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simonru
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 Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 10:25 am Post subject: My 2p worth (that's approx 1 cent) |
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Here's how I think about it.
Phone numbers are pretty usless in a commercial unless the commercial is geared to get a phone response. Why should I call? Now give me the number.
If you've given me a really good reason to call I will remeber the number if it's delivered in a clever way.. to make it momorable. The reason YOU don't remember numbers in commercials may be that there's never been one that's met your needs with a stunning proposition.
If I said...
"We're looking for the next voice of Coca Cola Worldwide... the official voice...you'll never have to voice another car dealer ad in your life! Call this number, just leave a message on our answer machine on 123 4567"
I BET you'd remember the number and call it!
Phone numbers for shops or retailers that want people through the door ALMOST a waste of time. But someone said to me it can be a comfort thing... the advertiser saying "look... we have a phone!". |
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CWToo
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| Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 7:32 pm Post subject: |
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If the entire reason for the radio spot is have people call, then the phone number makes sense. Otherwise it's a total waste of airtime.
Some of my other favorite time-wasters in a spot include:
"Family owned since 1066" means nothing to the consumer. It's like Helsberg Diamonds saying, "Owned by Warren Buffet since 1986" nobody cares who owns it, all they care about is if the advertiser can provide something the consumer wants.
"950 West 21st Street" means nothing but something like, "Across from the big pink chicken" does. Think about it: when was the last time you looked for the street address of a store? I once did a spot for a bank that was so small that the locater for it was, "Behind the 7-11."
This morning I heard a spot for a company that provides crushed concrete to be used as a substrate when building parking lots. The spot repeated the phone number--with area code--three times. You gotta wonder if radio is the right medium for a client like this. I mean, how many paving contractors make up an average audience? And if the owner of the crushed concrete suppier hasn't hit every paving contractor within driving distance with a case of liquor he's an idiot. Although I did come up with a great slogan for a paving contractor, "Pavement City, where the streets are paved with pavement."
Last edited by CWToo on Sat Feb 17, 2007 7:52 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Deirdre
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Joined: 10 Nov 2004
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Location: Camp Cooper
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| Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 7:49 pm Post subject: |
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Chris-- I am so glad I didn't have a mouthful of whiskey when I read that last sentence.
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CWToo
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| Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 8:02 pm Post subject: |
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| Deirdre wrote: | | Chris-- I am so glad I didn't have a mouthful of whiskey when I read that last sentence. |
I had a substantial quantity of a cheeky Chilean Cabernet when I wrote it. |
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simonru
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| Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 12:02 am Post subject: |
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| CWToo wrote: | Some of my other favorite time-wasters in a spot include:
"Family owned since 1066" means nothing to the consumer.
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The consumer of what? And who is this consumer?
Again I would argue it depends on the advertiser and what is being advertised. For some advertisers it may be important to tell the listener they've been around a long time in an industry where you need confidence. A fellow copywriter told me that his mother (and maybe it's a generation thing) only bought furniture from established companies. So for her "established in 1812" carried a lot of weight.
Sometimes we have to be careful when it doesn't mean anything to us... not to discount it meaning something to someone. An older generation that have seen things move so fast over the last 20 years may cling on to something stable and established.
The question I ask when faces with the client saying... we've been established 20 years".. "What does it mean to the customer?". And sometimes I'm surprised
| CWToo wrote: |
This morning I heard a spot for a company that provides crushed concrete to be used as a substrate when building parking lots. The spot repeated the phone number--with area code--three times. |
Come to Kenya! I hear spots where they want the phone number in and they usually have 3 or four lines so you hear "stroke 1 stroke 2 stroke 3 stroke 4"
Then they often add 2... count 'em.... 2 mobile phone numbers for incase the phones go down, If it's a phone number that's important why not repeat it 3 times. I have managed to get a phone number 5 times in a 40 second ad. The client just wanted a commercial that got his phone number over.
