What is it that makes a radio ad successful? How can I develop content that makes people recognize and remember MY radio ads? Please help...I lay awake at night with worry that my advertising messages aren't being received!
Sincerely,
Miss Undastood
Dear 'Undastood',
Since radio relies heavily on only one of your five senses, it's only natural that we at Push Button spend a lot of time making sure that your ad says the right thing. Here are a couple of the key components that we look into when creating a message that will captivate your target audience.
-Selecting the right words. Since we can't see the juicy burger (or car, or decorative-wall-mounted-singing-fish) you're selling, the verbiage really needs to paint the picture.
-Draw them in quickly. You've only got a short window of time to capture the audience before the tune you out. you don't have to have explosions at the beginning of EVERY ad, just something enticing.
-The power of compelling audio! Since a lot of radio listening occurs in the car when you're alone, radio is in a unique position to really appeal to people's emotions. Use this to your advantage by setting the right tone for your ad.
-Mention the brand! Seems like a no-brainer, but don't forget to mention the product frequently. We don't go by any hard and fast rule like some advertisers do. We just recommend that it's mentioned several times.
That's about as quick as we can sum this up...hope you sleep better now!
You'd think we're dealing with picking out fruits. But this is the process we undergo with voice talents daily. When dealing with them, you have to know what you want, how to get it, and how to do it without sending them over the deep end. As a voice over talent, a client can actually fill your head with 15 different instructions which can be detrimental to the end result. By laying down some simple, ordinary instructions for your talent, you can usually end up with exactly what you want, without having to go
through the usual 5 or so post production changes.
It helps to think about the way you want your your target market to feel. Kind of like enjoying a hot, juicy sub. "I want them to feel fulfilled," or "I want them to feel like they could conquer the world," or "I want them to come enjoy a hot, juicy sub," are all valid statements when describing how the read should sound. When you ask us for specifics on how you want your VO talent to sound, we know exactly what to tell them so we receive the end result exactly how you want it on the first try. Being voice-over talent ourselves, we can communicate to them from a level of understanding better than most producers who usually don?t take the time to see it from the other prospective. So, give us your most impossible specs, we think you’ll be impressed!
Developing the newest attention-grabbing campaign for your business doesn’t have to be as daunting of a task as it seems. Ever make a fool of yourself in front of someone you were trying to impress? Become humiliated in front of a large crowd? If not, you’re probably the only one. As creative professionals, we have to draw upon real-life experiences to make things funny. After all, the reason most things bring about a chuckle is because they are in some part true. Coming up with something creative isn’t necessarily all that hard, you just have to ‘find the funny’ in every situation. It’s not so easy when you’re living a tense or frustrating moment, but some simple reflection and a good heaping of exaggeration tend to do the trick.
Just take a look around your office. Odds are you’ve got a major crop of potential characters just sitting there. I know we do! Is one person in particular driving you crazy? They’re probably the best one! Exaggerating people’s quirks and making them seem larger than life really makes something more memorable. A good mix is 5% real, 95% fluff. Developing characters like that makes it funny and usually has people remember someone they knew who was similar. Just make sure they don’t find out they were your inspiration!
As you try to develop a new campaign for your business, think about the things you go through every day. Try to carry around a notepad and jot down ideas as they come to you. You’ll be amazed at how many situations you live in one week that can be turned into your newest hit advertising campaign.
What’s the deal with this “100% Suck Free Money Back Guarantee”? I have never really dealt with advertising before and the thought of a money back guarantee seems really smart. How does it work? Can it be used on Jingles too?
Sincerely,
Lost in Advertising Despair
Dear Lost,
We’ve been getting this question a lot lately and it’s no doubt people enjoy the concept of something being “Suck-Free”. As a matter of fact, this guarantee was created to help people just like you, who have never dealt with advertising before, get exactly what they want.
The concept is simple.
