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Radio Station-Produced Entries for 2009 Radio Mercury Awards - POST YOURS HERE!
"The Risk of Insult Is the Price of Clarity." - Roy Williams (The Wizard of Ads)
OK, so I'm going to take the plunge and post the two commercials I submitted for this year's Radio-Mercury Awards competition (links below).
They're not stunningly produced, but I believed the copy was sufficiently engaging (it certainly was from the clients' perspective) to be airworthy, if not competition-worthy.
Though, frankly, I'd hoped at least one of them would make it into the finals, even if I didn't expect either of them to win the prize.
I have been supporting the Radio-Mercury Awards since 2004, the year I first entered any of my work into competition. I was surprised and humbled when I learned that my submission had won the Radio Station-Produced award that year. But I was also encouraged by it and determined to improve the quality of all my work.
The following year I entered 5 or 6 spots; one of them was chosen as a finalist. Each year thereafter I've entered one or two spots, though I will admit that none has been of the caliber of my 2004 entry (which, by the way, is still running on the air as part of a multil-spot campaign for the client, and still producing measurable results for him). Nonetheless, I've thought it important to support radio's premier advertising competition, to continue to raise the bar for our industry and advertisers.
On May 21st I received the email from RAB announcing the finalists and immediately noticed, to my great dismay, the absence of any station-produced finalists. A telephone call to Meghan Buonocore at the RMA headquarters confirmed this, and I have to confess, it took me a day or two to come to grips with the judges' decision.
As one of the early round judges this year, I had an opportunity to hear what I considered some good examples of station-produced advertising. (Listening to the best of them cemented the realization that my own entries weren't likely to win, place, or possibly even show.) It surprised me to see none of them emerge as finalists.
After reflecting on the situation, my biggest personal takeaway was a resolve to do better work next time. But I can understand, and to a certain degree share the feeling expressed by other radio station folks that maybe the playing field for radio work wasn't completely level.
That's water under the bridge now.
I'd like to urge the RAB - Radio Creative Fund to consider balancing the final round panel of judges, by including representatives from the radio side, and not solely the agency side, to avoid the appearance of elitism.
To the extent that this year's RMA competition has been tainted by the wholesale exclusion of the Radio Station-produced category, the RAB would do well to reach out to its station members to answer any questions, address their concerns, and attempt to make next year's RMA a happier occasion for everyone in radio.
That said, may I invite anyone who submitted entries to this year's Radio-Mercury Awards to upload them here, so that this community, at least, can hear the quality of work being done at stations across the country.
More to come....
OK, so I'm going to take the plunge and post the two commercials I submitted for this year's Radio-Mercury Awards competition (links below).
They're not stunningly produced, but I believed the copy was sufficiently engaging (it certainly was from the clients' perspective) to be airworthy, if not competition-worthy.
Though, frankly, I'd hoped at least one of them would make it into the finals, even if I didn't expect either of them to win the prize.
I have been supporting the Radio-Mercury Awards since 2004, the year I first entered any of my work into competition. I was surprised and humbled when I learned that my submission had won the Radio Station-Produced award that year. But I was also encouraged by it and determined to improve the quality of all my work.
The following year I entered 5 or 6 spots; one of them was chosen as a finalist. Each year thereafter I've entered one or two spots, though I will admit that none has been of the caliber of my 2004 entry (which, by the way, is still running on the air as part of a multil-spot campaign for the client, and still producing measurable results for him). Nonetheless, I've thought it important to support radio's premier advertising competition, to continue to raise the bar for our industry and advertisers.
On May 21st I received the email from RAB announcing the finalists and immediately noticed, to my great dismay, the absence of any station-produced finalists. A telephone call to Meghan Buonocore at the RMA headquarters confirmed this, and I have to confess, it took me a day or two to come to grips with the judges' decision.
As one of the early round judges this year, I had an opportunity to hear what I considered some good examples of station-produced advertising. (Listening to the best of them cemented the realization that my own entries weren't likely to win, place, or possibly even show.) It surprised me to see none of them emerge as finalists.
After reflecting on the situation, my biggest personal takeaway was a resolve to do better work next time. But I can understand, and to a certain degree share the feeling expressed by other radio station folks that maybe the playing field for radio work wasn't completely level.
