Debunking the myth that radio is “old school” or on its way out, Nielsen’s latest Total Audience Report shows that terrestrial radio is still America’s #1 reach medium. Ninety-two percent of U.S. adults—or 227.5 million people—listen to the radio each week. Reach offers tremendous potential for audio advertisers, but a successful audio advertising campaign also requires compelling creative. Utilizing the Three C’s of Creative—Concept, Clarity, and Call to Action—will help ensure your ad does not fall on deaf ears.
Concept
When conceptualizing your ad, you want to be sure that what you create will resonate with your listeners. An ad can be clever or serious, playful or sentimental. But whatever your approach, be mindful of the emotional response it will elicit from your audience. To ensure that your ad will appeal to your audience’s sensibilities, you must first have a clear understanding of who your audience is. Go beyond basic demographic details (age, gender, location) and reflect on the lifestyle of your typical consumer. What music, personalities or podcasts do they listen to, on what stations, and when? What makes them laugh? How do they spend their time? Even the most well-written and -produced ads will fall flat if not aligned with the values and interests of their audience, so knowing these details will help ensure that your concept strikes a chord.
Clarity
Second, your ad should be clear. Its language should be simple and concise, and any music or sound effects should not distract from the messaging. While it may be tempting to touch on as many selling points as will fit into a 60-second spot, overwhelming your audience with a surplus of information will cause listeners to tune out. Instead, structure your creative around a central idea and highlight a few points that support it. Remember that your ad will often be heard when listeners are driving or engaged in other activities that divide their attention, so ads that require too much focus or concentration may be lost on their audience.
Call to Action
Lastly, your ad should have a call to action. A compelling discount, offer or promotion to drive traffic to your website and bring listeners one step closer to purchasing your product or service.
With an appealing concept, clear message, and simple call to action, you can produce effective creative that resonates with your audience and leverages sales of your product.
[block:block=19]