:30 and :60 Second Commercial First course, Third grading period, Weeks 4-5

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1 :30 and :60 Second Commercial First course, Third grading period, Weeks 4-5 It is a financial reality. Radio stations need money to operate. Most non-public stations depend on commercials to stay on the air. Enduring Understanding Understanding how commercials are organized to sell a product in a compelling and appealing way will help students to prepare for employment at a commercial radio station, to understand audio mixing principles, and to be more discerning consumers and listeners. Essential Question What factors are considered in producing a commercial and how is it produced? Objectives and Outcome Students will understand the purpose of a commercial. Students will be able to articulate how a commercial is structured to sell a product in its calculated message to the consumer. Students will identify persuasive approaches used to sell a product. Students will be able to produce a :30 and :60 commercial. Suggested Time Two weeks Resources and Materials Pre-selected commercials of various products on both TV and radio Computer and editing software Visit the archives of Clio ( winners in radio for a list of commercials that received recognition. A CD of all winners of Mobius Awards ( for international advertising (online, television, radio, print and other arenas) is available for purchase at their Web site. You may wish to record current commercials to use with this curriculum guide. Teachers may find the following resources helpful when they discuss persuasive techniques. From the classic Vance Packard Hidden Persuaders to contemporary Web sites, students can learn more about the techniques used to persuade buyers. Frequently Asked Advertising Questions: A Guide for Small Business ( pubs/buspubs/ad-faqs.htm)

2 Making Commercials, Radio Production, pages Chapter 15, Making Commercials, Radio Production, CD-ROM Commercials and Announcements, Writing for Television, Radio, and New Media, pages Procedure 1. What makes a commercial memorable? Can students recite any commercials? How many students have to sing the words in order to recite the whole commercial? Do they recall key phrases Try it, you ll like it? Can they identify the product that is associated with a song, phrase or sound effect? Keep students responses in mind as you introduce the strategies used to create a commercial. 2. Play two to three commercials for students to analyze. Initial discussion may focus on branding, theme music, sound effects, and the overall message of the commercial. One of your examples should begin with music. Would this music keep them from switching the dial? Advertising agencies often use music to keep teens listening. 3. Teachers should present methods of persuasion that are used in advertising. Select one of the commercials to analyze for subtleties of persuasion. Is the celebrity s voice easily recognized no introduction needed? Does the pacing reflect the bandwagon that listeners are to join? Does the structure enhance the emotional pull at the end of the commercial? Teachers may also wish to approach persuasion through an application of Aristotle s three elements of persuasion ethos, logos and pathos. If not used at this time, students will be introduced to and apply these in Produce a Commercial (Fourth Course, Second Grading Period). 4. Start with a specific demographic group or target audience. Select a local business to act as a client. What products would teenagers buy at this store? What products might their parents buy for themselves? Is there anything available for grandparents to buy for themselves at this business? If not, what could grandparents purchase for their grandchildren? Consider how commercials would differ based on the target demographic. Answers would include: The product being promoted would vary. The need or desire would change from utilitarian (tools, tissues and batteries) to decorative (jewelry, clothes, home accessories) to emotional (express love or help a loved one). The music or sound effects used would reflect the age group. What elements should stay the same, no matter the target audience? 5. Select both 30- and 60-second commercials to play. Discuss how much more one can say and hear in the longer versions. Dissect the use of time in both, second by second: How does each commercial grab the listener s attention in the first seconds? Does the longer commercial have more music? Is the longer commercial more likely to be a testimonial? Does the shorter commercial make use of repetition?

3 To be placed in a prime slot, a client s advertisement may be limited to 30 seconds because of time available and cost per second. How can you communicate the key ideas without giving the impression of rushing through a script? 6. Focus on making a script compact. Many radio and television commercial producers use five steps to organize their advertisements. These steps may be summarized as: Grab the listener s attention Hold the listener s attention Present a problem or situation that the product/business will be able to resolve. With or without a direct introduction of the product/business, intimate that the problem or situation can be solved by it. Motivate the listener to buy the product, visit the business or act. Play a 60-second commercial that clearly illustrates these five steps. Have students identify the points when each step takes place. You may wish to play a 30-second commercial. Although much tighter, the shorter commercial will follow the same pattern. 7. Provide each student group with a different commercial script to read, record and load into their workstations. Each group is to determine its target audience and persuasive technique. The final commercial is to be 60 seconds. Students are to select relevant sound effects from a sound effect CD if you have one or record ambience beds to place under the commercial and mix. 8. Have groups share their commercials. You might have other students identify which persuasive techniques were used and to which demographic group they think the commercials would appeal. Did students use the best voice for the commercial? What mood was conveyed? Was it appropriate for the product being promoted? 9. Take time to consider some standards and practices in airing commercials. Which products are not advertised on American radio and television? Why are some products and services advertised only after 10 p.m.? Who determines what is stated in an advertisement? Does the advertiser get to have whatever he wants in his commercial since he is paying for it? Under the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Act: Advertising must be truthful and non-deceptive; Advertisers must have evidence to back up their claims; and Advertisements cannot be unfair. Some points from the FTC online consumer resources ( to share about products that are advertised: The FTC pays closest attention to ads that make claims about health or safety and claims that consumers would have difficulty evaluating for themselves. Federal law prohibits advertising cigarettes, smokeless tobacco and little cigars on radio, TV, or other forms of electronic media regulated by the Federal Communications Commission. Until 1996, there was a voluntary policy within the distilled spirits industry not to advertise on television. Many broadcasters still do not accept ads for distilled spirits.

