(By Jeffrey Hedquist) Every day you can hear radio spots that were created by a committee: politically correct, watered-down, automatically written radio ads that offend no one… and motivate no one. Commercials that sound like, well… commercials. They make you want to change the station, or worse, ignore the message.
If you want your spots to make it all the way from the ears to the brain, you’ll need to take a few risks: that your idea won’t work, that you’ll offend someone, that it might not get immediate results, that people will think you’re crazy. You’ll also need to risk having phenomenal success, that you’ll be thought of as a visionary, that your clients will bow down at your feet (well, maybe I’m dreaming).
Surprise
Surprise the listener. Present the unexpected. Turn the rules upside down. Try writing a 300-word :60, or one with only 14 words. Mix two cuts of music together. Use 56 voices in a one-minute spot. Create a spot backward. Use operatic music for a dance club. Have a spot for retirees narrated by a child. Cast an ancient voice for a young hip audience.
Do a 180
Go in the opposite direction. If your competition has a jingle, use straight talk without music. If they’re listing lots of features (they probably are), do a spot featuring only one: the way the lettuce is chosen at a restaurant, the way a car is washed at a dealership, the 14 steps a plumber takes to make sure he leaves your house spotless after a service call (idea for a campaign)…but make sure you sell the benefits.
Serial killer spots
Create a continuing story and make each spot an episode that picks up where the last one left off. Design a quiz that listeners have to call in, log on, or come in to complete.
Remember, even with a risk-taking approach, the goal is to sell, so get the listener’s attention and keep it while motivating her to respond. Go ahead and take some risks. Safe radio is dull radio and is only useful as a sleeping aid.
Jeffrey Hedquist, “Advertising’s Storyteller,” has won over 700 awards and brought in millions of dollars for clients. His articles, ebooks, seminars, and coaching have helped stations nationwide prosper. Got a question about radio marketing? Email [email protected]. Read Jeffrey’s Radio Ink archives here.
