Radio station salespeople, creative directors, and producers face this all too often: clients who insist on voicing their own radio commercials.
Some business owners do an excellent job of talking into a microphone.
Many…most…do not.
Here’s a worst-case scenario example.
In case anyone asks, Ron Stevens & Joy Grdnic, who created that little gem, gave me permission to share it with you (and with radio and advertising folks around the world who’ve attended my commercial copywriting workshops).
They created it for their trailblazing radio comedy service, All Star Radio.
So yeah, I definitely have their permission to play this. Still, there’s no point in mentioning it to them. They’re busy people.
I didn’t know Jay Thomas very well, but I did know him for a long time.
He subscribed to my radio comedy service back when he was a jock at WAYS/Charlotte.
I saw him make the jump from Charlotte to New York City, then to Power 106/Los Angeles.
At a radio convention in Dallas, however, I realized he had a unique quality as a performer.
Jay was on a panel that I moderated.
I don’t remember anything about that panel, but I remember being in the audience during some other session…or perhaps Jay had a solo spot.
That’s when I realized that as a performer, his comic mind had no governor.
Governor: A device automatically regulating the supply of fuel to a motor vehicle, thereby limiting its speed.
Jay made a joke that was funny and true…and I couldn’t believe he had said what every guy in the audience would agree with but would never publicly admit to.
I’ve encountered other funny radio personalities who never realized when they had veered off into unfunny territory.
That wasn’t the case with Jay.
He knew.
And yes, if you’re familiar with the cause of his demise on Cheers, you know there were times when a “governor” would’ve been helpful.
Not limiting his own output doesn’t mean he didn’t know what he was saying or the kind of effect it was likely to have.
That’s why all these years later I vividly recall that one remark that Jay made.
The one that was true, was funny, and that most performers would’ve been afraid to voice.
There are tons of people who can share many more (and more interesting) stories about Jay than I; I have only that one.
But, at least for me, it was an eye-opening experience.
So long, Jay. I barely knew you, and I miss you already.
Here’s a video clip (courtesy of George Junak’s California Aircheck) of Jay at Power 106.
Unfortunately, that clip offers a good example of a radio “sidekick” (which includes “newsperson”) not knowing how to be part of a team.
If she simply had answered Jay’s straightforward question (“Does it hurt? Does it itch? What does it do?”),he could have continued with his take on a topical item.
Instead, she responded by making her own lame joke and then still refusing to answer his question.
Jay’s goal was to get to his punchline — what to the audience would sound like an off-the-cuff remark about toy poodles.
What was her goal?
It gets worse.
Later in the video aircheck, there’s a news story about “swimming,” and Jay uses it as a springboard to a small joke.
What was his goal?
His goal was to make it clear that, like the audience, he was listening along to the newscast on his morning show…and to reinforce his funny “star of the show” character.
Not only did the news sidekick not help her partner achieve that goal; she actually ruined a decent little joke by stepping on the punchline.
It ruined the joke and made the encounter a waste of the listeners’ time.
Jay hadn’t been aimlessly rambling; he was trying to get to the punchline.
Unlike viewers of this video aircheck, listeners couldn’t see Jay “holding up” a room key.
They needed time to process what he was saying…as well as the ability to hear the punchline itself.
But they never got that chance, because the other “team member” didn’t know how to how to be part of a morning team.
(We’re now this close to re-opening Radio Advertising Advantage to new members for the last time.)
In my original posting, along with the script I provided a suggested 60-second music bed from the JUST :60scommercial production music package and invited readers to record their own versions of the spot.
Two people (so far) have been brave upon to take on the challenge:
We’re still busily working behind the scenes, preparing to re-open membership to my Radio Advertising Advantage for the last time.
In the meantime, here’s an original commercial from our members’ “bonus” section.
The Challenge
A local photography studio needed something to differentiate itself from the competition.
But all the local studios were pretty much the same — other than quality, perhaps; but consumers had no way of judging the quality.
So everyone competed on price.
My Suggestion
Be the one photography studio in town that doesn’t make you choose one of their packages. Instead, customers design their own packages.
Let’s give it a name: “The Memory Package.”
Here’s a script you can adapt.
It’s written as a 60-second commercial, with a word count that’s low enough for the announcer to take his/her time and really talk to the targeted listener.
You want to keep some of those moments forever. But the problem with most photography studios is they decide which moments you keep. They’ll sell you a single picture or a big, all-inclusive package that might include photos you don’t want at a cost that’s outside of your budget.
That’s why Ed’s Photography created the Memory Package: You decide. A single photo? A single hour? A full day? Prints for all your guests, or just one for your mom? You decide.
You can design your own Memory Package right now at EdsPhotos.com. You choose the time, the number of prints — everything. At EdsPhotos.com, you can design your own Memory Package.
After all, they’re your memories.
Here’s a 60-second music bed (from my JUST 60s production package) that you can use with it, if you wish.
Download Script & Music Bed. (This will download as a zipped file. After you have downloaded it to your hard drive, doubleclick on it to reveal the script and the mp3 music bed.)
P.S. If you’d like to produce your own version and send it to me, perhaps I’ll add your recording to this posting.
