DAN O’DAY TALKS ABOUT RADIO

BROADCAST THIS RADIO COMMERCIAL… AND PAY A $4,000 FINE FOR EACH BROADCAST

by Dan O'Day on February 22, 2012

A Loyal Reader Asks:

“Does the client’s name need to be in the body of the commercial? (XYZ Company) wants us to run a commercial advertising that they have brought Hollywood agents to town and this is your chance to see if you ‘have it’.

“But they request we NOT put their name in the commercial. Does XYZ Company have to be named in the commercial if that is the name of the client paying for the advertisement? Is it required by the FCC that the advertiser be named in their commercial?”

Obvious Disclaimer: I’m not a lawyer, I’m not dispensing legal advice, consult your attorney, blah blah blah.

And The Answer Is…

Yes.

The identity of the advertiser must be made clear within the commercial.

If you say, “Sears proudly announcers their Winter White Sale,” it’s obvious the commercial is presented by Sears. So there’s no need to add a tag, “This commercial paid for by Sears, Inc.”

But if XYZ Company is the name of company buying the commercial, then that has to be made clear within the commercial.

And by the way….

The advertiser doesn’t want anyone to know they’re the people paying for the commercial? I smell trouble.

I’m sure, of course, that XYZ Company is a very reputable company with a sterling reputation.

I’m sure it’s nothing like the scurrilous, contemptible businesses described in this L.A. Times article.

I can imagine some other company, however, in some other market, running such a commercial…

…It turning out that the “become a star” ploy was bogus and maybe even resulting in lawsuits…

…And if the radio station were found to be complicit in illegally hiding from the consumer public the identity of the advertiser….

Well, that certainly would be a mess, wouldn’t it?

Another thing:

The Federal Communications Commission might decide to fine your radio station $4,000 for each time it ran that commercial. Just ask WLS/Chicago.

And finally:

If your station agrees to air this rip-off campaign and then gets stiffed when the “don’t let people know who we are!” advertiser goes bankrupt, this blog is not the place for your station’s owner or managers to come looking for sympathy.

{ 2 comments }

FEEDBACK: Diagnosing Radio Campaign Problems; The Measurement So Few Sales Managers Take; 4-Question Radio Advertising Expert Quiz

by Dan O'Day on February 22, 2012

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.

This posting is for subscribers to add their own comments….

{ 3 comments }

JOB DESCRIPTION: THE RADIO PROGRAM DIRECTOR

by Dan O'Day on February 21, 2012

1. To get as many friends as possible to come to our party.

2. To make it as easy as possible for the on-air staff to make sure our party guests have a wonderful time.

3. To maximize the benefits to the sponsors of our party without lessening the enjoyment of our party guests.

{ 2 comments }

MONDAY RADIO COMMERCIAL SMACKDOWN: Avenue’s Incompetence Beginning With The First Word

by Dan O'Day on February 20, 2012

For the umpteenth time, you can’t remember the security code that lets you drive into the ad buyer’s executive parking garage. So….

Huh?

You don’t know what the heck I’m talking about?

Successful radio advertising intersects common human behavior and experience.

But the situation I just described doesn’t reflect your behaviors or experiences?

Heck, maybe you actually went back and read that opening sentence a second time, trying to make sense of it.

That’s one advantage I have over the radio commercial I’m about to share with you: You came here. Unless you mistyped a URL or your dog accidentally clicked on a link for you, odds are you came here intentionally.

If so, probably you expected to see some words here. So you came prepared to read at least some of the words in this posting.

But — except for people who are “in the business” — listeners don’t come for the commercials. The commercials are an interruption, and for radio ads to reach the listeners’ consciousness they need to grab their attention and establish relevance immediately.

Before you listen to this commercial, take a moment to think about the events in your life that you celebrate.

Birthdays?
Anniversaries?
Graduations?
Christmas?
Hanukkah?
Eid Al-Fitr?
Valentine’s Day?
Groundhog’s Day?
Getting a promotion?
Getting fired? (Hey, sometimes that’s a good thing.)

How about….

If you don’t happen to be an American, let me make this clear: Nobody “celebrates” Presidents Day.

Some people — mostly government employees — don’t have to work on that “holiday.”

But no one celebrates it.

No one ever has said:

“So, what do you want to do for Presidents Day?”

“So, do you have big plans for Presidents Day?”

“I’m throwing a big party for Presidents Day. Wanna come?”

“So, how did you celebrate Presidents Day?”

Here’s how the holiday most often is referred to:

“Has the mail come yet?”

“No, it’s a holiday, remember?”

“Oh, yeah. Presidents Day.”

If nobody “celebrates” Presidents Day, why would any advertiser try begin a conversation with consumers by inviting them to “celebrate Presidents Day” with that advertiser?

{ 5 comments }

DAVE FOXX BUILDS RADIO PROMO IN REAL TIME

by Dan O'Day on February 17, 2012

If you cannot view the above video, please use this alternate player.

{ 0 comments }

Next Posts Previous Posts