What makes a good radio ad?
Consider Budweiser's Real Men of Genius Ads. Each one tells a different story:
- Mr Really,Really,Really Bad Dancer
- Mr. All You can Eat Buffet Inventor
- Mr. Cell Phone Holster Wearer
Some say it's how much information that is given or how quickly you can grab a person's attention. Others say it's the repetition of your brand name and the "call to action." Although this is all good advice, a truly effective radio ad should be treated as a tiny short-story that has relatability to the listener.
The question is, "What's your story?" and "How are you telling it?" This can take many forms and the options are limitless. When reviewing popular and award winning radio ads, you will find that some stories are told through music, while others are told through vocal pitch, repetition, or mnemonic techniques.
Let's look at the ingredients of a good story:
Theme - A theme is something important that the story is trying to tell us—a good theme incorporates something that might help us in our own lives.
Plot - Plot is most often about a conflict or struggle your customer faces.
Structure - At the beginning, jump right into the action. At the end, wind up the story quickly.
Characters - You want to make your audience relate to the characters in the ad. Make your the characters be distinct.
Setting - Set your story in a place and time that will be interesting or familiar. This can be done through music, sounds of nature, food sounds, or sounds of the city.
Style and Tone - Wherever you can, use action, sounds, music and speech to let the audience know what’s happening. Sound it. Don’t tell it.
The best stories have a strong theme, a fascinating plot, a fitting structure, unforgettable characters, a well-chosen setting, and an appealing style. Try for all of these.
Here are a couple more examples of successful Radio Ads. When you listen to them try and understand the theme, plot, characters, and setting.
