Tony Hertz is a radio legend with more than 40 years experience
and careers as copywriter and Creative Director of
McCann-Erickson.
His mission: to improve the creativity of radio commercials.
SECRET #1
FIND THE FEELING
#1
By focusing on the emotional benefit, you can
translate a technical feature in a human need.
People don’t care about the very fast start-up time of their camera. They only
care about what they want to photograph.
“The moments you want capture, won’t wait for you”
#1
WIFE:
The baby stood up for the first time.
HUSBAND: I could see fireworks from my balcony.
WIFE:
The kids were waving at me from the rollercoaster.
HUSBAND: The groom held his new wife and kissed her.
WIFE:
Our fat cat jumped.
HUSBAND: Her baby tooth fell out.
WIFE:
My husband did a bungee jump… came back up…
and went back down again.
HUSBAND: My wife finally smiled at me… it’s been five years…
since she smiled… at me.
ANNCR.: The moments you want captured won’t wait for you.
Now with a start-up time of just 2/10th of a second –
Eos Kiss Digital Camera. Canon Marketing Japan.
SECRET #2
BEGIN WITH A PICTURE
#2
Radio is pictures in sound. Leave your audio
comfortzone and use sound to make pictures.
Think first of an image, and let the image create the sound. It is simply not
possible to describe something you want someone else to see if you can’t see it
yourself!
People will see what you want them to see
#2
WOMAN: Did you notice? The piece of lettuce…
between the teeth… of the guitarist… of the band…
on the stage… in the Stade… de France?
DIGITAL CAMERA SHUTTER
ANNCR.: Samsung NV Ten. Ten million pixels.
For ultra-precise images.
soundlogo
___________________________
MAN:
Did you notice? The speck … in the eye …
of the priest … on the steps … in front …
of the church … on the central square … of the city?
DIGITAL CAMERA SHUTTER
ANNCR.: Samsung NV Ten. Ten million pixels.
For ultra-precise images.
soundlogo
SECRET #3
THINK ABOUT THE PERSON
#3
Radio is a personal conversation between the
brand and one listener. Find an insight into the
thoughts, feelings or behavior of your target
audience.
Chiltern Railways told drivers about the advantages of the train … while they
were stuck in traffic!
“There is good news … but you are stuck in the bad news”
#3
PAUL:
__________
If you’re zooming along the M40, you won’t need to
know that Chiltern Railways could get you to London
in 47 minutes from Haddenham & Thame Parkway.
So are you? Zooming, that is?
PAUL:
Here’s the good news. You could get to London in
47 minutes on Chiltern Railways from Haddenham &
Thame Parkway.
And the… Well you’re probably stuck in the bad news.
___________
PAUL:
If you were on a Chiltern Railways train to London
from Haddenham & Thame Parkway, you’d be
looking out of the window, feeling sorry for the
people in cars.
Unless you were having a nap, of course.
___________
PAUL:
Chiltern Railways’ peak return to London from
Haddenham & Thame Parkway is £19.60. So how much
do you pay for a day’s parking in Central London?
That much?
SECRET #4
ONE AD, ONE MESSAGE
#4
If you can resist the temptation to say
everything in every commercial, your radio will
improve.
The majority of car dealers always want a lot of information in their commercials.
“And where do we mention the deals & prices?” Use different channels to focus
on different messages.
“Dovercourt Volkswagen is the cream”
#4
SECRET #5
STAND IN A DIFFERENT PLACE
#5
See the product, service, user or relationships
involved from a different point of view
Many agencies and advertisers set out to write ads that sound like other radio
ads. It isn’t just about sounding different. Saying the same thing in a slightly
different way is not enough. It’s about focussing on one aspect that hasn’t been
examined before.
“The Daily Record, you can’t put it down!”
#5
MARSHALL: OK Luke, put it down nice and easy.
LUKE:
Sorry Marshall, I can’t put it down.
MARSHALL: Ain’t gonna tell you again Luke, put it down.
LUKE:
Sure would like to oblige you Marshall, but I can’t
put it down.
MARSHALL: Boot Hill is full of men who couldn’t put it down.
LUKE:
A man can’t put down what a man can’t put down.
MARSHALL: I guess I’m going to have to make you put it down,
now go for your gun.
LUKE:
How can I go for my gun when I can’t put it down?
MARSHALL: Put it down first and then go for your gun.
LUKE:
If I could put it down I wouldn’t have to go for my gun!
MARSHALL: You’ve got a point there, Luke.
LUKE:
See what I mean?
MARSHALL:
Yes I do.
D. NORDEN: The Daily Record, you can’t put it down.
MARSHALL:
We’ve got to figure this thing out.
SECRET #6
CHARACTERS, NOT VOICES
#6
Radio is about making an emotional
connection with your listener. The brash
impersonal tone of the voice over is the
antithesis of what radio should be.
Write your message the way a real person would talk to someone sitting in front
of him. The person who delivers your radio message must be a person, not a
voice. Someone who sounds as though he is telling the truth.
#6
MAN:
It used to be that after a busy day of meetings and
phone calls and more meetings, all you wanted to hear
when you walked through the front door was… silence.
You even talked about it with her, you called it your
‘transition time’ – a pleasant little break in your day
between your work commute and your home life
where you could just relax.
Not have to hold a conversation.
Not have to be a ‘good listener’.
Just enjoy the sound of… nothing.
But then she got sick.
And now the thing you hate most when you come
home is… hearing the sound of nothing.
Your health is all that matters. HBF.
SECRET #7
PRODUCE WITH PASSION
#7
Production is the process of bringing a
commercial to life. If it is not done well, the
previous 6 secrets will not improve your radio.
Produce with passion. This takes skill, creativity, experience, time, enough budget
and a fundamental paradigm shift. The creativity should never stop process and
production is as much a part of creativity as the actual writing.
#6
HUSBAND:
Hey babe, I’m home.
WIFE:
Sshhhhh...
HUSBAND:
What?
WIFE:
(PAUSE 1.8 sec)
They’re listening.
HUSBAND: (BAFFLED PAUSE 1 sec)
Who’s listening?
WIFE:
The Green Men.
HUSBAND: (BAFFLED PAUSE 1.4 sec)
What do you mean the green men?
WIFE:
(PAUSE 0.4 sec)
Over there.
HUSBAND: (ANOTHER PUZZLED PAUSE 2.3 sec)
Baby, that’s dishwashing liquid.
WIFE:
(PAUSE 2.3 sec)
That’s what they want you to think.
ANNCR.:
(PAUSE 0.7 sec)
Rather use an oven cleaner without the fumes?
Handy Andy – fume-free oven cleaner.