Radio and Television Ads: Clever Vs. Annoying

Ever heard or seen a radio or television commercial that you really liked and actually looked forward to hearing or seeing again only to be assaulted by another one so annoying it made you want to heave your radio or television out the window?

What makes one commercial so enjoyable while others seem to be so abysmal? It's all in the ability to make the listener or viewer remember the ad in a creative, clever way and I'm about to give you some advice on how to do just that so read on!

One of the most successful ways of creating clever ads is to add humor. Unfortunately that's not an easy thing to do as you have probably heard or seen many commercials try and fail. There is a fine line between writing a spot people will laugh and identify with and writing one that falls flat on its face and unfortunately most spots fall into the latter category. The best advice on using humor in ads that I can give you is this: hire a professional who specializes in writing humorous ads. I say this because the majority of advertisers that attempt to write their own funny ads fail miserably. The main reason is because it takes a trained writer to know how to create an ad that includes not only genuinely funny copy, but also perfect timing and the right amount of copy needed to pull it off. Having said this, if you still insist you've written a funny spot for your business the best way to find out is to read it to some unbiased ears which means someone other than your wife, husband, or best friend. Humor in itself is subjective but for the most part if it's funny they'll laugh, and if they don't get it, even if you think it's a real knee slapper, it's time to try another approach. I've written thousands of ads most containing humor but even I don't know for sure how well they will be received once they hit the airwaves. Another tricky part about putting humor in ads is that it takes more time to establish the bit, which means you have less time for the rest of the copy.

The same rule goes for putting voice impersonations in your radio ads. I tend to use voice impressions that I or others do in radio spots from time to time and it can be a real attention getter. However, this can also backfire as I've heard spots where voice impersonations were used just for the sake of putting them in the spot with no real message or tie-in to the product or service. Once again, this is wasted ad dollars.

You may have heard or seen ads you thought were extremely annoying and wondered why the advertiser even bothered. What they've learned is that even bad spots will eventually stick in the mind with enough repetition. The problem here lies with whether what ends up sticking is a negative reinforcement. There's a national jeweler who comes to mind that likes to do his own radio commercials. His nasally voice and dry as sand delivery while quite annoying, have become his trademark. So in essence his annoyance is part of his brand. Successful? Perhaps, but you'd be hard pressed to get me to shop there.

Remember that besides being clever, your ad has to deliver the goods. In other words, ads that are clever just for the sake of being clever won't accomplish much. Have you ever had someone tell you about a funny spot but when you asked who the ad was for, they can't remember? That's a case of the copywriter indulging his or her own cleverness and missing the main point. Your copy must also give the listener or viewer a reason to call or come by and most important, remember your name!

Sometimes a "call to action" works well. This could be in the form of a price point, a special time sensitive sale or a "radio/TV coupon" in which the listener or viewer is told to mention they heard or saw the spot for a special price. It could also involve having the listener or viewer respond immediately as in, "the first 25 people to call now receive..." however, make sure your phone lines can handle the response.

In today's world it takes a clever message to be heard, seen, and remembered above all the mindless advertising banter. And if done right, all the other ads can become "advertising wallpaper" for your clever, stand out, ad campaign!

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
Mailto: halacious@eisenbergagency.com

---

The Secrets of High Money Classified Ads

When used effectively, classified ads can be one of the... Read More

11 Ways To Make Your Business Cards Work For You

1. Spend money on decent quality business cards. Home made... Read More

Is Your Advertising... Sexy?

Ever hear the term 'sexy' advertising? It's not necessarily what... Read More

Double Your Sales Potential With Double-sided Business Cards

Swapping business cards is one of the most basic and... Read More

Which is Better Digital or Offset Printing?

As technology continues to improve, the quality of digital prints... Read More

Cinema Advertising is Big Business, So Mergers are a Natural

Cinema advertising has always been an effective marketing tool for... Read More

50 Surefire Business Card Tips

Business cards are one of the most powerful and inexpensive... Read More

For All Those People Who Struggle With Benefits and Features

For Everyone Who Has Ever Struggled Sorting Out Benefits From... Read More

B2B Marketing Health and Elder Care Services

Quality Care Options is an established company advocating for the... Read More

Womentisements

The unnecessary and extensive use of female models in advertisements... Read More

Do You Really Need a Brochure?

Traditional brochures typically tell the story of your company, i.e.... Read More

Secrets of Getting Free Advertising

The opportunities for getting free advertising for your product or... Read More

Using Flyers to Advertise Your Online Business

Using flyers is one commonly overlooked method of advertising offline.... Read More

Too Much Build-Up: Over-Zealous Ad Copy Can Break The Sale

How many times has this happened to you?A friend recommends... Read More

Fax Advertising : Hitting Your Target Immediately

In the business of marketing and advertising, it used to... Read More

4 Ways to Double the Power of Your Business Cards

Sure, everyone needs business cards. But why not make your... Read More

What the Newspaper Ad Person Won?t Tell You

Newspapers are considered the PRIMARY advertising medium by 99.4% of... Read More

Direct Response Advertising; Radio vs TV

Radio advertising vs. television advertisingMany new advertisers assume that they... Read More

The Forgotten Advertising Tip

I'm sure while you have seen many tips on advertising,... Read More

Direct Mail = Your Money, From Printer to Mailbox to Trash!

I did a quick, very unscientific survey of 25 of... Read More

Can I Write and Print My Own Business Brochures and Business Cards?

If you have a computer and a printer, preferably one... Read More

Why Your Ads Aren?t Working

The president of a manufacturing company recently asked me, "Why... Read More

Not Another Calendar! - Choose Advertising Specialties That Sell

As I was searching through a kitchen drawer the other... Read More

7 Questions to Ask Before You Advertise

Most business owners and managers keep a fairly close eye... Read More

How to Write Great Headlines

According to experts, just changing the headline of an ad... Read More