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Heard A Good Radio Ad Lately? Neither Have We
To many ad agencies, radio is considered advertising's ugly stepchild. It's not sexy like television and is treated as a necessary evil with little effort put into it. Unfortunately, that's exactly what the listener ends up hearing. What advertisers and their ad agencies have forgotten is that radio truly is a "theater for the mind". Anything you can dream up can be in a radio spot. Elephants doing the back stroke in your soup? No problem. Landing on planet Neptune and finding the alien of your dreams? Done. Recreating scenes like that on television would cost a fortune for the computer graphics alone, not to mention the animal trainer. So how do you write a great radio ad? I've written over 2000 in my career and if there's one helpful point I can pass along it's this: Less is more. The less copy you write, the better your radio spot will sound. One of the biggest mistakes made with radio copy is when the client insists on trying to tell the company's entire story within sixty seconds. You've heard them before. The announcer is talking a million miles per hour because they've been given two minutes of copy for a one minute ad, the end result being a verbal assault on your eardrums. Combine that with having to endure five or six of these spots in a row and it's no wonder stations are losing listenership! Writing humor is another problem. That's because humor in radio requires the timing be perfect, much like the way a standup comedian tells jokes which means even less copy than normal is needed. Plus, and this is very important - it has to be funny. It takes talent and skill to write humor and unfortunately, this has not deterred many from trying. If you're attempting to put humor in your radio copy, try reading it to unbiased ears (not your husband, wife, or parents) first to see if they "get it". If you find yourself having to explain the funny part, it ain't workin! Another common mistake is when the client feels the need to repeat the phone number a half dozen times. Studies have shown that repeating the phone number over and over again does not guarantee the listener will remember it. All it will probably do is irritate them. Many people listen to radio in their cars and can't write the number down anyway. But the real truth is, most don't hear the number at all. If the number is still a requirement, your best bet is to put it in once or twice towards the end of the spot so it is close to, if not the last thing the listener hears. The most effective way to get your product or service to stick in the minds of radio listeners is to have a clever message that rises above the others and does so often. As I've stressed in past articles, repetition is your friend. However, remember that the downside to clever radio is that it "burns" quickly. This means that because the ad is clever, people really listen to it which makes the "bit" or spot lose its appeal faster. Many times I've heard a clever ad and the first three or four times I heard it, I chuckled, but the next 12 times it aired I wanted throw my radio out the window. If you're writing clever creative or having it written for you, make sure you've budgeted for at least two different spots that can be rotated within the campaign. This will keep your message fresh while giving you the opportunity to present different features in each spot. Some radio stations are now selling thirty second spots which is fine if you can get your message across in that limited time frame. However, unless you've been on the radio a long time, I would suggest sticking with the sixty second format for awhile, at least until you feel you've established your brand. The next time you hear a bad radio commercial remember that writing clever radio is not something everyone can do. It takes skill, imagination and practice but if you get it right, it can be the most effective advertising tool you'll ever use. Hal Eisenberg is an award winning copywriter, voice over talent and producer, as well as owner of The Eisenberg Agency, a full service advertising agency specializing in creative ads that get results. Visit his web site at http://www.eisenbergagency.com
Latest News:Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for news Game news: 'GTA IV' hits 10 million, EA meets ESPN (AP via Yahoo! News) Real news from the virtual world: News and notes on the PGA Tour's top 20 golfers (USA Today) Get the latest news and notes on the top 20 golfers on the PGA Tour. These rankings are based 2006-07 PGA Tour results. UAL shares walloped by new posting of old news (Reuters via Yahoo! News) A nearly 6-year-old news story on the 2002 bankruptcy filing of UAL Corp resurfaced on the Internet on Monday, clobbering the airline's shares briefly as some traders mistook the report as current and plausible news. Asyncast delivers custom news to hands-free mobile devices (CNET) The company's Rocketron service allows users to set preferences for the kinds of news stories they want to hear, as well as filter controls for news they don't want. Young adults want less election news (UPI) EVANSTON, Ill., Sept. 8 (UPI) -- U.S. young adults say there is too much election-related news on Internet news sites, a university study indicates. CNET News Daily Podcast: The new Zune plays its tune (CNET) Microsoft lets "slip" Zune news one day before Apple's big shindig. Big ad group says Google-Yahoo is a bad idea. Who says real spies don't dig social networking? Game News: 'GTA IV' Hits 10 Million, EA Meets ESPN (CBS News) Real news from the virtual world: ABC News gets first Palin interview (Reuters via Yahoo! News) ABC News' Charles Gibson has snagged the first interview with Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin since she was named the GOP's vice presidential pick on August 29. United Airlines hit by 5-year-old news (UPI) CHICAGO, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- United Airline's stock value plunged Monday after a 5-year-old news story was posted on a Florida newspaper's Web site. UPI NewsTrack Entertainment News (UPI) Spears wins 3 MTV Video Music Awards ... 'Wrestler' wins Golden Lion in Venice ... Report: MSNBC shuffles election anchors ... Iconic Astroland park closes ... News from United Press International. Site: news - Google News New Voices in Congress Will Change the Tone of the Democratic Majority - New York Times
MORE RESOURCES: Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for advertising Ad-averse Mobile Users Will Pay to Avoid Advertising (Cellular-News.com) Mobile providers looking to boost their revenues through content downloads and advertising are in for a rough ride, according to a new study by market researchers TNS. A Web advertising dark horse goes on the offensive (Market Watch) While its rivals have been fetching multibillion-dollar acquisition offers from the likes of Google Inc. and Microsoft Corp., online-advertising firm ValueClick Inc. has been busy digging its way out of a legal mess. Intergi's Video Game & Entertainment Advertising Network Has Largest Potential Reach in U.S. According to Newest ... (Centre Daily Times) Intergi (www.intergi.com), a leading video game and entertainment site representation company and advertising network, today announced that it now has a total potential advertising reach of 52.4 million unique visitors in the United States, topping other targeted ad networks - including bellwethers such as Advertising.com Games and Yahoo! Games. Based on the latest data from the August 2008 ... Largest ever advertising billboard at London Bridge Station (London SE1) A huge advertising billboard has been unveiled at London Bridge Station to promote the NSPCC and brighten up hoardings on the concourse. Online Brokerage Sites See Increased Visitors With Ramped up Online Advertising Efforts (PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance) comScore, Inc. , a leader in measuring the digital world, today released a study of the online trading and brokerage industry showing strong visitor growth to online brokerage sites coinciding with heavy online advertising efforts by several of the key brokerages. Advertising spend in Qatar crawls (MENAFN) Advertising spend in Qatar crawls Intergi's Video Game & Entertainment Advertising Network Has Largest Potential Reach in U.S. According to Newest ... (Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance) DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla.----Intergi , a leading video game and entertainment site representation company and advertising network, today announced that it now has a total potential advertising reach of 52.4 million unique visitors in the United States, topping other targeted ad networks - including bellwethers such as Advertising.com Games and Yahoo! GCC advertising expenditure rises by 23.6% (MENAFN) GCC advertising expenditure rises by 23.6% NeoMedia and Format Dynamics Join Forces to Integrate Innovations in Online & Offline Advertising (Marketwire via Yahoo! Finance) NeoMedia Technologies, Inc. (OTC.BB: NEOM), and Format Dynamics, Inc., today announced a strategic alliance designed to accelerate innovation in both online and offline advertising. Bald Is Beautiful (Advertising Space) (CBS News) New Zealand's national airline is offering to pay bald travelers to use their heads - literally - in a new advertising campaign. Site: advertising - Google News US court upholds LA ban on billboards - Los Angeles Times
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