I'll upload it you can tell me what you thing  Be gentle. It's quite old.
www.simonrushton.com/brian1.mp3
And if you understand yorkshire dialect you might enjoy...
www.simonrushton.com/brian2.mp3 |
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asnively
Triple G
Joined: 17 Jun 2006
Posts: 3204
Location: Los Angeles
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| Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 2:48 am Post subject: |
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Can't understand a word, I'm afraid, but I suddenly fancy a new Renault...
(Adorable!)
So, what brought you to Kenya? I understand you've got lions and tigers there...
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Mike
Nasty Brit
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Posts: 476
Location: Tomorrowland
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| Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 4:00 am Post subject: |
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Tigers? In Africa?. I'm afraid not. But a lot of people seem to think so.
But then, a lot of people think that Hong Kong is in Japan. 
Maiku.
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"If grass could run, cows would look like tigers."
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asnively
Triple G
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| Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 5:34 am Post subject: |
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(Just for the record, I know where tigers live. I just was referring to the cute, incorrect-but-infectious animated web meme I linked to. It launches in my skull whenever I heard the word "Kenya." Damn. There it goes again. The little lion is dancing in my head. I'll be up all night.)
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Last edited by asnively on Fri Feb 27, 2009 1:52 am; edited 1 time in total |
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billelder
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| Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 5:55 am Post subject: |
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| And, Joel Godard came up with this line to help those pronounce the name of a "family" mens clothing business. "It's Benati's...as in panties." |
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Deirdre
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Joined: 10 Nov 2004
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Location: Camp Cooper
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| Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 6:35 am Post subject: |
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That sell line is so queer I don't think I'd ever forget it!
In fact, I may not be able to get it out of my head. Oh dear.
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simonru
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| Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 6:42 am Post subject: |
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| asnively wrote: |
So, what brought you to Kenya? I understand you've got lions and tigers there... |
No Tigers! But these is somewhere in Africa where they're experimenting to conserve Tigers because the ones in India are going so fast. Lot's of Lions, Elephants, Cheetahs and Leopards. Also great diving at the coast. We're thinking of getting an ISDN installed for one of our studios and offering VOice Over Holidays  (you know those voiceovers who can't move more than 15 minutes from an ISDN studio?)
What brought me to Kenya was an opportunity to do something exciting... we've set up www.theradioacademy.co.ke . |
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Dan-O
The Gates of Troy
Joined: 17 Jan 2005
Posts: 1638
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| Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 7:03 am Post subject: |
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Simon,
Glad to have you on board here at the vo-bb. It's not often I get to mention this, but if you tune into 93.3 Hope-FM in Nairobi, you can hear me as the station imaging voice. Obviously, I don't know many people who can actually listen live in Kenya.
Take care,
Dan |
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simonru
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| Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 9:13 am Post subject: |
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| Dan-O wrote: | Simon,
Glad to have you on board here at the vo-bb. It's not often I get to mention this, but if you tune into 93.3 Hope-FM in Nairobi, you can hear me as the station imaging voice. Obviously, I don't know many people who can actually listen live in Kenya.
Take care,
Dan |
I've been to the station a couple of times.
It's been in the news here because it has been attacked....
http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=22163&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
and recently had more threats against it.
But I will keep a listen out Dan!
I don't think they stream. The only one I know on the net at the moment is www.capitalfm.co.ke |
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Dan-O
The Gates of Troy
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Posts: 1638
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| Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 9:33 am Post subject: |
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Last edited by Dan-O on Thu Mar 29, 2007 6:38 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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CWToo
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| Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 5:41 pm Post subject: |
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| simonru wrote: | | CWToo wrote: | Some of my other favorite time-wasters in a spot include:
"Family owned since 1066" means nothing to the consumer.
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The consumer of what? And who is this consumer? |
I guess my point is that if verbiage in the commercial doesn't offer a benefit or solve a problem for the prospective consumer then it is just wasting time. There is a palm reader in Virginia Beach that has been in business since 1968, but I would wager that her "readings" aren't any more accurate because she's been doing them for 39 years. S.C. Johnson & Company promotes itself as a family-owned company but that isn't why I buy Pledge. I buy Pledge because it does a pretty good job helping to dust my furniture. |
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