Yes, you guessed it!
It's the 1-for-1 word that got my attention.
As you know, it has become so difficult to get a reader's attention nowadays that every company is pulling all stops to get noticed.
Of course, 1-for-1 has been used for many years by businesses in different industries with varying degree of success. In fact, it has become an expectation that there will be 1-for-1 promotion every day. So often to the extend that customers are immune to it.
But what got me attracted to this ad is because the headline promised 1-for-1 mooncake treats.
All the credit card promotions for mooncakes over the years offer a percentage discount. There was never a promotion for 1-for-1 mooncake. And when I saw this, I thought I was in for a real treat. As usual, I scanned through the ad looking for the 1-for-1 mooncake treats. But to my horror, none of the places listed are offering that. They are only offering a percentage discount off the retail prices.
Guess what?
The 1-for-1 treats that was referring to in the headline actually mean 1-for-1 mooncake BOX.
There is a G-R-E-A-T, G-R-E-A-T difference between 1-for-1 mooncake treats and 1-for-1 mooncake BOX.
Don't all mooncakes come in boxes when you purchase them? Why would I want to get an extra box unless it's limited edition made of special materials and useful to me? Maybe my mom saw it and commented how beautiful it is and buzzed me for one. Or using it during Chinese New Year or giving as gift.
P.S. It was not mentioned the boxes are limited edition in the ad and other promotional brochures and website I found.
The job of a headline is to get readers' attention and become interested to read on and ultimately to take action. But getting attention for the sake of getting attention is wrong. You have to know what go on in a reader's mind when they read your headline. Are you using the right word? Do readers have a different meaning for the words you use? Will readers misunderstand what you mean? Is what you think the readers will think really what they think?
Getting readers' attention with the promise of something which is different from readers' expectation is going to hurt the effectiveness of your advertising. The bank promised 1-for-1 mooncake treats and got me scanning through the ad only to find out that they are only offering 1-for-1 mooncake box. I just turn the page and continue reading the papers, after taking a photo of it to show you.
Fooled others? Fool yourself.