Sponsor (Apr-June 1961)

With the importance off ad effectiveness, SPONSOR ASKS: What makes a tv commercial believable? Norton Wolf, vice president and creative supervisor, Benton & Bowles, Inc., New York Believability — like beauty — is in the eye of the beholder. To what degree is believability also in the hand of the creator — the writer? Let's see. The first thing that makes a commercial believable is whether or not // hat the writer asks the beholder to believe is a major consideration the writer believes in the product. It's not necessary or desirable to achieve a state of ecstasy. But you at least ought to figure you could look your dear old fifth grade teacher square in the eye and tell her your sales story, without getting sent to the principal's office for either fibbing or cribbing. The second thing that makes a commercial believable is what you ask the beholder to believe. Will it be something new, valuable, surprising, and important to the most important person of all: himself? Or will it be humdrum, ho-hum, old hat, braggy, impersonal? Lest we forget, no one has ever found a substitute for the selling idea. Next, how many things will you ask the beholder to believe? How glibly we say (and quickly forget) that it's far easier for the viewer to absorb and believe one idea than three ideas, in 60 seconds — or 60 weeks, for that matter. Fourth, b) what means will you ask the beholder to believe? Shall you appeal to reason or imagination — or both? Will you be factual or fanciful, dreamy or dramatic? You mav soar as airily as you like for a perfume, and you will be believed — sometimes. You can be doggedly down to earth for a detergent, and you will be believed — sometimes. Whv sometimes ves. sometimes no? I'm convinced the answer lies entirely in the experience, judgment, taste and enthusiasm of the writer. The good writer uses his freedom to explore and to select. He disciplines himself to be simple and direct. He makes every word, every picture, everj second, every frame completely relevant to the product, the selling idea, and to the beholders needs and experience. And now, before we chisel (hoc thoughts in stone, let us remember Alice who declared, "One can't believe impossible things." To which the White Queen replied, "I daresay you haven't had much practice. . . . Why, sometimes I've believed as manv as six impossible things before breakfast." Joseph McDonough, vice president and associate creative director, Cunningham & Walsh Inc., New York The simplest way to make a television commercial believable is to have the commercial constructed by people who recognize the truth. When these people work on the commercial: when the writer writes a commercial he believes in . . . when the art director draws a storyboard he believes in . . . when the account executive sells a storyboard he believes in . . . when the client O.K.'s a storyboard he believes in . . . when the agency producer produces a storyboard he believes in . . . when each one of the above does what he truly believes in . . . then you'll have a believable commercial. In other words, when the selling message and the presentation is truthful .. . the commercial is believable. Then, once the storyboard is turned over to a film producer and . . . the actors . . . the director . . . the camera director . . . the set designer . . . when all the people on the film, believe in the film — you'll get a believable film. A television commercial that is not believable is like any other "phoney" . . . sooner or later the public recognizes the "phoney" and they stop believing . . . they stop buying. Perhaps it's seeing on television the same model/actor attempting to sell two different products on the same night. Neither of these products are for the particular use of model/ actors. The model/actor does not display any expert knowledge of either of the products. So ... I do not believe him. He's a moonlighter. Two jobs and no sales. Maybe that wild set is an art director's dream but it doesn't even remotely resemble my bathroom. Mine's always a mess. I'd be afraid to use that one. Howinthehell am I going to get into that sunken tub? Perhaps it's a beer, a good beer, I like your beer. But it doesn't make When both the .selling message and selling presentation are truthful me laugh. Not just a sip, anyhow. And I don't want that much energy. I'm too tired to run up that beach. And that athletic young thing that's chasing him! I know she'd be too much for me. Advertising is a simple business. Advertising is an aid to selling. As such, it should put forth some simple, logical selling messages for a product. In order for people to accept these selling messages they should be presented in a believable way. Let's do it. Richard J. Mercer, vice president and creative group supervisor, Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn, Inc., New York A believable commercial like a believable person has no affectations. It is first of all frankly what it is: a commercial. It doesn't try to kid (Please turn to page 56) 52 SPONSOR 3 APRIL 1961