Radio Sales Café

Happy Friday, everyone!

 

Here is this week's poll question:

 

What is the most startling or attention-grabbing radio ad you've ever produced? What results did it achieve for the client?

 

If you have the audio files available, please feel free to post your ads here; just click on the "upload files" button below.

 

Looking forward to reading your answers!

 

NOTE:  With this poll question, we do ask you to remember the two basic guidelines we've set for posting ads to RSC:  1) no ads that promote adult entertainment or include suggestive language and 2) no ads that poke fun at individuals or groups (ethnicities or religions, for example) in a way that could be deemed offensive. Thank you!

Many years ago one of our producers was challenged to create a :15 second PSA to get people to slow down when driving through school zones.  It's still one of the most heart-stopping pieces of audio I've ever heard.  It's been used very effectively in many markets since then, as a 'sponsored' PSA.  I've had people leave the room in tears after I've played this - obviously touched a nerve.

 

Geoff Bate, Imagine Words & Music Inc.

www.imaginewordsandmusic.com

I have a pretty out-spoken automotive repair client who always speaks to me with colorful language when coming in to visit him at his business.  We've developed a rapport over the years where we yak about sports, cars, people, etc.  With "tire wars" going on in our town, he wanted me to produce an attention-grabbing ad that highlighted his tire business.  I let the "legitimate" tire ad run on-air for a few weeks, then April Fool's Day happened to roll around.  I called him up and played "his ad that was getting complaints at the radio station." 

 

The following clip has been edited for this purpose, but rest assured, the UNedited version was the talk of the day at the automotive repair shop on their speaker phone!

We had an automotive radiator repair shop who's business had taken a downturn.  He was looking to rebrand himself in the marketplace.  Our copy writer came up with an attention getting tagline-  "Jim's Radiator Service.... the best place to take a leak!"  It got an immediate response from our audience. The commercial went on to win a creative award in our region.      

This one was deliberately voiced to draw people in and make them react emotionally...so much talk!

so lets here the unedited version...I had a client run an ad for three legged chickens for April Fools....that way everyone got a drum stick!

It can be truly amazing sometimes what works really well and what fails to meet the grade.

This commercial worked exceptionally well for the dealer. 

I did a "sexy" sandwich ad for a bookstore in our town that sells some really amazing bagel sandwiches.  In a sultry voice I described the sandwiches and how I couldn't stop thinking about them and I wanted them everyday at the end was information about $1 off.  They had people in droves coming in for those sandwiches, and it took me from having an occassional client to a full-time client.

Hehehe. I meet Cave woman uuhhh! So funny

Malaria Ads  ( 2009)

Background:

Research showed poor recall from the "shock and fear" Malaria campaigns and that the messages were too negative and disjointed.

My approach

I developed a new communications strategy and incorporated the generic messages under an umbrella "brand" called "Malaria Ishindwe" ( translated as "Down with Malaria"- Ishindwe is aword often used by preachers in churches and mosques to invoke campaigns against evil things or the devil. Malaria Ishindwe wa readily understood and liked as a memorable rallying call cry to fight Malaria. I recorded a chant  and a strong male vo" (Like a preacher/Imam) and the key messages were disseminated through all radio stations almost as a religious crusade. Three months later, the media research showed very high recall of the campaign messages,much higher than the avarage recall for similar length ad