UNIT IV

LESSON 7 - RADIO ADVERTISING

WRITING RADIO COPY

THE MUSICAL SPOT
TYPES OF RADIO ADS
TELEVISION ADVERTISING

Structure
4.1. Introduction to Radio Commercial
4.2. Objectives
4.3. Writing radio copy
4.4.Formats of radio ads
4.5.Types of radio ads
4.6.Television Advertising
4.7.Summary
4.8.Suggested readings

4.1. INTRODUCTION TO RADIO COMMERCIAL

Radio advertising is a powerful way of reaching consumers in your local area or even
on a national level. Even though 30 seconds might not seem like much time to get a
marketing message across to a listening audience, this format can be used with success. There
are a few things you need to include in this brief ad spot to make sure that it is as effective as
possible.

The reason that retail stores do so well is because radio ads play to people as they are
in the car, and therefore out of the house. It’s easy for someone to decide to drive to the mall
instead of driving straight home after work. Restaurants also tend to do well because people
are driving along, wondering what their next meal will be. You are delivering your message
to people while they’re in their car and on their way to make purchases.

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4.2. OBJECTIVES

This lesson helps you to know

 Radio can reach a large amount of people.

 Formats of radio advertising.

 Target your advertising.

 Types of radio advertising.

 The advantages and disadvantages of television advertising

4.3. WRITING RADIO COPY

Mention the Product

The product should be introduced immediately at the beginning of the radio

commercial. Ideally, it should begin with creating or identifying a need. For example, if you
are selling a headache remedy, your 30-second radio spot could start with, "Do you suffer
from crippling headaches? Headache Away is the solution you've been looking for." With
this strategy, you have managed to introduce the need and the product within the first 10
seconds of the ad. The beginning of the ad always should grab the listener's attention by
offering to solve a problem. This helps the listener pay attention to the rest of the message.

Discuss Its Benefits

Now that you have your listening audience's attention, it is time to quickly discuss the
benefits that your product has to offer. Focus on the main benefits to consolidate what you
have to say. You don't want to rush through your ad and have the information come out
jumbled. You could say, "Headache Away has been a proven solution for tension, migraine
and sinus headaches for 20 years. It even helps ease back, joint and muscle pain."

Offer an Enticement

After you have told your listening audience what your product does, you need to offer
the listener an enticement. This can be a special offer that is only available to those hearing
your 30-second spot on the radio. For example, "You can try Headache Away today and take
advantage of our radio-only special offer. Get two bottles for the price of one." Make your

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enticement a powerful incentive and make sure to remind the listening audience that only
they qualify for this special deal.

The Call to Action and Reminder

Lastly, you need to close your ad with a quick call to action and a reminder about
what your product does. For example, "Call our toll-free number right now to claim your free
bottle of Headache Away before it's too late. You don't have to suffer from crippling
headaches and pain anymore." You have closed with a reason for the listeners to call you.
They don't want to miss out on your offer, and you have reminded the listeners what your
product does. Make sure that your toll-free number is easy to remember or use the
corresponding letters on a phone keypad to make it even easier. Many listeners might be in
their cars and unable to write down your information. Some companies specially order toll-
free numbers that can be given as phrases, such as 1-888-End-Pain.

When considering what direction to take your advertising, you need to consider a 30
second ad on local or national radio. There’s nothing better to get your product or service out
there into a potential pool of thousands of customers. Despite first impressions, 30 seconds is
plenty of time to convey sales information, just make sure you follow these key points in
order to maximise the effectiveness of your ad spot.

Product first – Your product or service needs to be stated at the beginning, optimally
behind a sentence or two that creates a need that your listeners can identify with. A good
example would be: ‘Pesky mozzies ruining your summer barbeque? Pest-be-gone repellent is
the safe, natural way to enjoy a bite free outdoor experience.’ By phrasing it this way, you
grab the attention of your listener, describing a common problem and a solution in a matter of
seconds.

Next up benefits -Now the key introduction is out the way, it’s time to start
elaborating on the benefits. How exactly will your product or service help your customer,
what is its key selling points? Keep this section brief, but clear and concise. Don’t leave out
important information. For example: ‘Pest-be-gone natural repellent provides long term
protection from biting insects, derived from the ginseng root, this natural wonder ingredient
has been proven 10 times stronger than chemical Deet based repellents.’

