Copy and Design for Magazine and Newspaper Ads

Print ads in magazines and newspapers are typically design-driven (and tend to be "showrooms").  This means the overall creative concept and layout typically come first;  copy is then written to fit the layout.

The amount of copy is limited by the size of the ad, and is dictated by the purpose of the ad (direct sales that must cover the ad's cost, new customer acquisition that can be done at a loss, leads at a certain level of quality, etc.).

1.  The more the focus on trackable measurable response from the ad, typically the more room devoted to copy (more "selling" needs to be done to get a response, and selling is done by the copy).

2.  The more the focus is on building awareness of the company and/or the product, the more space devoted in the ad to a "branded" look. 

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