The best print adverts in Yachting Pages 2003 to 2017

In print advertising, you only have one shot to make the right impression of your business. Therefore you must well consider every element of your advert.

With over 14 years’ experience in the publishing industry, we thought we’d share our 10 favourite adverts included in Yachting Pages' printed directories between 2003 and 2017. We hope these give you some tips and inspiration on what makes a great print advert.

What should I include in my print advert?

1. A strong headline like Lürssen: YP Med 2014-15

The headline is one of the first things someone will see of your advert when scanning the pages of any publication. A good advert communicates quickly and concisely. Therefore your headline needs to say who your company is, and more importantly, what your company does, in just a few words.

In this example, Lürssen’s headline is short, sharp and punchy; it gets straight to the point.

2. Considered copy like Roni Fleurs: YP Med 2017-18

Following your headline, you will likely choose to include some additional text. The importance of its content will of course depend on the size of the advert booked, and how established your company is in the yachting industry.

The text should enable the audience to quickly find out the services and facilities offered, but with a little more detail. Even so, it’s important to keep the text to a minimum, with a small, well written paragraph. You may wish to include any significant background information about the business, as Roni Flowers has done in this example.

3. ‘Clean’ and concise copy like Superyacht Chandlers: YP MED 2016-17

On the other hand, Superyacht Chandlers’ advert limits the amount of text provided. It simply lists its services followed by its contact details.

In the case of this advert, it’s simple, concise and is what we would describe as a ‘clean’ advert. The headline and copy get straight to the point and state clearly how you can get in touch.

4. Clear contact details like Spice Island Marine Services: YP AME 2015-16

If you’re a company that’s not as well known or established in the yachting industry (or even if you are), contact details certainly are key to a successful print advertisement.

For those interested in uptaking the services you have to offer, contact details will quickly direct them to the right place to find out more. Your website address is likely at the heart of your business, containing all the relevant information for its end users. We would therefore always advise you to include this. In print advertising, a telephone number is usually the quickest way for a customer to contact you, so this should also be included.

*Top tip – If your telephone number is displayed on any international adverts, make sure to include the country code. This will allow anyone across the world to connect to your number easily.

5. A good use of space like Awlgrip: YP MED 2016-17 and YP AME 2016-17

When booking any size of print ad, it’s important to maximise the use of the space commissioned. A full-page ad allows you to include all the elements mentioned up until this point without the fear of overcrowding the page.

International Paint’s advert for its Awlgrip products allows room for both an eye-catching image and a good chunk of text.

6. Less can be more as proven by Monaco Yacht Show: YP MED 17-18

As you can see here, MYS’ double-page spread for the 2017 of the Monaco Yacht Show speaks for itself.

7. Smart space in a small advert like Project Identity: YP PAC 2014-15

Not all advert sizes are created equal. Some smaller adverts do not leave enough room to include all of the potential USPs and features of your business. You must therefore decide early on in the booking process which are the key features for the publication’s typical audience.

However great things can come in small packages, with Project Identity’s 1/8 page advert successfully communicating what the company does while only adding three key services. In this example, a simple picture shows the quality of work it offers, followed by its contact details. This small advert gives the audience all the valuable information they need.

8. Great images like Press Art: YP MED 2017-18

Photos and images are among the best ways to connect to your audience. It’s a quick and easy way to showcase exactly what your business does or what it sells; particularly when you have a larger advert booked.

As you can see from Press Art’s advert in the latest edition of Yachting Pages Med, four simple and clean images work to show off its product. The simplicity of the images has prevented the advert from being overcrowded and allows the images to deliver the message of what the company offers with limited use of text. The images really do do the talking.

9. A clear offering like Psea Yachts: YP MED 2017-18

Another great way of drawing your audience to your advert is to showcase any new deals, offers or facilities that your business has available. The best way to do this is to include the latest offer in an eye-catching bubble or banner. These simple ads allow the most important details to be highlighted to the audience.

In the latest edition of YP Med, the team at Psea have chosen to include a bright orange label stating “Charter Available St. Tropez & Cannes this season”.

10. Something memorable like Lunautica France: YP MED 2017-18

If you really want to stand out from the crowd, selecting an image that will catch someone’s eye will certainly help do so. Lunautica France’s rabbit is a perfect example of this. The advert itself has very limited text and again allows the image to do the talking. This design is to ensure the company is remembered and that you follow their website link to find out more.

As these selected adverts show, print can still be a powerful medium for getting your message across. Enticing the reader to your advert is fundamental and is the only way to gain interest in your services. To ensure you do, standing-out is key, whether that's through the use of a strong image or a punchy headline. The additional elements, such as detailed copy, contact details and small images, only help support the main feature within the advert, but can also assist in drawing clients in.

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For help and assistance in creating great print adverting, contact us today or learn more about our available Marketing Services.