5 Rules for Great Radio Commercials

Have  you followed these rules in making great radio commercials yet? If you are, then you are on your way to making radio “obra maestra”! But if you are a rebel type of producer, then I dare you break these rules.  From Radio Mercury Awards (www.radiomercuryawards.com)

Rule #1: Don’t attract the listener’s attention. (Ever heard a radio commercial that didn’t command your attention? Make sure your spot doesn’t have the same effect on listeners.)

Rule #2: Fail to paint a picture. (Radio is a visual medium. Your words create a mental image that inspires and motivates listeners to act.  Words are powerful – choose them carefully.)

Rule #3: Be so clever or creative you forget to sell. (A good commercial isn’t one that just makes people laugh; it motivates them to act. Make your message clear. Don’t bury it in a clever idea.)

Rule #4: Use cliché-ridden copy. (Commercial clichés are trite and empty and don’t communicate anything to listeners. Find a way to say it fresher. It’s worth it.)

Rule #5: Write way too much copy. (Read your copy out loud at a normal conversational pace and time yourself. If it takes you seventy-five seconds to read it, what makes you think your talent can do a good job with the same copy in just sixty seconds?)

If you are ready to break these rules, then you are green and go to join the 2009 Radio Mercury Awards, the most prestigious competition devoted to radio since 1992. The RMA aims to to encourage and reward the development of effective and creative radio commercials. The annual Radio Mercury Awards competition draws entries from advertising agencies, production houses, radio stations, and educational institutions across the country. Approximately 16,000 commercials have competed for over $2.8 million in prizes. The Radio Creative Fund (RCF), a non-profit corporation funded by the radio industry, governs the Radio Mercury Awards. Last year, the $100,000 Grand Prize was awarded to TBWA\Chiat\Day NY.

Up for grabs this year is a grand prize of $100,000.00! Click to learn how to submit your Magnum Opus!

2008 RMA Grand Prize Winner

Entry Category: General
Client: Combos
Company/Agency: TBWA\Chiat\Day New York
Writer: Isaac Silverglate
Writer: Jeff Anderson
Producer: Laura Rosenshine
Creative Director: Ian Reichenthal
Creative Director: Scott Vitrone
Production Company: TBWA Chop Shop
Engineer: Ben Weinrach

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