Why buy now? – It’s all well and good to provide information about your product, but
what is going to get your listeners up into your store or website? Announce an enticement, a

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deal or limited time offer. Make it strong, play up availability, create a sense of urgency and
exclusivity. IE: ‘For a limited time at any participating pharmacy or our website you can get
two pest-be-gone sprays for the price of one. This offer will not be repeated!’

Last call – Wrap up your spot with a brief recap of the products benefits. Give them a
reason to take action now and no excuses to miss out on the great deal you have just
presented them. ‘Visit www.pestbegone.co.nz right now to claim your 2 for 1 deal before
stocks are gone, You and your family can enjoy a bite free summer this year with Pest-be-
gone.’ Make sure your URL or phone number is easy to remember as often radio listeners are
driving and cannot note your details down.

30 second radio spots is the perfect way to introduce, gain interest and gain customers
for your product or service.

4.4. FORMATS OF RADIO ADS

Whether on local radio or television, a short, 30-second commercial can bring your
business to the attention of potential customers. The format needed for the script depends on
whether you are producing a television or radio spot. Using the proper format makes the
script easy to read for all involved in producing the commercial.

Format of a Radio Script

1. At the top of the page, type the words "Title:", "Product:", "Length:", "Medium:" and
"Writer:". Place each word on its own line, singe spaced, left-aligned.

2. Type "Production Note" and include any details actors or others working on the radio spot
will need to know, such as whether the actor should use an accent during the commercial
below the title and length information. Centre-align the production note.

3. Write "MUSIC" and describe any music that will occur at the beginning of the
commercial. The word "MUSIC" should be left-aligned, and the instructions should be to the
right of the word. Insert a tab or five spaces between "MUSIC" and the instructions. Use all
capital letters when writing instructions for music, and underline those words.

4. Type the character's names on the left, then insert a tab or five spaces and type out the
dialogue or monologue. Write the character's name and speech in sentence case. If the

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character has any stage directions, such as "SPEAKS SADLY," write the directions in all
capitals.

5. Type directions for any sound effects within the script in all capital letters, too. Write the
word "SOUND" to the left of the directions. You can also type "SFX" if you prefer. If the
sound effects happen between a character's speeches, indent the directions two tabs or 10
spaces.

Music for Advertising

The purpose of commercial music is to create an atmosphere, which supports the

message of the advertisement. Whether it’s a radio commercial, a corporate video, a
presentation, a trailer, audio book or an event – nothing adds emotion and richness to it like
the proper, professionally produced music. Music catches the ear and also helps the audience
to remember what the advertisement is about.

Design Music – what is Design Music?

Design music (also referred to as library, production, archive or stock music) is music
from catalogues which are offered solely for the purpose of adding sound to film and to
sound and audiovisual recordings. Design music catalogues are available from the publishers
and, increasingly, from special websites.

Advantages of design music

The advantage of design music is that the producer or user can obtain a licence to use
the music directly from SUISA. He does not have to contact the various right holders (author,
publisher, label) directly.

SUISA number: declaration to the radio broadcasting station

Each radio spot is assigned a SUISA number. This number is on the invoice. The
number must be communicated to the radio broadcaster. Based on the list of numbers
provided by the radio broadcaster, SUISA can distribute the revenues for broadcasting rights
to the beneficiaries.

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Broadcast of the radio spot

If known, send us the name of the broadcaster and the number of broadcasts. This
facilitates the proper distribution of revenues to the authors.

Humour in radio script

One very good reason is that two other common approaches, direct information
(announcers) and musical entertainment (jingles and the like), are both so inherently a part of
the existing programming of radio that commercials utilizing those tactics often disappear
into the sea of clutter fomented by the medium itself.

What real chance does a rock-n-roll beer commercial have to stand out between a
gazillion-selling cut from The Rolling Stones and a gazillion-selling cut from Big Head
Todd?

Humour, on the other hand, is rare. So rare, it stands out. It engages completely. And,
(pay attention because this is really important) as long as the laughter it generates is relevant
to your intended audience and messaging strategy, humour has undeniable power in the radio
medium.

