The Mind. Common Mistake #1 Assuming the eyes and ears of consumers are the final destination of the advertiser s s message.

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1 Creative Doc Holliday Academy Training Specialist RAB Training Academy If They Can t t See It They Won t t Buy It! Today s Agenda... Branding The primary purpose of a commercial Why some commercials work and others don t The science of the mind Elements of a commercial Additional thoughts on Creative In focus group after focus group, the main complaint we hear about radio is, There are too many commercials.

2 The problem is too many BAD commercials. Definition Branding-the establishment of an associative memory in the long-term memory of a consumer or prospect that links a product or service category with a specific provider. Soft Drinks Hamburgers Bologna Coca Cola McDonalds Oscar Mayer Branding Strategy Frequency Consistency Message Fact: No human ever takes any action intentionally without first imagining taking the action in their mind.

3 Fact: No human can take any decisive action in regard to a specific company unless there is an awareness of that company in their mind. Conclusion... Some commercials work... Some commercials don t... The purpose of a commercial is to cause the listener to imagine taking the desired action and for that mental image to be desirable. The long-term goal of advertising should be to grow market share through TOMA. Why?

4 Common Mistake #1 Assuming the eyes and ears of consumers are the final destination of the advertiser s s message. They are, rather, portals to the place where memories are stored and decisions are made The Mind Two Sides to the Story Left Analytical Thought Deals in Facts Comfortable with Logic Adheres to Principles Dubious of anything new or different Right Abstract Thought Deals in Emotions Delighted by Art Breaks the Rules Intrigued by anything new or different

5 Common Mistake #2... Creating Left-Brain Commercials Common Mistake #2... Creating Left-Brain Commercials Many advertisers think this is what a commercial is supposed to sound like. Elements in a typical Left-Brain Commercial Number of years in business Phone numbers, website, addresses Credit cards accepted Price points Brand names Clichés (family owned and operated, fast friendly service, best selection in town, etc.) Many advertisers ask for this type of commercial. Many advertisers are uncomfortable if their commercial doesn t sound like this. So, What Is A Right Right Brain Brain Commercial? When discussing right brain commercials with a hesitant client ask them to to Elements in a typical Right Brain Commercial Think about the commercials they personally enjoy listening to. Humor Music/Jingles Emotion Common Experiences Compelling stories Surprising use of words Strong first mental image (FMI) Memorable last mental image (LMI) Think about the commercials they personally remember. Think about the commercials they hear others talking about.

6 An Illustration Left Brain Asking for a response. Now, asking for the same response in a slightly different way. Who gets the ride in your mind? Right Brain

7 Campaigns Formula For Long-Term Advertising Success Frequency + Consistency + Effective Message = BRANDING This formula requires a campaign of commercials. A campaign is made up of commercials that each contain similar elements wrapped around fresh messages. Campaigns Recurring Campaign Elements Music Bed Jingle Voice Talent Company Slogan Commercial Theme If you want people to imagine taking action Question: How long should a good commercial be?

8 Clichés Answer: As long as it needs to be to accomplish the client s s objective. Commercial Killers. Not Killer Commercials. Clichés Family owned and operated We accept all major credit cards In business for 15 years Fast friendly service Biggest selection in town 3 convenient locations to serve you Lowest prices in town A name you can trust Hurry in, these prices won t last (Or any variation of the above examples) Does this sound familiar? Your new appliance store client just handed you this newspaper ad and said, Here, write my commercial.

9 Does this sound familiar? Explain the Consumer Buying Cycle Attention Interest Desire Action Does this sound familiar? Explain the Consumer Buying Cycle Attention Interest Desire Action Does this sound familiar? Radio captures attention, stimulates interest, and ignites desire. Newspaper works best at the action stage. Radio commercials perform different functions than newspaper ads. Therefore, the content of radio commercials has to be different than the content of newspaper ads. Some commercials work... Some commercials don t... Are you beginning to understand?

10 We tried Radio and it doesn t t work! Sometimes free commercials are the most expensive. We don t need anymore of these clients. Final Thoughts... The objective of the client s advertising is to accomplish the goals you identified in your CNA meeting. Final Thoughts... Final Thoughts... The objective of the client s commercial is to cause consumers to imagine doing what the client needs them to do to accomplish their advertising goals. The effectiveness of the commercial will depend on how much emotional satisfaction people feel when they imagine taking the action.

11 Final Thoughts... Final Thoughts... Do not wait until the last minute to crank out a commercial. The correct message requires discussion, planning, and time. YOU must accept the responsibility of making sure your clients have the best message possible for accomplishing their objectives. RAB s CPCC - Certified Professional Commercial Copywriter Program Radio and Production magazine at RAB Online at