Mad 4 Blog

Last week, we started out with three top tips for making a radio commercial that will concisely and entertainingly translate your company’s message to the masses. Here are another three useful “sound bites” for your consideration:

4. Get creative. This often comes down to the creative content, i.e., the script and sound. You might want a memorable jingle, a unique catchphrase or whip-smart dialogue. Comedy and music often go a long way when it comes to audio-only advertising. But these tactics might also not necessarily be right for you. You want to be sure your radio ad matches your predetermined marketing image. It should coordinate with any of your preexisting marketing strategies so it can all come across as part of one comprehensive campaign.

5. Add a call to action. Now that you’ve grabbed their interest, what’s next? Remember to add an incentive to buy or react immediately after hearing your ad. Should they call in or stop by for a special offer? Is there something specifically timely about your ad? Those who are interested just need a reason to react, so by all means don’t forget to give them one!

6. Try it out. Nothing is more valuable than honest feedback. Set up trials to have objective audiences – specifically, those you’re hoping to target – and consider their input and opinions before the ad airs. Consider that further writing, recording and editing may be in order once a radio commercial is first considered “complete.” If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right.
Are there any radio ads that you absolutely love or abhor? Drop us a comment!

Interested in buying some audio airtime to advertise your business? At Mad 4 Marketing, we’ve got extensive experience and can offer some insider know-how about creating and promoting radio commercials.

1. Find your perfect outlet. Media buying and placement is an art. You want to have your ad matched with the correct audience. That means the right station, the right time of day and the right amount of exposure. We can create a profile of your ideal listener and find the airwaves that best match your agenda. Remember, the more specifically you narrow your demographics, the greater return on investment you’re apt to receive. You don’t want to just buy the most space that will reach the most ears; this is often a waste of anyone’s time and money. In fact, the wrong kind of exposure, or too much of it, can actually weaken your brand! A marketing company with strong media buying prowess and preexisting connections in the regional radio world (ahem, ahem) can help you tailor your message and your expectations to get the greatest bang for the best budget.

2. Choose the right spokesperson. Hiring the right voice talent is half the battle when it comes to creating a successful radio commercial. Did you know that most people trust robotic female voices (think of your GPS) – but they trust live male voices (think of movie trailer voiceovers)? Casting your commercial involves finding someone with experience and standout aptitude. But what about pitch, personality and accents? There’s a wide range of research on what will connect best with certain demographics. And then, of course, you’ll also want the right production team to create high-value, high-quality content from the sound effects to the editing.

3. Audit your info. Obviously, you want to get your message out there. You want to provide useful information about your company. But you also don’t want your spot to be a 30- to 60-second lecture. Narrow down the information to what’s really pertinent – such as how to get in touch with you, such as through your website (where you can provide further info). You’ve got to get an ad with a strong hook that really stands out from the clutter during a commercial segment. Balance informative elements with those that are fittingly emotional and entertaining.

Check back next week for three more tips!

Yesterday, car manufacturer and longtime advertiser General Motors hit reverse and pulled out of its advertising contract with Facebook. The company announced that this decision was due to poor performance and low ROI. This decision also followed closely on the heels of an MSNBC report showing that Facebook users don’t really trust the paid promotion of products and services through their go-to social networking site.

Thanks to Facebook’s free business pages, companies are able to create their own space on the website and promote it without cost. They’re able to monitor and analyze people’s interaction with this page and communicate directly with those who view it, “like” it or comment on its Wall. So why pay extra for small, non-interactive banner? Well, one reason is simply for the promotion of brand awareness – getting your logo out there and keeping it top-of-mind on a site where people spend an average of 16 hours of viewing time each month in the U.S.

If you’re currently advertising directly through Facebook, you may want to analyze the results and cost efficiency for doing this rather than activating and maintaining a business page. If you’re active enough with your contacts, you can still get your brand out there in the social media sphere, but in a much more impactful way. If you already have a business page as well, there may be ways to invest marginal fees and more page management time to get greater – and more measurable – results. Then you, too, may find it best to stop paying for advertising. On the other hand, your company may be better suited to the Facebook audience than automobile brands.

Chrysler and Ford continue to buy advertisements with the popular social media network, which stands to launch its public stock offerings this Friday, May 18.

Just in time for May 5 – widely known for its association with the Mexican holiday of Cinco de Mayo – Budweiser is discussing its marketing strategy with relation to two popular, nontraditional drinks in its arsenal: Bud Light Lime and the newer Lime-A-Rita. One of these has been around since 2008 (among the first in a long line of lime-flavored beers on the grocery store shelf), and the other is one you’re probably hearing about for the first time.

Last year, Bud Light Lime saw a decline in sales nationwide, with 13% fewer shipments and only 20th placing among all national beer brands. In a timely interview – considering that lime-flavored drinks are often associated with Cinco de Mayo, Mexican food flavor profiles and other south-of-the-border contexts – Ad Age interviewed Mike Sundet, Bud Light’s vice president, to discuss that loss of sales and what the brand is doing about it in order to compensate for 2012.

Sundet said that one strategy is ensuring that all of Bud Light’s branches reflect the same core brand message. Bud Light is getting rid of its Golden Wheat beer, which didn’t match the intended brand profile. By strengthening the way people perceive Bud Light, with a consistent message, it will also serve to bolster people’s opinions of Bud Light Lime. Bud Light is also releasing Bud Light Platinum at the same price point, so that when one special or sale is advertised, the ramifications can easily expand to both of the beers in question since they won’t be segregated by contradictory costs or competing in-store displays. Last but not least, this drink is getting an image makeover with some fresh new television ads featuring a remix of Will Smith’s “Summertime.”

For those who like the lime flavoring, there’s another Bud Light option to consider – though it’s not technically a beer. The Lime-A-Rita is a sweeter, saltier drink that might translate to a more whimsical occasion or suit the needs of people who tend to like Bud Light but are more in the mood for a cocktail or something different. As Sundet points out, many people like margaritas, but those aren’t the easiest drinks to bring to parties or make away from the kitchen, where you have a blender and a complete set of ingredients. Instead, the Lime-A-Rita fulfills that craving but is easy to transport. He says it’s for the same demographic as Bud Light Lime, but for different kinds of occasions.

The lesson here is clear: A brand’s products should all enforce a consistent image, for a consistent audience and with a consistent price point. Deviating or diversifying too much puts a brand at risk of alienating its audience, splitting their loyalties or confusing them about the nature of your product. If you find yourself in a similar situation, remind your audience why they liked your brand in the first place, but then add a fresh new spin on it to tempt them to give you a shot again – whether it’s issuing a new promotion, launching an edgy campaign or piquing their interest with a complementary product.