A Question from a Thoughtful Admirer

A Question from a Thoughtful Admirer

Posted on: November 1, 2011

We often get adoring fan mail. Sometimes they come bearing questions about audio efficacy. This is one such letter:

Dear Push Button Productions,

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 they tune you out. You don't have to have explosions at the beginning of EVERY ad, just something enticing.

- Make the audio compelling. Since a lot of radio listening occurs in the car when people are alone, radio is in a unique position to really appeal to their emotions. Use this to your advantage by setting the right tone for your ad.

- Consistent audio branding. Do your ads have the same elements from one to the next? Maintaining consistency with who is writing your commercials, establishing a voice actor as your brand’s voice, and adding elements like audio logos all increase the effectiveness of your ads.

That's about as quick as we can sum this up...hope you can sleep better now!

Sincerely,

The Push Button team