The latest issue of my Radio Advertising Letter features a creative services director’s explanation to a sales manager of why one campaign succeeded while another failed; a discussion of one thing radio sales managers should (but rarely) measure; and my own 4-Question Radio Advertising Quiz.
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Another sad case of supplied copy. Despite the success of commercial number 1 that offered something to the listener, most supplied copy never pass the litmus test.
Copywriters at times have been reduced to being copy and paste artists because they fear what will happen if they speak up.
Supplied copy is like bringing your own prepared meal to a restaurant, then complaining about it.
We somehow have empowered clients to take over the writing process, which we radio professionals have taken years to develop and perfect. Supplied copy usually results in the client cancelling or not renewing because their supplied creative did not work. Duh!
I’ll go one step further, Anon (see previous). Let’s say I think I’m qualified to change my own tires (not a chance!). Let’s say I bring my own tires to the local autobody, ask them to put my car on the lift, proceed to change my own tires, using their equiptment and then ask them to lower my car. If the wheels fall off 2 blocks from the business, do I have the right to say the business failed me? A fool for a client…
Problem on both sides. Supplied radio creative is written by the lowest on the rung person at the agency, because everyone wants to do TV. Then you have stations where untrained sales people are expected to write great copy.
90 percent of the radio commercials we hear everyday are lousy. I have always said it is so easy to be good because most radio commercials are so bad. If we only try , and realize that effective radio commercials will keep em coming back and renewing . We work hard to get the client then let crap go out on the air and hear radio does not work. Rant off.