That's water under the bridge now.
I'd like to urge the RAB - Radio Creative Fund to consider balancing the final round panel of judges, by including representatives from the radio side, and not solely the agency side, to avoid the appearance of elitism.
To the extent that this year's RMA competition has been tainted by the wholesale exclusion of the Radio Station-produced category, the RAB would do well to reach out to its station members to answer any questions, address their concerns, and attempt to make next year's RMA a happier occasion for everyone in radio.
That said, may I invite anyone who submitted entries to this year's Radio-Mercury Awards to upload them here, so that this community, at least, can hear the quality of work being done at stations across the country.
More to come....
- Attachments:
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FERDINANDS_NEW_FLAVOR_30.mp3, 964 KB -
RMR_FIX_LEAKY_ROOF.mp3, 952 KB
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Fran Maze on -
I think creativity absolutely moves product. Some of the best commercials airing today are for IPOD and Nike.. . . they do not waste one second explaining what their product does!
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Permalink Reply by Fran Maze on
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If it is a new client, I always recommend thirties over sixties. For the same money a new client can air 25%-33% more commercials. New needs repetition. There are certainly exceptions, I would not cut Thin Lizzy or Auckland Zoo, but only because they are entertaining. Today I heard a station play three boring sixties in a row. . . why not just ask the business owners to donate money to the station and skip the pretense of advertising.
I am currently working with a station client that will be on the air soon, and their commercial breaks will be limited to two ads . . . two thirties or a thiry and a sixty. Great for the advertiser. . . and the listeners too!
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Permalink Reply by Joel A. Swanson on -
You force me to get up on soapbox again!
RADIO ADS ARE GOOD! Period!
Any station who limits itself to TWO ads per break is in big trouble before it starts; UNLESS they will have 15-20 breaks per hour?
RADIO ADS ARE GOOD! Period!
Creativity is great; BUT must be secondary to a solid ad that gets the job done; customers through the door!
RADIO ADS ARE GOOD! Period!
Write a TOMA Ad (USP) and use a TOMA Schedule to create and maintain the Top-Of-Mind-Awareness that equals Market Share and SUCCESS!
RADIO ADS ARE GOOD! Period!
We sell as many ads as we can, write the best copy that we can, and then run the ads as many times as the client can afford! If we have time for a song once in awhile, OK; but....
RADIO ADS ARE GOOD! Period!
Listeners listen to be entertained and informed. Well-written ads do both!
Oh yes; and Repetition is Reputation! Write a good ad, and then run it, again and again and again!
And did I mention that...
RADIO ADS ARE GOOD?
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Permalink Reply by Steve Keats on -
Hi Vicki,
I'm not sure if a broader story is the right approach for any brand?
For a local or national brand - I usually work out what the single best
unique selling proposition is and then use a 30" or 60" ad to demonstrate
that single benefit in an entertaining way that the average potential buyer
will clearly comprehend, remember & act on. I've attached an example
for Telecom Local Direcories - the simple point was - list your business number in the local directotry & your phone will go nuts. The radio ad generated more new listings for the directory than all othe media combined by 14%.
Cheers,
Steve Keats - Attachments:
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TEL LOC DIR NTH SHORE 60.mp3, 947 KB
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Permalink Reply by Rebecca Schwartz on -
Steve, that is an AWESOME ad - I love it!!!
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Permalink Reply by Heather Schwartz on
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Excellent ad - very creative! The familiar tune behind the phone number is a great way to remember it.
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I enjoyed the PSA; thanks for posting it. It conveys the message very effectively.
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Permalink Reply by Doug Zanger on -
Here's what I entered in the political category. I thought it was good enough to get through to the finals but, alas, 'tis the way of judging.
- Attachments:
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dearpa.mp3, 1.4 MB
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Permalink Reply by coleportato on -
And the winner was...
Had a dickens of a time finding this! Tom Bodette and Motel 6 from the Richards Group, Dallas. Did anyone hear this on the air? Very clever but I don't remember hearing it... - Attachments:
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Motel_6_DVD.mp3, 472 KB
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