While true humour is rare, attempts at being funny, unfortunately, are not. It's kind of
like trying to jump over the net after a tennis match. If you make it, you're golden. If you
don't, you're gonna catch a foot and flip on your head and look like an idiot (funny as that
may be).

In other words, as much as funny radio is effective and appreciated by listeners,

unfunny radio that's trying to be funny is, well, annoying as hell.

An undeniable tenet of broadcast writing was shared with me once by a tipsy creative
director during a three-martini lunch (this wasn't recently). "A funny script is an
accomplishment, but a funny commercial is a miracle."

STRAIGHT - SELL OR FACTUALMESSAGE

This type of execution relies on a straight forward presentation of information about

the product or service such as specific attributes or benefits.

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 It sounds like action, tried and tested. And you don’t have to say please. Direct
Response Radio, when served to the right audiences, with the right message, at the right time,
does what most advertising can’t: drive on-the-spot action in measurable ways. Branding as a
marketing strategy is often a practice in futility.

1 – Break Through the Digital Clutter

Many people are yet to discover what radio can really do. Radio still reaches more
people than any other medium. Unlike its digital counterpart, it doesn’t compete with itself.
But radio, in its traditional format, often falls on deaf ears. You might as well throw your
dollars—and messages—into a carnival cash box and hope they end up in the right hands.
Direct Response Radio sounds a little more like success for companies trying to dial in and
maximize their advertising dollars. One message. One source.

Direct response not only breaks through clutter; it complements digital like nothing
else can. But why direct response radio, particularly?

2 – Reach a National Audience for Less

Main street radio marketing often prioritizes hype over action. Beyond that, it places
scale above precision. In the direct response world, advertising is produced for one reason: to
persuade someone to take a specific action that leads to a sale. Because it’s measurable, it can
deliver on the goal. Because it’s scalable, it can send sales sailing skyward by only airing
successful iterations to audiences with open ears.

3 – Invest in Accountable Advertising

Direct response keeps agencies fully accountable for their efforts. No hiding behind
pretty images. No cowering from difficult conversations. We can instantly track results by
market, station, and location. In brand advertising, excuses are dished by the plenty. That
leaves us on the hook to deliver (and we like it that way). Radio is cheaper than TV. That is
no secret. Furthermore, Direct Response Radio is far more affordable than the typical
brandingspots.

4 – Test, Measure, and Track Direct response radio offers unrivalled measurability and track
ability. Not only does Direct Response Radio track results, but the results are instant. The
integration of dedicated 1-800 numbers and unique URLs allow you to track, manage and

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optimize your approach. With direct response radio advertising, you can measure, manage
and optimize ROI. Proximity is power and being direct with your audience creates a
connection. Giving them directions spurs them to take action.

5 – Scale for Success direct response should be part of your marketing mix. Direct Response
Radio enables you to start small and scale BIG. In other words, you can test different
messaging and executions. Rinse, repeat, and rejoice.

Here are some of the main characteristics:

It’s trackable. That is, when someone responds, you know which ad and which media was
responsible for generating the response. This is in direct contrast to mass media or “brand”
marketing – no one will ever know what ad compelled you to buy that can of Coke, heck you
may not even know yourself.

It’s measurable. Since you know which ads are being responded to and how many sales
you’ve received from each one, you can measure exactly how effective each ad is. You can
then drop or change ads that are not giving you a return on investment.

It uses compelling headlines and sales copy. Direct response marketing has a compelling
message of strong interest to your chosen prospects. It uses attention grabbing headlines with
strong sales copy that is “salesmanship in print”. Often the ad looks more like editorial than
an ad (hence making it at least three times more likely to get read).

It targets a specific audience or niche. Prospects within specific verticals, geographic zones

or niche markets are targeted. The ad aims to appeal to a narrow target market.

It makes a specific offer. Usually the ad makes a specific value-packed offer. Often the aim
is not necessarily to sell anything from the ad but to simply get the prospect to take the next
action, such as requesting a free report.

