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Commercial Key to Air Sales
Here is the first of two articles presented as a guide to practical commercial copywritmg for retail advertisers
by WILLIAM E. WRIGHT. Wright Radio Productions, Chicago
The basic principles of this copywriter's guide nere formulated by ad-man Wright in the school of experience. To his credit: 10 years of broadcast advertising as station and agency copy chief, station producer and service manager. For the past year he has operated his own radio advertising consultant office, offering commercial copy service, program production, package shows and program script. Accounts include the Central Grocers Cooperative, Inc., StuartWarner Corporation ( Alemite Division) and Fitzpatrick Brothers.
THE retailer's biggest questionmark, and the key to successful radio ad\ertising, is what to do with the time aJlotted to his commercial message. That's where the copy— and all the sales know-how, plans, and ideas that shape il— assumes major j)r()portions.
In the fnial analysis, it's up to the sponsor whether or not he gets effective, salespuHing commercial copy. The sponsoi who hands the (opy writer a tearsheet ol a newspaper ad with instructions to "get as many ol these itenrs in the (onuner( ial as possible" is simply shortchanging liiniselt. \d get his lull money's worth oni ol radio, the sjionsor nuist take the lime to Inid out what makes radio advertising (lick. It's particularly importaiU because good copy beats repeating. One good piece ol copy used ten limes on the air will pioduce lar more sales than ten
different pieces of fair copy each used once!
In appraising the effectiveness of commercial copy, fust determine the objective of the campaign, then see that each commercial is slanted toward that objective.
Every piece of commercial copy shoidd sell an idea— one single idea— no more. Most copy sells the "buy something" idea. In department store advertising it may be "buy (it Blank's store." Your single objective-idea may be general or specific, l)ut you nuist have one. 1 his holds in institutional copy as well, if it's going to be effective. It's not enough to go on the air and just say something nice about the store and let it go at that. Find yotir objective. Perhaps it's store traffic— or goodwill. A\'hate\ er it is— define it— and sell it.
There are other factors that may also effect the producti\ity of your commercial. Here are a few of them:
1. Who is listening. The time of day, the program, the station's market, the station's personalitw and the preceding program all, to some extent, determine \()ur audience'. \nu can't change them, i)ui \ou can become familiar with them and adapt \c)ur copy accordingly. For example, if you are selling a product for children on a ten a.m. weekday spot, you could direct ^c)ur appeal to mothers. Around li\c in the afternoon you can somciimes sell iaiiiih consumption products tlnough the children. Know yoiu' station, its market, and be familiar with all a\ailable listener-analysis studies. Preceding programs ha\e a select i\e eflect on your audience. Vou can gain an iirsight
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RADIO SHOWMANSHIP