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MONDAY RADIO COMMERCIAL SMACKDOWN: Contractor Licensing Spot Smashes Its Own Thumb

radio commercial building contractors license

First, the commercial….

It would be nice never to hear “Blue Danube” in another radio commercial. It’s overused. I heard it in three different spots during the past week.

This one, at least, makes a connection between the music and the sales message: A building contractor is “like the conductor of that symphony.”

This commercial does a decent job of establishing the consumer problem: “If your contractor doesn’t have a valid state license, you’re 100% liable.”

But the radio advertisement falls apart when it reaches the Call To Action: “Learn more at CheckTheLicenseFirst.com.”

“Learn more”??

Do they mean, “Learn if your contractor is licensed by the state”?

Then that should be the Call To Action.

No one is going to hear this commercial and, as a result, go to the website to “learn more” about the concept of contractors being licensed.

Comments on this entry are closed.

  • scott snailham May 11, 2011, 7:17 am

    according to the website, it means:
    “Look up a contractor license or Home Improvement Salesperson (HIS) registration to verify information”

    So, I suppose your suggested line works, but it also says home improvement salesperson registration.

    it also goes on to suggest “Before hiring a contractor or signing a contract, CSLB recommends you read the Hiring a Contractor page. (which the hiring a contractor words are a link to a page)

    so, to me, there’s multiple messages here. to me, while it may not be specific and urgent enough (though the spot certainly builds to intrigue the listener, despite the fact that the mix off air is hard on the ear) the two words in a very tight, very wordy 30 sec spot “learn more” certainly makes sense to say. Whether or not it drives people to the website is another matter. Maybe it should be a :60, less wordy and better mixed so it’s less of a audio disaster on the ear, and more something someone is going to pay attention to.

  • scott snailham May 11, 2011, 7:20 am

    Ok second listen…..less of an audio disaster to the ear then originally thought but those crashes could wear on people on a heavy saturated buy…..maybe i’m getting used to it?