Hey there, I’m Special Agent Gene Sugano from Area 5 Commercial Production. Hopefully, you’ve had some time to watch my Secrets To Successful TV Commercials. If not, I forgive you. Either way, you’ve gotten to the point where it’s time to create your television ad. You’ve met with our Gray Las Vegas sales team and figured out the necessary things to include in your spot, but now you need to make it memorable.
Now, here are some numbers that were given to me. “53% of 18-34 year-olds, 54% of 35-49 year-olds, and 44% of adults 50+ say that TV ads are an effective brand communication tactic. LinkedIn reports people retain 80% of what they see and only 20% of what they read, so having a commercial is a critical element in your marketing strategy.”
With numbers like that, this should be a tv commercial instead of a blog, right?
I can tell you, I’ve been making tv commercials for nearly 30 years, so let’s highlight what will make your brand most memorable.
The first few seconds are critical. Personally, I find using comedy as a great tool, but it might not fit your branding. Creating a sense of fear or urgency is another way to perk up a viewer’s ears. Of course, if you’re in the food business, a shot of something mouth-watering and irresistibly delicious might be all it takes.
It all comes down to what you should have already figured out as your branding goal. Once you’ve committed to a particular tactic, then stick with it and give it time to register with viewers once it hits the air.
Don’t try to cram too much information into a 30-second ad. It’s impossible to fit everything you want to say about your business, so keep it to a minimum. Think about it, the average phone number is about the most a person can remember quickly after hearing it once for the first time. Too much information in your commercial will only confuse your viewers, making them tune out, or forgetting your business completely.
Having that meeting with your sales representative and the creative producer (someone like me) will help you narrow your focus and keep your message clear. Remember the phrase, “A picture is worth a thousand words”? Sometimes letting the images tell your story is more than words can speak.
But remember, you need to hold that high standard with your new customers that have come in as a result of your commercial because if they don’t have the same great experience that your testimonials stated, they will quickly figure it out and bad word of mouth will travel quickly. Recovering from bad publicity is a deep hole to dig out of.
I know you’ve already recalled a jingle in your mind as you’re reading this! A catchphrase or slogan is something simple to remember and recite. Just like a phone number, that phrase or slogan should be as short as possible. Jingles can be a musical version of a catchphrase, your name, or your phone number.
Not all jingles need to include words being sung, some are simple music cues. Remember the three musical tones for Intel Inside?
Whether it’s a catchphrase or a jingle, you need to keep it consistent, just like your company logo. The famous and iconic Nike Swoosh was always accompanied by the word “Nike” for decades before the Swoosh worked all by itself. Crazy to think that I’m actually older than that Swoosh.
You only have 30 seconds or less to get your message out. Don’t waste time with these fillers that don’t help your brand at all.
I’ll leave you with this, it’s good for your ego when your friends say, “I saw you on tv”, but it’s better for your business when a customer calls or walks in and says the same thing.