The latest issue of my Radio Programming Letter includes articles about the challenges of creating radio advertising for bars and nightclubs…A simple lesson you should teach your advertising clients…And the case of the emergency medical clinic whose goal is to have a funny commercial.
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I wonder if the bar owner asked himself before opening for business: “Does the Jersey shore need another bar?”
What was his answer: “Yes, because there is no English style pub in the area, or no place for 40+ folks to hang without blasting out their ear drums, or no place for professional bands to showcase, or no place for new bands to showcase, etc.
Or: “No, I just saw all these bars along the shore making a mint and I thought I’d cash in too!”
As my former Copywriting partner, Ted Ehlen used to say… “You want the funny, or the money?”
Important to have the ‘name out there’ too… because not every problem needs to be solved right now…but when the time comes…what was the name of that problem solver I heard on the radio?
I once ‘wrote’ a spot for a local bar called Branson’s.
I went thruogh every 30 second bed the production manager had and finally found one that fitted the feel of the place so I went around the station staff that I knew drank there and without pre-empting anything played them the music and aksed “What does this music make you think of?” They all answered “Branson’s”
I took it to the owner of the bar and he agreed. I suggested just playing the music and put the bar’s catch phrase “Bransoin’s – the best part of your day” at the end.
He chickened out and opted for a ‘normal’ advt., all my hard work down the drain.
There’s an old saying “clothes maketh the man”. I also like “music maketh the spot” get the music wrong and it’s an up hill slog on a muddy slope
I can envision commercials for an emergency clinic that are funny AND effective. I worked in a hospital for 15 years, and the people that show up in an emergency room have the darndest stories for their injuries and illnesses.
\I tried an oatmeal and blueberry face mask, and had an allergic reaction that made my face and lips swell, and turned my face
permanently blue.\
\I sewed my skin to the quilt I was making for the county fair. I was in such a hurry to get it in, I didn’t realize I sewed myself to the quilt.\
\I broke my hand cleaning the toilet bowl. I was reaching deep down, way down, and got my hand stuck, and had to have the EMT’s break the toilet to dislodge my hand, which also broke all the bones in my hand!\
\My friend said I could cure my MS by stinging myself with hundreds of honey bees!\
\I brought my daughter to the ER with a stomach ache, and two hours later, she gave birth!\
Let’s not even talk about the types of things kids swallow or injuries that occur when people are naked.
If you’re using comedy, I would keep the message directed at folks who will potentially experience these real-life emergencies (and we all have, or will). Your call to action is, of course, to see XYZ emergency clinic – when life’s embarassing moments happen. We don’t judge how or why you got here – we’re just here to help you get well and back to normal.