You call or email us with your businesses situation. Give us the low-down on what you need accomplished. Then we’ll discuss some of your alternatives and what we can offer you to help. When you decide what you want, be it a jingle, radio commercial, etc. then we’ll get the ball rolling on your order. We require a fifty percent deposit up front to get your project started and will deliver to you within a few days some samples for you to choose from. Again we discuss what it is you’re trying to develop and you select what you like. We then go back into seclusion in our production cave and a little while later we return to you with the finished product.
Where does the guarantee come in?
If at any time during this process you’re unhappy with what you’re getting, then it’s a simple no-hassle return of your money. 100% of it including your deposit! Obviously, there are some simple guidelines that apply…we can’t let you go all willy-nilly! So use the guarantee on whatever you want us to produce…we know you’re gonna love the finished product anyway! Call us at 1-888-494-PUSH and let’s get your advertising done right!
On a recent flight to visit some family I picked up the courtesy copy of the in-flight magazine, which was nestled neatly beside my air-sickness pouch and the emergency procedure pamphlet. Since SOMEONE had borrowed my iPod charger and I didn’t get a chance to stop at the overpriced magazine counter, I would have to just bear the overpriced luxury items available for purchase on the plane and the insipid articles about Family Circus…don’t even get me started. Somewhere between the crusty pages lay something that actually provoked some thought. Luckily it came in the form of a simple one-page advertisement because, as anyone who knows me will tell you, I have the attention span of a gnat. I can’t remember who the ad was for (that’s a subject we’ll talk about in a later blog), but it simply said it costs 7 to 9 times more money to acquire a new client than to retain an existing one.
SEVEN TO NINE TIMES!
Think about the impact this could have on your advertising and marketing plan! So many business owners come to us wanting to attract larger crowds to their store, or bring clients in from the competition and, naturally, it’s how they are gearing their advertising. How about investing a portion of that advertising into your current client base…people who already know and love your business and products? They’ve already been sold on your company, they come into your store frequently and all you have to do now is get them to buy more! That’s yet another reason why every ad you produce should promote the brand…ALWAYS. You’re not only building a reputation for new clients, but also reinforcing your existing ones that they have made the right decision in coming to you.
We recently had a client who was concerned about a big chain moving into town and the effect it would have on their business. Mom and Pop shops can’t compete with big corporate stores on price, but there are two critical aspects that can keep your clients coming back. Customer service and a perceived benefit they get from your product that they can’t find anywhere else. Obviously only you and your salespeople can affect the level of service you give to your customer, but how do you give them the perception that you’re better?
It’s all in the way you say it.
It’s not easy to walk that line between telling and bragging, but if you do it right you’ll have clients beating down your door. Get it into their heads that your product is the only one that will satisfy their need and it won’t matter that you’re selling exactly the same thing everyone else is. That’s what advertising is all about and what most people fail to recognize. Flip to any station and you’ll hear the same generic copy. “(Insert company name) has the best ribs in town, come try them today.” All I hear when that’s on is “I’m an unoriginal copywriter who really doesn’t want to be doing this.” Not everyone is built to write copy. That’s okay. We’re not fit to be a circus clowns. You don’t see us crying about it!
What we told this client was that we know it’s not easy to give up some control when it comes to marketing. You want your business perceived as you see it and not how an agency sees it. It’s why we work hand-in-hand with you the whole way through the process. Our goal isn’t just to knock out another commercial. It’s about making you look good and having you understand why you’ll only want to get your commercials produced with Push Button.
There's few things in life we enjoy more than a fresh fountain soda. You can argue all you want, but when the icy, fizzy blast hits your mouth, you know there's not a whole lot missing in your life. Soda in a can or bottle can hold you over, but you know that feeling when you want something so bad that only the EXACT thing will satisfy you? THAT is what you want your customers to feel.
It's too bad that there are only a handful of products in the world that can create that effect on people based solely on how great it is (see also McDonald's French Fries). If you're one of those lucky business owners with a product like that, then you won't have to work as hard for your product to be memorable. But if you've been handed lemons (which as we all know isn't a bad thing), you're gonna need some sugar-coating before you can make lemonade.
