It is always disheartening when you don’t get expected returns from your expensive ad campaign. There are so many ads that are aired every minute, but there are views that actually make a difference, touch our hearts or attract customers.

A successful ad is a good mix of persuasion and impact. The characteristics that drive the most impactful ads and those that drive the most persuasive ads are shared by the majority of the winning ads.

However, impact alone is not sufficient; the associations generated by the advertising need to be linked to the brand. There are many ways this can be achieved, but it is of note that ads which contain established branding devices, existing slogans or distinctive creative styles are all more likely to be impactful.

The top-five characteristics for ads that scored highly on “breakthrough,” an ad’s memorability, per consumers, are:

• Audience-Appropriate Humor – Tickling America’s funny bone is a proven winning tactic for making an ad memorable. People like to laugh out loud when they sit with their family and watch television. This laughter therapy might help you attract customers.

• Relatable Characters & Situations – Audiences will connect with personalities and scenarios with which they can identify. Casting famous sportsperson or a film star will surely make your brand more impressive for everyone. This helps to develop a brand connection.

• Simple & Upbeat Storyline – Ads should do more than convey information– they should tell a story. People want more than facts, a nice way to present your information is essential.

• Character Dialogue to Tell a Story – Changing a message from simple prose to a conversation will give the story life.

• Build an Emotional Connection – last but not the least, sentiments are very important. The brain identifies an emotional experience as important enough to remember, which in turn resonates with the audience. Many people in this world are emotional buyers.

It is important to map out your target market and seek out the media that reaches this focused audience. Targeting will save you money and reach the audience more likely to buy your products or services.

Define the difference between features and benefits. A feature is tangible. For example, you are a women’s clothing store owner. You carry a wide-range of jeans across different brands. This is a feature of your store. Adding a benefit takes it one step further. Since your store carries a wide-range of jeans across different brands, the hassle of going from store to store to find a pair of jeans that fit perfectly is taken away! What a difference this makes. If you don’t address a solution to a problem, your audience will not realize they need what you are offering!

Grabbing attention with your advertising and keeping that attention is great, but if it does not cause them to seek out more information or contact you, then it may end in disappointment. So it is vital to tell your potential customers about what to do next. Does that mean directing them to your website? Inviting them to come into your store?