4 The FTC can take action if an alcohol ad is deceptive or unfair. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) also has jurisdiction over deceptive or misleading alcohol labeling and advertising. The FDA handles most matters related to advertising prescription drugs. All endorsements must reflect the honest experience or opinion of the endorser. [This includes celebrity testimonials.] For a Made in USA claim to be accurate, all significant parts, processing and labor that go into the product must be of U.S. origin. Products should not contain any or only negligible foreign content. (See Visit the Federal Trade Commission site for more information. Other federal agencies have oversight of advertising claims about products (The FDA for example). In addition, every state has consumer protection laws that govern ads. 10. For the last project in this lesson, divide the class into four or six groups. Give each group Produce a Commercial Worksheet. They are to complete Part One of the worksheet in minutes. 11. Pair groups. Both groups take turns reading their marketing statements and share their considerations of style, persuasive approach and image. By now, students know the importance of providing candid appraisals and constructive advice. 12. Place four or six strips of paper in a container. On half of them write :30 commercial and on the other half write :60 commercial. Have a representative of each group draw. This is the length of the commercial that their client is paying them to produce. 13. Groups should complete Part Two of the worksheet and produce their commercials: write their scripts, select music/sound effects, mix and record on a CD. Homework At the end of the first day of class, students are asked to watch two commercials on TV and listen to two commercials on radio. Be sure each student records the station, time of broadcast, and product/ business that is featured in each commercial. Each student must come to class prepared to discuss the success of the commercial in presenting the product or service and incorporating a persuasive technique. At the end of the second day of class, students are asked to watch two commercials on TV and listen to two commercials on radio. They are to focus on identifying the intended audience, persuasive techniques and the audio techniques used in each commercial. What key words were used to get the attention of the targeted listeners? What voice was used to create a tone and image? Students should have taken specific notes to share. At the end of the third day of class, students read the chapter on commercials in their textbook or a handout. Ask them to make a list of the attributes of the most successful commercials.

5 Assessment Students should receive participation credit for listening to commercials and sharing their reviews. Students should also participate in group activities and contribute to the completion of the Produce a Commercial Worksheet. Ask students to evaluate their commercials based on main points in the chapter of their textbook and class discussion of persuasive techniques. They are to describe how they appealed to a designated audience, and why they selected particular products, sound effects and persuasive techniques. Evaluate students commercials based on criteria such as meeting the length requirement, appealing to a designated audience, clearly identifying product, including persuasive techniques and audio creativity. Teachers will need to tell students if the five steps of commercial production will be essential in their final product and will be part of the final evaluation. Academic Content Standards Identify figurative language and rhetorical structures (parallel structure, quotations, examples, exaggeration, emotional appeal) used to engage the audience (DCPS English Language Arts, (9.I.9) Industry Standards and Expectations Analyze production functions. (Performance Element, Pathway KS Statement: Demonstrate the ability to deliver a broadcast production. States Career Clusters, National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium) Analyze the business and economic factors that influence programming, content and distribution. (Performance Element, Pathway KS Statement: Exhibit knowledge of business issues related to journalism and broadcasting, States Career Clusters, National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium) Comprehend the use of promotional materials, standard public service announcements, commercials/ ad, press kits, and advertising tags. (Performance Element, Pathway KS Statement: Exhibit knowledge of business issues related to journalism and broadcasting, States Career Clusters, National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium)

6 Produce a Commercial Worksheet Group Members Part One 1. Product we will advertise The commercial s intended audience Why we believe this is a beneficial pairing 2. Develop a marketing statement (result/problem it will solve): The purchase of this product will 3. Evaluate your marketing statement: Is this a true cause and effect? Why would your target audience want this result? Is this what the advertiser would want associated with her business and her product? 4. Consider style, persuasive approach and image of your commercial. What style do you want to present in your commercial? If you select the testimonial or endorsement persuasive approach, who will be your spokesperson? Will this person meet FTC standards? What type of voice and music/sound effects are needed to evoke the image you wish to present? Part Two Answer the following questions on your own paper. 5. After meeting with the critique group, we decided to make the following changes. Please include why you think these modifications are needed. 6. Did you use the five-step order for your commercial? Why or why not? 7. After completing your commercial, listen to it. What is its running time? To whom does it appeal? Does it make any claims that cannot be verified? What do you think is the best feature of your commercial? Produce a Commercial Worksheet