a magazine’s revenues typically come from advertising, but it is also an entertainment medium that must offer a plethora of beautiful images and thoughtful articles to hold its readers’ attention. Product development is the first step in a process of creating a niche within a marketplace, and advertising is one of the main methods for selling product. People have to know a product exists in order to buy it, and it must be presented attractively to make them want to buy it.