RADIO ADVERTISING

Since its inception, radio has become an integral part of American culture. In some way, it touches the lives of almost everyone, every day. Radio, as a medium, offers a form of entertainment that attracts listeners while they are working, traveling, relaxing or doing almost anything. A farmer, for example, may listen to the radio while he is having breakfast or plowing his field. People driving to work often listen to the radio. Radio offers information such as: news, weather reports, traffic conditions, advertising and music for your listening pleasure.

What Are Some of the Good Things About Radio?

Radio is a relatively inexpensive way of reaching people. It has often been called the "theater of the mind" because voices or sounds can be used to create moods or images that, if crested by visual effects, would be impossible to afford.

You can also negotiate rates for your commercials, or even barter. Stations are often looking for prizes they can give away to listeners, so it's possible to get full commercial credit for the product or service you offer.

Advantages to radio advertising include:

1. The ability to easily change and update scripts are paramount to radio broadcasting, since news stories can and often do happen live.

2. Radio is a personal advertising medium. Station personalities have a good rapport with their listeners. If a radio personality announces your commercial, it's almost an implied endorsement.

3. Radio is also a way to support your printed advertising. You can say in your commercial, "See our ad in the Sunday Times," which makes your message twice as effective.

What Are Some Limitations to Radio Advertising?

Radio advertising is not without its disadvantages too, such as:

1. You can't review a radio commercial. Once it plays, it's gone. If you didn't catch all the message, you can't go back and hear it again.

2. Since there are a lot of radio stations, the total listening audience for any one station is just one piece of a much larger whole. That's why it's important to know what stations your customers and prospects probably listen to. Moreover, most of the time, you'll need to buy time on several radio stations to reach the market you seek.

3. People don't listen to the radio all the time ... only during certain times of day. So, it's important to know when your customers or prospects are listening. For example, if you want to reach a large portion of your audience by advertising during the morning farm report, you must specify that time period to the radio station when you buy the time.

One of the most popular times to reach people is during "drive time" (from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.). It's called that because most people are going to or from work during this period, and because most people listen to their radio when they drive. Unfortunately, radio stations know that this is a favorite time to advertise, so commercial costs are much higher during this time.

4. Radio as a broadcasting medium, can effectively sell an image ... or one or two ideas at the most. It is not, however, a detailed medium ... and is a poor place for prices and telephone numbers.

5. Radio listeners increase in the spring and summer, contrary to television audiences which increase in the fall and winter and decrease in the summer. This is ail important aspect to consider when you are choosing advertising media.

How Should I Buy Time on the Radio?

Like a newspaper, each radio station has its own advertising staff. Each wants you to believe that their station is the absolute best buy for your money ... and many will go to great lengths to prove it. But if you've done your research, or you are using an advertising agency, you probably have a good idea of the station you want to buy time on and when. If you don't know which stations you want to use, ask each station for its own research, that is, the type of programming, musical format, geographic reach, number of listeners and station ratings.

By getting the station ratings and the number of people it reaches, you can figure out the cost-per-thousand people (CPM) by simply dividing the cost of a commercial by the thousands of people you are reaching.

_______________________________________________________ 

Example:

Cost of commercial	=	$35.00
audience reached	=	45,000 people
Cost of commercial	=	35/45
per 1000 people	=	$0.78 per 1000 _______________________________________________________

Without getting complicated, here are two cardinal rules for radio advertising: 1. It's better to advertise when people are listening than when they are not. 2. It's better to bunch your commercials together than to spread them apart.

A lot of radio sales reps will try to talk you out of advertising during specific times. They'll offer you a reduced rate called TAP (Total Audience Plan) that splits your advertising time into 1/3 drive, 1/3 mid-day and 1/3 night. This may sound like a good deal, but airing commercials during times when your audience isn't listening is bad advertising. If however, you are sponsoring a show such as Paul Harvey or the Morning Farm Report, it makes sense to advertise once or twice a day on a regular basis, since those programs have regular listenership. Frequency is a vital element for effective radio advertising.

Since you can't automatically recall the radio commercial and hear it again, you may hear the same commercial two, four, or maybe six times before the message sinks in. If you missed the address the first time, you consciously or subconsciously are hoping the commercial will be aired again so you can get the information you need. That's the way radio advertising works. And that's also the way you buy it.

