{"id":18673,"date":"2015-11-02T00:50:06","date_gmt":"2015-11-02T08:50:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/?p=18673"},"modified":"2015-11-18T21:59:31","modified_gmt":"2015-11-19T05:59:31","slug":"radio-ads-fake-sincerity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/2015\/11\/radio-ads-fake-sincerity\/","title":{"rendered":"Radio Commercials with Fake Sincerity"},"content":{"rendered":"

Before we launch into this radio commercial critique, let’s listen to the spot.<\/span><\/p>\n


\nWhile they attempt to combine a sympathetic voice with a gentle music track, none of it works.<\/span><\/p>\n

That’s the delivery of a voice actor “trying to sound sincere.” It’s not the way real people talk. <\/span><\/p>\n

As always, there’s a good chance the voice actor was giving the producers exactly what they asked for. So I’m not necessarily criticizing the VO person’s performance. <\/span><\/p>\n

But obviously they’re trying to sound soothing to listeners who might be in a time of crisis.<\/span><\/p>\n

What words do they choose to accompany the sympathetic voice and gentle music?<\/span><\/p>\n

“A cancer diagnosis raises worry and questions.”<\/em> <\/span><\/p>\n

Huh? They’re attempting to effect a personal, one-to-one sound, but they choose words that aren’t about a person. <\/span><\/p>\n

That’s easy to fix:<\/span><\/p>\n

“When you’re diagnosed as having cancer….”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

In their opening line, they define a problem: “Worry and questions.”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

The rest of the commercial ignores the “questions” a patient might have. Why do they begin the spot by identifying a problem they don’t offer to solve?<\/span><\/p>\n

After 10 seconds of vainly attempting to sound concerned and reassuring, the ad reveals its true colors: It’s not about the listener. It’s all about City of Hope.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Hello, I’m using this sympathetic-sounding voice to brag about how wonderful City of Hope is.”<\/span><\/p>\n

1.<\/strong> It’s “a treatment facility like no other.”<\/em> <\/span><\/p>\n

What does that mean? How is that treatment facility different from all other treatment facilities?<\/span><\/p>\n

2.<\/strong> In your entire life, has anyone ever uttered to you the phrase, “like no other”? <\/span><\/p>\n

Even once?<\/span><\/p>\n

Of course not. <\/span><\/p>\n

Humans say something like “it’s really different,”<\/em> while bad copywriters say “like no other.”<\/em> They’re attempting to simulate a one-to-one conversation by employing language that is unrealistic and unrelatable.<\/span><\/p>\n

3.<\/strong> “Our team of physicians…all working together in one place…”<\/em> Is that a Unique Selling Proposition for a hospital? That its physicians all work in the same building? Isn’t that pretty much expected of a hospital?<\/span><\/p>\n

4.\u00a0<\/strong> If you’re told you have cancer, you don’t think, “I’ve got to find a hospital whose clinical trials are used by” other cancer treatment centers. So why do they talk about their clinical trials?<\/span><\/p>\n

5.<\/strong>\u00a0 I’m not certain \u2014 I invite any Attorneys Specializing in Advertising for Hospitals to chime in \u2014 but I suspect the Federal Trade Commission doesn’t allow a hospital to promise “your best chance for survival”<\/em> unless it can prove it actually does offer a better chance for survival than all other hospitals.<\/span><\/p>\n

6<\/strong>. You’re told you have cancer. Quick, what publication are you likely to consult in your quest for treatment? Probably not U.S. News and World Report.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

7.<\/strong>\u00a0 City of Hope has been named “one of the nation’s best cancer hospitals.”<\/em> <\/span><\/p>\n

Is that one of the 5 best? <\/span><\/p>\n

One of the 100 best? <\/span><\/p>\n

If I’m going to put my life in the hands of a hospital based upon its ranking in a general news magazine, rather than “one of the best” I’d prefer to to go with “the<\/strong> best,” if you don’t mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

8.\u00a0<\/strong> At the end of the commercial they give two Calls to Action: call or or to our website.<\/span><\/p>\n

Choice Paralyzes Response.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Give a single Call to Action.<\/span><\/p>\n

Which one should you give?<\/span><\/p>\n

The one that most members of your target audience use to establish their first contact with the hospital.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here’s a Suggestion for Anyone Who Wants to Produce A “Sincere” Radio Commercial.<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Rather than attempting to sound sincere, try being<\/em> sincere.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Before we launch into this radio commercial critique, let’s listen to the spot. While they attempt to combine a sympathetic voice with a gentle music track, none of it works. That’s the delivery of a voice actor “trying to sound sincere.” It’s not the way real people talk. As always, there’s a good chance the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-18673","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-uncategorized"},"yoast_head":"\nRadio Commercials with Fake Sincerity<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In a radio commercial the words, music and voice must work together to deliver a believable advertising message. 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