4.5. TYPES OF RADIO ADS

SAMPLE RADIO AD FORMAT

Production Note: Use this to identify elements, which are present throughout the
commercial (e.g. All talents speak with a 50's accent).
MUSIC: MUSIC IS ALWAYS CAPITALIZED AND UNDERLINED
SFX: AMBIENT NOISE TYPICAL OF AN OFFICE. THIS IS SOUND

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EFFECT. WRITTEN IN CAPS.
JACK: Hi my name is Jack. Name is written on the left side. Whatever I say or do
is written on this side. I need to call my wife. (Fading off) Where is the
phone...
SFX: AMBIENT NOISE IN APARTMENT. TV IS ON. SOUNDS OF DISHES
BEING WASHED. THIS IS SOUND EFFECT. WRITTEN IN CAPS.
JILL: I am another character. The same format applies here.
(SFX: LOUD PHONE RING. THIS IS SOUND EFFECT. WRITTEN
IN CAPS.INDENTED WHEN WITHIN A SCENE).
JILL: Huh, (PLATES HIT THE FLOOR. SFX WITHIN DIALOGUE
WRITTEN HERE). Oh, the phone scared me! Hello?
JACK: Hi Jill. I am going to be late tonight.
MUSIC: SAD INSTRUMENTAL UP AND OUT
ANNCR: I am the announcer. Typically the spokesperson for the product

Types of radio advertisements

When you think about radio commercials there are basically 5 types of commercials
that you hear on the air.  How do you decide which will work best for your business? Think
about how you have or how you would like to position your company with your advertising. 
There are pluses and minuses to each approach.

1.The live read.  This is a commercial, which is read live on air by the DJ or announcer who
is on the air when your commercial is scheduled to play.This approach plays off the
popularity of the on air talent of the radio station.  You hope that this will influence the
listeners a little more to pay attention to your commercial because their favorite DJ is reading
it. This kind of commercial also has the added benefit of standing out from the pre-recorded
commercials that will be playing on the station at the same time.

On the down side, if the announcer doesn’t do a good job with your commercial, you
just have to live with it since it’s live and there are no do overs.  While most announcers are
professionals, everyone has a bad day every now and then.

 2.The sponsorship spot.  This commercial, is one is adjacent to a popular content segment
like weather, traffic or horoscopes.  Since the content being sponsored is usually popular you

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reach a large audience but you will pay more for these commercials. You will also likely get
additional mentions like “Traffic brought to you by ACME services the best in town.”  These
mentions help reinforce your business’s name and positioning.

3. The straight read.  This commercial is just what it sounds like.  It’s a straight read of your
commercial ad copy. The straight read should focus on the benefits to the prospective
customer that your business offers and how they can reach you.

The copy should also contain your business name, address or phone number
depending on whether or not you have a location that people can walk into and your slogan if
you have one.

4. The funny commercial.  This commercial is a bit riskier.  It’s very hard to create a
commercial that many people will find funny.  On the upside, if you do nail it this one can be
a real winner.  But in my opinion it’s best to avoid this one.

5. The commercial with a jingle.  One way to really make your commercial memorable is to
use a jingle.  A custom produced jingle can really elevate your commercial and make your
business seem much more professional. The music in a jingle can really paint a very vibrant
picture of your business in the listener’s mind.  They will really remember your commercial
and your business when they can’t get your jingle out of their heads.  Think about how many
times you’ve caught yourself humming along to a commercial jingle.  You just can’t help it.

A jingle really helps your commercial stand out amongst the other commercials that
will be played in the same block of time.  It’s a great differentiator for your business. You
have to decide which of these 5 radio commercial types will work best for your business. 
Once you’ve made that decision you can move forward with you radio advertising campaign
and really ramp up the amount of business you are doing.

Advantages of Radio Advertising

1. The advertiser can broadcast any number of commercials at time slots he feels as the most
appropriate.

2. Listening to radio is still popular, especially in rural India where not all households own
television. Hence, it has wider coverage.

3. Radio advertising is understood even by illiterate persons.

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4. Advertisements are presented as a story or as a song to make them more interesting.

5. Transistors are mobile in nature. That is, they can be carried and heard outdoors too. So, an
advertiser could consider this advantage and advertise in radio.

Disadvantages of Radio Media

1. In the absence of visuals, the impact of radio advertising is only limited.

2. Radio advertising fails to reach the listener if the listener was not concentrating at the time
of the brief advertisement.

3. Certain radio programmes contain numerous advertisements. Hence, it is doubtful whether

all such advertisements could be remembered by the listener.

