DAN O’DAY TALKS ABOUT RADIO

Brian Cox enters our big contest:

“Hope you find this at least a bit amusing.”

Okay readers, Brian has braced himself for your comments….

Our second entry in my exciting “Can You Write Better Than This Junk” Contest is from Jeff Roberts:

My apologies up front. It is offensive, quickly thrown together and not my best work. However, the germ of an idea jumped into my head and this was the only way to get rid of it!

I suspect this one might draw a few comments….

Our first entry in my exciting “Can You Write Better Than This Junk” Contest is from BIG John Small:

Thanks for doing this fun contest on a Monday! I usually wouldn’t have time to participate, but Mondays are a little slower for me.

I can’t wait to hear what others do with the info you sent. I have a feeling you’re going to get a WIDE VARIETY of submissions.

I decided to speak to the “elephant in the room” with mine. I’m pretty sure they are doing this to get people to spend money during “the economic slow down.” I used it to our benefit as “the reason” to buy now. I know I could do this same ad a hundred different ways, but I have to get back to work now.

Thanks again!

Here’s Big John’s spot:

I might have forgotten to mention that everyone who submits a spot will enjoy the added pleasure of having the entire radio advertising world comment on it, critique it, tear it apart, viciously attack it, and engage in various other types of unwarranted acts of cruelty — all in the name of “constructive criticism.’

So, Dear Reader, what do you think about Big John’s version?

Is it possible to produce a good radio commercial that includes all these lame bullet points in just 30 seconds?

I don’t know. But I know it’s possible to produce a spot that at the very least is better. And I suspect some loyal readers could create something so much better that it might reach the level of “good.”

So here’s the deal: You have until next Monday, March 9, to upload your own production that includes these points:

Target Home Design Event Sale

Designed with nature-inspired motifs, patterns and textures. (You are not required, however, to use that phrasing.)

30% off

Hundreds of design accessories for the home (you are free to reword that phrase), including vases, frames, table linens, pillows and furniture

Prices starting under $10

The Rules

You must upload your produced spot using this link.

It must be an mp3 file.

You must fully identify yourself.

The spot must run between 29.5 and 30.5 seconds.

Although you may have someone else produce and/or voice the commercial, the revised spot must be written by you.

Do not upload a script. You must upload an mp3 recording of the produced spot.

By “mp3 recording,” I mean “mp3 recording.” I do not mean .wav file, mp4, or anything other goshdarn format.

The Prize

If you win, you will receive your choice of any one of my mp3 seminars or e-books, as well as world-wide recognition, invaluable bragging rights, and the satisfaction of knowing that you are better than everyone else.

Judging Criteria

Bring that lousy commercial at least to the level of “pretty good.” If you can’t make it at least pretty good, you have the option of making it very, very, entertaining.

Judging

I will be the sole judge, unless I have other people help me. The decision of the judge(s) is subjective, arbitrary and final. In the event that no one submits a spot the judge(s) deem good enough, nobody wins anything and I’ll donate the mp3 seminar or e-book of my choice to Habitat for Humanity.

Anyone who emails a commercial to me rather than uploading it via this link will be disqualified, publicly disgraced and banned from Major League Baseball. I mean it. Use the upload link. Seriously.

Ladies and gentlemen, start your word processors. And may the best (or most insanely competitive) copywriter win.