Friday Poll: What’s the Best “Theater of the Mind” Radio Ad You’

    • 1373 posts
    November 7, 2013 9:10 PM PST

    Happy Friday, everyone!

     

    Here is this week’s poll question:

     

    Radio is theater of the mind.  What radio ad have you heard or produced recently that conjures especially powerful mental images?

     

    Looking forward to reading your answers!

    • 58 posts
    November 8, 2013 3:18 AM PST

    I really like Santa's ad above.  And speaking of Santa (thank you for the segue way), I wrote this Christmas ad for my friends at the Flower Gallery.  More like a Christmas card than an ad.  I've wrote better, but the question says "recently" hence this one.  I hope you like it. 

    • 6 posts
    November 8, 2013 3:46 AM PST

    Good day and T.G.I.F. all!

    I wrote, voiced and produced this piece a couple of years ago that has, in my opinion, a rather 'humorous' approach to marketing a voiceover business.

    Cheers!

    • 52 posts
    November 8, 2013 5:43 AM PST

    I've heard a couple of ads for Tri-State Honda dealers (NY/NJ/CT) that were very visual, one regarding jaywalking and another :30 about the neighbor's kid.  Excellent copy!  And I wish I had a link to share, but I have not been able to locate the :30 versions.  (If you know where they can be heard, please add that here, please.  The :30s are very strong!).

    • 37 posts
    November 8, 2013 6:34 AM PST

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppZ57EeX6vE  ...and my question is, after decades have passed since this was produced, what does our industry need to do now to implement a systematic template for time-crunched but well-meaning writers and account representatives to generate more commercials that will engage the mind, build a case for the client, and implement a low risk/no risk/low cost/no cost offer of decision facilitating information or a decision facilitating experience to get the client's prospect to the next step in the buying process?

    • 12 posts
    November 8, 2013 7:07 AM PST

    We had an auto dealer that's been running a series of "we take anything on trade" ads just to bring traffic into their dealership.    One simple sound effect and a read with a slight accent really pulled this spot together.

    • 39 posts
    November 8, 2013 12:53 PM PST
    • 8 posts
    November 8, 2013 2:50 PM PST

    This is one spot in a Beerman series

    • 4 posts
    November 8, 2013 6:30 PM PST

    So many ads for bars are the typical "loud announcer over loud music bed" style, rattling off their entire week's worth of food and drink specials. And you can't always blame the copywriter/producer, since so many bars insist on such ads (some clients are open to being educated, some clients not - I've learned to pick my battles).

    Anyway, here's one I wrote and produced a couple years back for a client who was willing to go with a not-so-typical idea.  The only music in the ad is there to help tell the story, along with relevant sound effects.  A cool bonus was that this ad helped me bring home a Silver Dome Award from the Illinois Broadcasters Association.  Although I should add that I am in complete agreement with experts like Dan O'Day who would say that "Award Winning" does not always equal "Effective."  True, it's a proud accomplishment and it's nice to be recognized by your peers for work that you're passionate about, but the goal should never be about winning awards, it should be about getting results. 

    • 1373 posts
    November 11, 2013 9:29 AM PST

    I reread Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" almost every Christmas season . . . I really like this ad!

    • 993 posts
    November 13, 2013 1:37 PM PST

    Andy,

    While "our industry" doesn't seem to be in any hurry to make the necessary changes to make engaging, effective radio commercials the standard, rather than the exception, there are some bright spots on the landscape:

    1) Jerry Lee's B-101 (WBEB-FM) in Philadelphia set a fine example with their Radio Mercury Award-winning spot "Woodpecker" in 2010, and RMA finalist "Just Add Maggio" in 2011, demonstrating the power of engaging radio commercials. 

    2) Dan Hill's Sensory Logic in Minneapolis, collaborator with WBEB-FM, offers a free 4-part webinar to help radio folks learn how to create engaging radio commercials HERE.

    3) There have been some valuable discussions here at RSC (like THIS....or THIS) on the topic, and plenty of resources are available for any AE or copywriter willing to invest the time and energy to learn and apply the lessons on a daily basis.

    4)  Recently we have been awarding one-month trial subscriptions to Roy H. Williams' "Wizard of Ads Live" monthly webinars.  I have received valuable personal help from Roy, as have others in our industry.  The investment of $120 a month for an annual subscription seems a small price for a radio station to budget, given the wealth of resources available in the "Premium Files" archives at the WoAL website, to say nothing of the opportunity to bounce specific copy and ideas off the Wizard of Ads himself and benefit from his expertise.  Divide the $120 by the number of salespeople, copywriters, and production folks who benefit from this training - small price to pay (as his radio station subscribers already know), especially in view of the benefits both to the station and its advertisers from the vastly improved commercials.

    5)  Many stations regularly hold sales meetings, some of which include training to improve their skills in this area.  But how many hold "advertising meetings" on a weekly basis, for the purpose of evaluating commercials running on the air and providing structured training in the area of copy writing.  Excellent training materials abound, but they avail nothing if they're not used. For instance, Mobiletape.com has archived numerous copy writing seminars given by folks like Dan O'Day and Jeffrey Hedquist at RAB Annual meetings. Just enter the individual's name in the Search bar under "speaker" and you'll have access to dozens of choices.  Easy way to get top-notch training.

    Might be time to revisit the issue in an upcoming Friday Poll: What resources and techniques do you utilize at your stations, to teach your salespeople and copywriters the art of advertising? 

    • 993 posts
    November 19, 2013 6:12 PM PST

    Wow.  Copy, voice acting, SFX, choice of music - all well done.  It's easy to screw something like this up, but your production folks made it work.  Very nice, David!