What is Reason-Why Advertising

In this chapter, historical transformation of unique selling proposition (USP) concept will be examined. The significance and the functions of it will be analyzed in building a positive attitude towards the brand and ultimately the brand recall in advertising narration. In advertising history, the roots of USP date back to reason-why advertising concept proposed by John E. Kennedy, who went on to explain that advertising should give prospects reasons why they should buy the product being advertised and why it was a better buy than competing products. Later, Claude C. Hopkins believed that advertising should be built around a single selling point and developed the preemptive claim technique establishing a product's uniqueness. Hopkins's pre-emptive claim later became USP in the hands of Rosser Reeves. Even today, Hopkins's rules are a staple of marketing textbooks and the foundation of millions of advertisement campaigns. The term USP has been enhanced by the concept of a positioning statement, which was popularized by the marketing professionals and authors Al Ries and Jack Trout.