INTRODUCTION TO

ADVERTISING
COPYWRITING – RADIO, TV, WEB
RADIO COPY
• 15, 30, 60 seconds
• Transitory medium – ability to remember facts is
difficult - repeat key points of brand name and
identification info
• Theatre of the mind – narrative format is visualized
in the listener’s imagination
• Use of imagery in radio das leads to high levels of
attention and positive attitudes
TOOLS FOR RADIO
COPYWRITING

MUSIC
VOICE

SOUND
EFFECTS

RADIO COMMERCIAL
 TOOLS FOR RADIO
COPYWRITING
1.VOICE
- Most important – heard in jingles, spoken dialogue and
announcements
- Use announcer as central voice or at closing to wrap up the
product id
- Helps listeners ‘see’ the characters in the commercials –
through the voices
- Conversational style – short sentences
- Slangs, sounds natural
- Speaking style matches the speech of target audience –
speaking and phrasing
TOOLS FOR RADIO
COPYWRITING
2. MUSIC
- Create dramatic effects – mood and establish setting
- Support jingles – commercial in song – catchy phrases and
hummable music that stick in our minds – consumer can sing
along and remember

3. SOUND EFFECTS
- Sound of birds, car honks, cheers of fans in a stadium – create
images in our mind to cue the setting and drive the action
- Important to make commercial a attention getting and
memorable
GUIDE FOR EFFECTIVE RADIO
COMMERCIALS
• Keep it personal – use human voice – conversational – talk to customers
• Speak to listener’s interest – design commercials to speak to that audience
interest (e.g music type) – use appropriate tone of voice – heavy metal music,
use raucous and spirited tone
• Wake up the inattentive – listeners are normally doing something else while
listening to the radio – capture attention in the first 3 secs – sound effect,
music, questions, commands or something unexpected
• Make it memorable – mention product name / brand emphatically and repeat
– 3 mentions in 30 secs, 5 mentions in 60 secs – taglines, phrases
• Include call to Action – last words communicate the Big Idea as a call to
action, reminds of the brand name
• Create image transfer – sometimes designed to link to a tvc – visuals from TV
version are recreated in listener’s mind by the use of key phrases and ideas
from tvc
 EXAMPLE
Production Note: Use this to identify elements, which are present throughout the
commercial (e.g. All talents speak with a 50's accent).
MUSIC: MUSIC IS ALWAYS CAPITALIZED AND UNDERLINED
SFX: AMBIENT NOISE TYPICAL OF AN OFFICE. THIS IS SOUND EFFECT. WRITTEN IN CAPS.
JACK: Hi my name is Jack. Name is written on the left side. Whatever I say or do is
written on this side. I need to call my wife. (Fading off) Where is the phone...
SFX: AMBIENT NOISE IN APARTMENT. TV IS ON. SOUNDS OF DISHES BEING WASHED.
THIS IS SOUND EFFECT. WRITTEN IN CAPS.
JILL: I am another character. The same format applies here.
(SFX: LOUD PHONE RING. THIS IS SOUND EFFECT. WRITTEN IN CAPS. INDENTED WHEN
WITHIN A SCENE).
JILL: Huh, (PLATES HIT THE FLOOR. SFX WITHIN DIALOGUE WRITTEN HERE). Oh, the
phone scared me! Hello?
JACK: Hi Jill. I am going to be late tonight.
MUSIC: SAD INSTRUMENTAL UP AND OUT
ANNCR: I am the announcer. Typically the spokesperson for the product.
EXAMPLE OF RADIO ADS
• FREEVIEW
• HEINZ SOUP
• WOMEN’S AID
TELEVISION COPY
• Strength – ability to reinforce verbal msg with
visuals or reinforce visuals with verbal msg
• storytelling
TECHNIQUES IN TVC
• ACTION – when you watch, watch a walking,
talking, moving world – gives the illusion of being
3D
• DEMONSTRATION – seeing is believing, believing
and credibility – the essence of the persuasion – we
believe what we see with our own eyes
• STORYTELLING – most progs on TV are narrative,
we take advantage of the medium’s strength
TOOLS FOR TV
COPYWRITING

VIDEO

AUDIO

TV COMMERCIAL
TOOLS FOR TV
COPYWRITING
1.VIDEO
- Should convey as much of the message (Big Idea) as
possible
- Emotions expressed convincingly in facial
expressions, gestures and other body language
- Characters, costumes, sets and locations, props,
lighting, optical and computerized special effects,
on screen graphics
TOOLS FOR TV
COPYWRITING
1.AUDIO
- Elements (music, voices and sound effects) are used
differently in tvc because connected to visuals
- Voice overs – announcer describes actions on the
screen
- Music – used as background, song as focus
- Most important elements – talents (announcers,
spokesperson, character types, celebrities)
- Costumers and make ups are important depending on
the characterization
 PRINCIPLES FOR EFFECTIVE
TVC

• What's the Big Idea? – key visuals drawn, paragraph that describe the
concept and how it will be played out in the commercial
• What's the benefit – what benefit and who does it benefit – connect
back the big idea to the target audience
• How can u turn that benefit into visual element – visual that sticks in
ppl’s mind
• How to gain interest – first 3 seconds are critical
• How to focus on a key visual – scene that encapsulates your entire
selling message into one neat package
• Is the commercial single-minded? – tell 1 important story per
commercial – memorably and involve viewer (can be by emotion)
• Is the product identified and shown? – in closeup at the end
WRITING FOR WEB
• More interactive – initiate contact
• 2 way communication
• Attract ppl to the site
• Advertising materials, testimonials, letters, special
events and involvement programs
 BANNERS
• Grab attention with few words – small
• Strategies to grab attention –
1. Offer a deal – discount or freebies
2. Use an involvement device – challenge or contest
3. Chg the offer frequently – maybe daily – ppl surf internet to find out
whats happening now – you can exploit newness and newsiness
4. Keep the writing simple – surfers have short attention spans and get
bored easily
5. Focus surfer’s attention – ask provocative questions or offer knowledge
they can use
6. Use the ads – to solicit info and opinions from users – reward surfers for
sharing opinion – offer free horoscope or something they find fun
 Surfers should be able to tell immediately the product or brand
PRINCIPLES FOR EFFECTIVE
BANNER ADS
• Satisfy the need for entertainment, information
• Link to a product/ brand
• Often use promotional incentives – prizes, gift
WEB ADS
• Similar to traditional ads – create awareness and
interest in product and build brand image
• Build brand personality
• Speak in the voice of the product’s user and build
association with a distinctive brand personality
EXAMPLE OF WEB ADS
• WEBSITE -
http://digitalsynopsis.com/inspiration/50-
incredibly-creative-online-banner-ads/
• BANNER - http
://digitalsynopsis.com/inspiration/50-incredibly-cre
ative-online-banner-ads
/
• Other print ads - http://
webneel.com/webneel/blog/25-creative-and-brillia
nt-advertisement-design-examples-your-inspiration