It's not about lying, cheating and stealing, but you do have to recognize that a product needs to be on a consumer's radar before they can make a conscious decision on whether or not they want it. Considering some estimates place the number of ads we are exposed to on an average day somewhere in the neighborhood of 600 to 3000, it seems impossible to find a way to make yours more memorable than the next one. The good thing about most advertising is that it appears to be (and is) arbitrary.
Take a few minutes to think about what you're trying to accomplish in your ad and you'll be way ahead of the game already. Actually take the time to develop some sort of a marketing plan and execute it and you're lightyears ahead. Just remember that in your advertising you want to be more like a fountain soda. Short, sugary and leave them wanting more.
While Jon and Yeosh are usually the one’s to inform you about our happenings on this blog, intern Kyle thought he should share his recent experience.
Being based in Gainesville, Florida has its perks. Year round seventy degree weather, the University of Florida and all their great sporting events, and nearby beaches, just to name a few. But Gainesville is also a hot-bed for some serious advertising talent! That’s why when the Gainesville Advertising Federation holds its annual awards ceremony, we at Push Button make it a point to be there.
I had the pork…and it was dynamite. However, the sweetest part of the night came before the dessert. While the entrées were being served the first of the radio and audio production awards were being handed out and the very first winner was the Push Button team. The night would not stop there though, as the Push Button team had a hand in 10 Addy Awards and two nominations for Best-in-show far surpassing any other audio production team that night!
Once again the Push Button boys, Yeosh and Jon, prove why they are the making themselves known as the leading creators of award winning jingles and radio commercials for small and big businesses alike.
All in all it was a great night; the dinner was fantastic, the people were friendly, and the awards for jingles and radio commercials didn’t stop rolling in. I can only hope that the 2009 Addy awards will be as much fun!
No matter what my crazy uncle Wally says, customer service isn't dead...yet. At the cell phone store yesterday, we were waited on hand and foot and this particluar customer service rep went out of his way to try and save us a few bucks. Not only am I impressed with the coverage, but also the customer service I received.
That's exactly how we hope you feel when you team up with Push Button to bring you your latest jingle or advertising. It's a marriage of great products and attention to detail that keeps us going back there and we hope it's what keeps you coming back to us!
We are live and ready to serve you! We've re-launched this site and hope it's easier for you to find exactly what you're looking for. Check out our services section to see everything we can offer your business. From jingles to commercials to on-hold messaging, we cover all the bases.
Our Create-a-Commercial section allows you to be the director. Give us specification about what you want and we'll custom make it. Not creative? No problem! Coming up with award-winning and memorable advertising is what we do. Don't forget to check out our Commercials in a Zip for discounted prices on stock commercials.
Whatever your audio needs are, Push Button Productions can help you get it done in style. Most importantly don't be afraid to ask questions. Advertising can be daunting and we know how to break it down in terms everyone can understand.
Send us an email to info@pushbuttonproductions.com or call us at 888-494-PUSH (7874). Don't worry we don't bite (or charge) for answering a few questions.
The Crowne Plaza Hotel wants you to have your next business meeting in one of their meeting rooms, so they made an ad for it. It starts off with the meeting chair offering a witty observation of how the Bible has 10 rules and Golf has 600. The actors then make their comments and it's pure genius. The actors are all amazing and there's such a nice chemistry between all of them. This brings me to my next point: Actor Chemistry.
A lot of times, in spots, the actors are doing just that, acting. There's no real chemistry and you can tell that one voice over artist is in New Orleans and the other is recording in New York! How to fix this? Have them create a dialogue, or just talk about what the weather is like in New York at that moment. A simple conversation prior to recording can do wonders for the chemistry and realism. Once a certain chemistry is created, the spot will sound that much better.
We're not sure if this ad was scripted or if the actors were simply improvising, but it's pure genius and we can't wait for the next Push Button meeting to occur at Crowne Plaza's meeting room!
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