Writing Radio Commercials

Writing radio commercials is easy once you get the hang of it.  Writing good radio commercials takes a little practice, though. If you want to do it yourself here are few creative writing ideas...

KEEP IT SIMPLE.  

     Almost anyone (even radio reps!) can write typical retail radio copy:

"It's [STORE NAME]'s biggest sale in [45] years! Save up to [80%] on our wide assortment of [MERCHANDISE] now through Saturday!" 

    Writing VO Announcer radio commercials for Direct Response is a little tougher.  Be very direct and clear.  Give people something they can use NOW. No music. No funny ha! ha! The standard approach addresses a problem with a direct solution:

"Oh, No! Itchy flakey dandruff again! Isn't it time to get rid of Itchy Dandruff once and for all?  Call 1-800-NO ITCH6 for our free...." 

      An advanced technique is to try to obliquely defuse a persistent "Yeah, but..." among people who've heard the standard copy but haven't responded.   You'll probably need to run a Brand Resistance Survey among your TM's first, though.  After nine years on AM radio, here's how National Dynamics got an extra 3,000 people a week to break down and finally learn another language: What's On Your Feet?.

       
If Direct Response radio copy is direct, Chatty Cathy slice of life spots should sound natural, or funny.  Characters should talk like people.  Radio Announcers should announce.  Don't do this:

"Wow! Jill aren't these hotdogs deeee-lish!?"
"I love your new Krautmeister Barbecue Grill, Mary Sue."
"And Jill, the Model 1065 Krautmeister Barbecue Grill comes with my choice of easy-to-clean brushed aluminum or stainless steel interchangeable grills!"
"Wow! Interchangeable grills!"

People don't talk like that.  People love hotdogs.  Announcers do grills. 

If you want to write radio commercials that sound just a little smarter than your competitors, try some of these... 

Creative Writing Ideas.  

     Radio station formats are carefully tuned to the ears and minds of very narrow demographic segments. Listen to your stations, especially to commercials that run a lot - they must be working!  Tailor your creative writing ideas to fit into the lingo you hear from commercials and DJ's or program hosts.   

     First, here are a few  creative writing "don'ts!"

Don't expect teenagers and business execs to respond to the same Voices or Vocabulary. Snoop Dog isn't Rush Limbaugh.  Your boss is not the Target Audience!

If your audience speaks technical jargon, use it early.  They will tune in.  Everyone else will tune out.  

Don't use the "bullet points" from newspaper ads. Disjointed words and phrases ricochet off the ear and never make it to the brain. Tell a story, even if the subject is as arcane as protective puts.

Don't use lots of empty adjectives and adverbs.  Writing radio commercials is a visual exercise.  People can "see" nouns and verbs.

Don't scream.  Be enthusiastic but don't try to shove your message down people's ears. They'll gag.

Don't lie.  Don't weasel. If you have legal disclaimers, state them clearly. 

Here are few creative writing "dos":

Do be clear.  

Do use short sentences.  Even partials.

Do tell stories.  Beginning. Middle. End. 

Do use enthusiastic testimonials.  Get your customers to write  radio commercials for you!  Record verbatim comments then edit out the ahs and ers. Don't make customers re-read lawyer-approved copy. It always sounds forced and fake.

Do mention your number halfway through.  Mine is (407) 895-3092.  

In a brand image or retail traffic builder spot do something blindly interesting in the first few seconds of your radio commercial to catch the ear.

As you get better at this, start thinking about the Four Personality Types who will hear and respond to your commercials.  Don't get stuck on Driver-to-Driver hard sell.

Do read your copy out loud.  If you can handle it easily  in :50, you'll have a nice :60 - with air. Write 72 words max for a :30. 130 words max for a :60.

Do sit in the passenger seat and chat with the driver.

Do entertain.

Do cajole.

Do it!  

      


After writing a few hundred radio commercials, you'll get the knack. Creative Writing Ideas come more easily with experience.

KISS.

Cut through.  Ring true.  Make people like you. 

Oh, repeat your phone number twice at the end.

(407) 895-3092.

(407) 895-3092.

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ADVANCED CONCEPTS OF RADIO