TV commercials

TV commercials

Sound Spoken word (dialogue, narration, VO

narration, interior monologue) Sfx Location/ambience music

Image

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The sound/image relationship

On/off sound Diegetic/extradiegetic sound

Make the sound tell us something that’s not apparent from the image!

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Writing a TV commercial

Purpose

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Writing a TV commercial

Purpose Target audience

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Writing a TV commercial

Purpose Target audience Persuasive appeal

Rational appeals Emotional appeals

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Writing a TV commercial

Purpose Target audience Persuasive appeal

Rational appeals Price, safety, warranty, performance, etc.

Emotional appeals

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Writing a TV commercial

Purpose Target audience Persuasive appeal

Rational appeals Price, safety, warranty, performance, etc.

Emotional appeals Sex appeal, fear, guilt, action/adventure, etc.

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Writing a TV commercial

Choosing the key benefit or most persuasive appeal.

Advertising Objective Target audience and key benefit

Positioning statement Slogan

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Writing a TV commercial

Purpose Target audience Persuasive appeal

Rational appeals Emotional appeals

Structure/approach

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Writing a TV commercial – Structure/approach

Straight pitch

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Writing a TV commercial – Structure/approach

Straight pitch Celebrity pitch

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Writing a TV commercial – Structure/approach

Straight pitch Celebrity pitch Demonstration

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Writing a TV commercial – Structure/approach

Straight pitch Celebrity pitch Demonstration Testimonials

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Writing a TV commercial – Structure/approach

Straight pitch Celebrity pitch Demonstration Testimonials Comparison

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Writing a TV commercial – Structure/approach

Straight pitch Celebrity pitch Demonstration Testimonials Comparison MTV approach

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Writing a TV commercial – Structure/approach

Straight pitch Celebrity pitch Demonstration Testimonials Comparison MTV approach Problem - solution

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Writing a TV commercial – Structure/approach

Straight pitch Celebrity pitch Demonstration Testimonials Comparison MTV approach Problem - solution Narrative… usually humorous

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Tips to writing effective TV ads

Think visually

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Tips to writing effective TV ads

Think visually Keep it simple

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Tips to writing effective TV ads

Think visually Keep it simple Make your first shot count

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Tips to writing effective TV ads

Think visually Keep it simple Make your first shot count Be bigger than life

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Tips to writing effective TV ads

Think visually Keep it simple Make your first shot count Be bigger than life Show… don’t tell

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Tips to writing effective TV ads

Think visually Keep it simple Make your first shot count Be bigger than life Show… don’t tell Don’t forget the soundtrack

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Tips to writing effective TV ads

Think visually Keep it simple Make your first shot count Be bigger than life Show… don’t tell Don’t forget the soundtrack Give us a twist at the end

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TV commercials

Format: Two-column format – visuals on the left,

audio on the right All visuals are capitalized and single-spaced. Audio is written as in radio ads – except it

takes up only the right half of the page. Dialogue/narration in lower case and double-

spaced, all sound sources and music/sfx capitalized and single-spaced.

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The storyboard

A sketch of every shot that appears in the commercial.

This is done so that the client can visualize what the ad will look like before it gets shot.

Advertising agencies employ professional artists to work with the copywriters and come up with a storyboard.