Years ago when he was programming KNIX, Larry Daniels brought me to Phoenix to conduct a seminar for his air staff.
This sign graced the outside of the door to the on-air studio:
“It Can Wait. A Very Important Show Is In Progress. Please Let Them Do Their Jobs Without Interruption.”
Anyone who writes a radio commercial for a restaurant or a supermarket in which the food is described as “tasty” or “delicious” either doesn’t know what they’re doing…
…or is being lazy.
“Tasty” or “delicious” food is the price of entry for a restaurant. It’s like an Internet service provider advertising that “with our service, you can go online!”
Last year I offered some critical comments regarding a Trader Joe’s radio ad. They had a good story, but it was poorly structured.
But the copywriting for their printed flyers is excellent.
Trader Joe’s is a specialty supermarket. Theoretically, everything they sell is “delicious” or “tasty.” But the copywriters show great restraint when describing their advertised delectables.
In a recent 8-page flyer, a few “delicious” and “tasties” survived the editing process. But check out these examples of more appealing alternatives to those generic adjectives.
Their Gingerbread Cake & Baking Mix is “deep, dark, rich and old-fashioned — a beguiling, blissful experience for the ginger lover.”
Their Dark Chocolate Triple Ginger Cookies are fueled by a “triple dose of this sharp salacious root (that) gives the cookies a powerful bite.”
Trader Joe’s Salted Caramel Chai is “kind of like enjoying a salted caramel candy, only without the chewing.”
Their Spinach & Kale Bites (yeah, I know you’re skeptical) are “bite-sized and vibrant.”
Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Cashew Brittle with Sea Salt “starts with a buttery and sweet brittle, loaded with cashews, simultaneously crunchy and smooth. Its bottom layer of dark chocolate is rich and luxuriant.”
Their Chicken Parmesan Lollipops (I don’t make these up, folks) are “crispy on the outside, cheesy & savory on the inside.” (Actually, “savory” comes a bit too close to “tasty” and “delicious,” but….)
Trader Joe’s Huntsman Cheese is “mellow, tangy and rich.”
If you’re an advertising copywriter, take a world class lesson in copywriting by checking out Trader Joe’s Fearless Flyer.
“I can’t get my radio advertising clients to listen to me!”
You need to teach your clients what’s required for a radio commercial to be effective.
You need to teach them before it becomes necessary to assert your superior knowledge.
Here’s the first, simple lesson for you to share with them:
There is a natural tendency among advertisers to use a “shotgun approach” to their radio commercials — to try to cram as much information and as many different “reasons to buy” into the spot as they can.
Wrong.
Teach them to identify and then to deliver a single core message — the one thing you want the targeted listener to hear, to understand, and to remember.
Just one core message, delivered again and again and again.
Here’s voice over casting director Terry Berland, demonstrating how her “small tweaks” can make a big difference in a commercial audition.
Trouble viewing the video? Use this alternate player to view the voice over video.
Download Terry Berland’s 2-hour, 41-minute audio seminar here.
