Audio and Video Advertising Types & techniques ‘ Your material ’

1. Audio and Video Advertising Types & techniques ‘Your material’

2. GATHER ALL FACTS • WWWWWH • Location, Hours, services, competition, etc. • What should a commercial contain? (a) the name of what it’s promoting (b) a reason for someone to do the thing you’re promoting (c) creative appeals encouraging someone to do what you’re promoting (d) an idea of when, where, why, and how to respond to your message. • Your production should have a clear message from you as a producer of what you want the viewer to do.

3. COPY PLATFORM • List client – including focus of this spot / campaign • Objective – what the sales goal is on this spot • Target Audience – standard age breaks: 18-24, 25-34, 25-44, 35-44, 35-49, 55+ etc. -- and also include other important demographic info • Sales theme / bonus items • Positioning • Approach

4. POSITIONING STATEMENT • States how the consumer should perceive your product/client. • “The Kilted Monkey is your Specialty Beer source.” • Distinguish this client from anyone like them. • Factual differences • Ideological differences (‘the headache medicine’) • Walmart, Kmart, Target • McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy’s, JITB • Chevron, Exxon, Valero, Citgo • NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox, Netflix

5. COPY PLATFORM – SALES THEME • The theme that runs throughout the campaign. • Will appear in all advertising. • Reflects the positioning statement. • May be a slogan. • “Really will save you money” • “15 minutes can save you 20%”

6. COPY PLATFORM -- APPROACH • Straight copy • Institutional / soft sell • Spokesperson • Sponsor speaks, testimonial, endorsement • Hard Sell • Urgency, price reduction, slogans • Humorous • Repeated airing? Client image? • Dialogue or Narration • Straight voice, VO music, donut, jingle • TV: VO, chromakey, studio, EFP?

7. CREATIVE PLANNING • Spots have to “resonate” with the consumer. • To make the consumer understand the message – the copy writer must understand the consumer. • The first few seconds of the spot have to be powerful. Grab the attention. • The Hook. • AIDA • Attention – how • Interest – of the target audience • Desire – appeals • Action • What kind of call to action – persuasive strategies

8. CREATIVE PLANNING • Keep it simple. • One idea per spot. • It can be price, quality, quality, convenience, etc. • But only one: • A news story has lots of facts but one FOCUS • A commercial must have a developed sales theme

9. COMMERCIAL FORMATS • Dramatic • Short plays • Exposition – sets the stage • Conflict – what’s the problem? • Rising action – complications • Climax – problem is solved – product is the hero • Resolution – repeat the selling points

10. CREATIVE PLANNING • Problem – solution • Sometimes uses the dramatic element • Demonstration – TV – show the product in use • Interview – some are real – some scripted • Regulations about ‘deceptive’ testimonials 

11. CREATIVE PLANNING • Testimonial • Uses celebrities • Phrased in the first person. • “I use the product…” • Must be bona fide user of the product • Average person must obtain same results • “Experts” must be experts • If organization – consensus must be reached • Any material consideration must be revealed • ‘compensated spokesperson’

12. CREATIVE PLANNING • Spokesperson • Common character or person in all ads • Does not claim to use product • May be real or fictional • Symbolism • When the product is difficult or impossible to visualize or show (Gecco for GEICO) • Creative radio – theatre of the mind • Creative TV – how to show ‘abstractions’

13. CREATIVE PLANNING • Direct comparison • Not before 1970 – used “Brand X” • Heavily scrutinized • Difference must be verifiable • Superiority must be clear • Reinforces brand loyalty • Viewed negatively when brand leader uses comparison against smaller brands • ‘Bing beat Google’ • Consumer may remember wrong product

14. CREATIVE PLANNING • Appeals • Emotional appeals are stronger than logical appeals • Emotional appeals are related to psychological needs • Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

16. EMOTIONAL APPEALS • Security appeal • Safety and security • Medications, vitamins, etc. • Uses cognitive dissonance • Threat or fear of bad breath, hair loss, dandruff, body odor, etc. • Sex appeal • Using the product will attract the opposite sex

17. EMOTIONAL APPEALS • Love and sentiment • Associated with a close and happy home life • Baby products, pet products, foods, cameras, greeting cards • Humorous appeal • Very difficult • Humor may obscure the message • If it’s not funny…

18. EMOTIONAL APPEALS • Convenience • Saves time and effort • Even if two products are equal in quality, price, etc. – convenience can sell one. • Curiosity • Appeals to our desire to explore the unkown or the unusual

19. EMOTIONAL APPEALS • Ego appeal • Desire for status • For comfort items, luxury items, big ticket • Credit cards, luxury cars, designer clothing • Hero worship • Uses athletes, celebrities • You will be like your hero, if you use the product

20. EMOTIONAL APPEALS • Sensory appeals • Appeal to one of the five senses • Bandwagon effect • Price and value • Belonging • Family • Etc.

21. COMMERCIAL WRITING • Keep language simple, concise and concrete • Write as you speak • Use pronouns • Informal – but not slang • Simple sentences • Active voice • Language that is descriptive

22. COMMERCIAL WRITING • Identify the selling points and repeat them • ‘Sell the sizzle, not the steak’ • NO emails, web addresses – items people won’t remember • Avoid numbers in broadcast copy • Phone numbers are not easy to recall unless they form an acronym • Make numbers understandable • No a.m. or p.m. • Give a referent– like location

23. COMMERCIAL WRITING • Creative thinking – imagine the target audience – imagine breaking through the clutter • What if statements • Chinese restaurants in town • ‘what if we have an Italian and a Mexican going to eat Chinese food?’ • ‘What if we show a family with lots of kids enjoying the Chinese buffet?’ • Structure of the spot • Attention • Interest • Desire • Action

24. COMMERCIAL WRITING • No clichés • “helps control dandruff with regular use” • “leaves dishes virtually spotless” • “the lady has taste” • “Listerine fights bad breath” • “you can be sure if it’s Westinghouse” • “The Ford Fusion is 700% quieter” • “The best Chinese food around” • “Conveniently located…”

25. PRODUCTION DIRECTIONS • TV • Shot composition • Camera movements • Transitions • ‘describe the scene’ • VO or on camera? • Match the video on the left with the audio on the right • Think about the message and the pacing

26. Sample Radio spots • Link