4. It is not suitable to products which require a demonstration while advertising.

4.6. TELEVISION ADVERTISING

Format of a TV Commercial Script

1. Type out "TITLE:", "LENGTH:", "PRODUCT:", and "WRITER:" at the top of the page,
left-aligned. Each word should be on its own line, single spaced.
2. Make two columns below the title and length information. You might wish to make a table
with two columns and two rows. In the first column, first row, type "VIDEO." In the second
column, first row, type "AUDIO."
3. Number each description in the "VIDEO" column, starting with the first video to appear on
screen. Type the descriptions for video in all capital letters.
4. Type out the accompanying audio in the second column, next to the appropriate video
description. Use sentence-case for the audio. Type the name of the character speaking next to
his text, and use a colon between the character's name and his text.
5. Type "SOUND" or "SFX" to describe any sound effects in the audio column. Use all
capital letters when writing out sound effects. Type "MUSIC" before describing any music.
Use all capital letters and underline when writing out music descriptions.

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Advantages of Advertising on TV
Advertising on TV offers a number of benefits to businesses by incorporating sound,
images and movement to make the whole package interesting for consumers. Ads that capture
the attention of the audience can start consumers talking, effectively reaffirming the
advertising message. In addition, cable advertising allows businesses to target very specific
geographic areas at a lower cost than major network advertising.
Reach
One of the benefits of TV advertising is its ability to communicate with a very large
audience. Considered a form of mass media, TV ads work well to attract attention, generate
awareness and establish preference for products and services, says Lin Grensing - Pophal,
author of "Marketing With the End in Mind." Because of the broad audience they target--
particularly through major TV networks--TV ads tend to provide general, rather than very
specific, messages.
Growing Ability to Differentiate
Despite the large audience reach of television, it's important to note that the ability to
target market segments has grown significantly over the years, says Grensing - Pophal. Even
network TV offers a wide range of programming options where ads are most likely to be
viewed by specific target audience segments. With cable television advertising, advertisers
can narrowly target specific market segments not only by placing their ads in specific
programs but also choose specific zip-code areas for broadcasting the ads.
Multi-Sensory Appeal
TV has always been able to appeal to multiple senses through its combination of text,
images, sound and motion. While the development of effective TV spots require significant
planning and the use of experienced and often expensive, production experts, the value can be
significant as well. It is its multi-sensory appeal that allows TV advertising to remain a viable
option for many advertisers.
Disadvantages to TV Advertising
For all its advantages, advertising your business on TV does have some
disadvantages. Barring late night spots on your local cable television network, no other
advertising medium is as likely to eat up your budget as quickly as TV will. Producing the ad,
which can include hiring script writers, actors, film editors, or an advertising agency, is only
the first step. You must also pay for air time, and because studies have shown that TV ads are
most effective with repetition, you’ll almost certainly want to run your piece a number of

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times. Because of this, most television stations structure their pricing to make it more
attractive for you to purchase advertising in chunks.
Another disadvantage is how difficult it can be to make changes. Whereas with
newspaper advertising, updating sale pricing or a special offer is often as simple as swapping
out a coupon, with television advertising it means updating your script and reshooting the
entire ad, which costs additional money.

4.7. SUMMARY

Frequency is the number of times your ad is heard by an individual person, while

reach is the amount of people that hear your ad. In other words, frequency is talking to
someone a lot, and reach is talking to a lot of people.
Many people think of three as the magic number. If someone hears your ad three
times, they are likely to remember your business. Though this isn’t scientific fact, it is a good
starting point for your small business when advertising on the radio.
As far as reach, you want to target people that are similar to your client base. You can start
off by choosing one station that has listeners you believe are consistent with your current
client.
Questions for discussion
1. Elaborate on the importance and growth of television advertising.
2. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of radio advertising.
3. Explain in detail about straight sell advertisement.
4. Detail the types of radio advertisements.
5. Mention the types of radio formats.

4.8.SUGGESTED READINGS
http://smallbusiness.chron.com
http://faculty.salisbury.edu/~axsharma
http://www.americanmusicconcepts.com
https://accountlearning.com/radio-advertising
https://www.allbusiness.com/television-advertising
https://www.suisa.ch/en/customers
http://www.ad-mkt-review.com
https://www.marketingarchitects.com

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