Most of the time, radio advertising should be bought in chunks. High frequency over a short period of time is much more effective than low frequency over a longer period of time. It's important for your audience to hear your spot again to get more information out of it. For example, if you wanted a two-week advertising campaign and you could afford 42 radio

commercials, the following buy would serve you well: On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, place three spots between 7-9 a.m. and four spots between 3-6 p.m. for two weeks. Notice that both day and hour periods are concentrated.

By advertising in concentrated areas in tight day groups, you give the impression of being larger than you really are. And, people hearing your concentrated campaign for two or three days will think you're on all the time. The radio sales reps may try to sell you three spots every day on the station for 14 days (a total of 42 spots). But your campaign won't be nearly as effective.

Here are a few tips to help you plan your commercials:

1. If you're including your address in the commercial, simplify it. Instead of "134525 East Pines," say "at the comer of First & Pines, next to Gumbies." It's easier to remember.

2. Don't use phone numbers in your commercial. If you mention your phone number, refer to the Yellow Pages in the local phone book.

3. Radio works better when you combine it with other advertising media.

4. Check out the price differences between 60-second and 30-second commercials. Normally, 30-second commercials are only 1/3 less than 60's, which makes a 60-second commercial a better buy.

5. Be creative with your radio advertising, too. If it sounds like all the rest of the commercials, it won't stand out. Your message won't be heard nearly as well. Advertising agencies are usually quite good at producing creative radio commercials.

If you decide to write your own radio scripts, remember these basic copy writing rules: 

! Get your listener's attention immediately. 

! Write in conversational style. 

! Avoid using buzz words or jargon.

! Repeat your important points.

 ! Make your ending strong and positive with call-to-action for response.


(Cited in Owner E.B. et al. ?)

MAGAZINE ADVERTISING

Many of the same "print" principles which apply to newspaper advertising also apply to magazine advertising. The biggest differences are:

1. Magazines are usually weekly or monthly publications instead of daily. 

2. Advertising messages are more image-oriented and less price-oriented.

3. The quality of the pictures and paper are superior to newsprint. 

4. Advertisements involve color more often.

The general rule that you can run the same ad 3-5 times within a campaign period before its appeal lessens applies to magazine advertising as well, even with a monthly publication. So it makes sense to spend extra time and money to prepare a worthwhile ad that can be successfully repeated.

Over long terms such as these, however, be aware that the client (you) often tires of the ad before the audience does.

Because ads in magazines are not immediate, they take more planning. Often, an ad for a monthlymagazine must be prepared at least a month in advance of publication, so ads detailing prices and items must be carefully crafted to ensure accuracy.

Since the quality of the magazines are superior, the advertising that you generate must be superior as well. Negatives are usually required instead of prints or "PMTs" (photo-mechanical transfers). Consider obtaining assistance from a graphic artist or an advertising agency.

There are two categories of magazines: trade magazines and consumer magazines. Trade magazines are publications that go to certain types of businesses, services and industries. Consumer magazines are generally the kind you find on the average newsstand. Investigate which type would do your business the most good.

An agency can also purchase the magazine space for you, often at no charge, because the magazine pays the agency a commission directly. If you wish to purchase the advertising yourself, contact the magazine directly and ask for an "Ad Kit" or "Media Package." They will send you a folder that includes demographic information, reach information, a current rate card and a sample of the publication.

Although most magazines are national in nature, many have regional advertising sections that allow your business to look like it purchased a national ad when it only went to a certain geographical area. This can be especially useful if your product or service is regional in nature as well and could not benefit from the magazine's complete readership. Each magazine does this differently, so contact the one(s) you are interested in and ask them about their geographic editions. Some sophisticated magazines even have demographic editions available, which might also be advantageous.

(Owner E.B. et.al ?)

NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING

Every advertising medium has characteristics that give it natural advantages and limitations. As you look through your newspaper(s), you'll notice some businesses that advertise regularly. Observe who they are and how they advertise their products and services. More than likely, their advertising investment is working if it's selling!

Almost every home in the United States receives a newspaper, either by newsstand or home delivery. Reading the newspaper is a habit for most families. And, there is something for everybody -- sports, comics, crosswords, news, classifieds, etc. You can reach certain types of people by placing your ad in different sections of the paper. People expect advertising in the newspaper. In fact, many people buy the paper just to read the ads from the supermarket, movies or department stores.

Unlike advertising on TV and radio, advertising in the newspaper can be examined at your leisure. A newspaper ad can contain details, such as prices and telephone numbers or coupons.

There are many advantages to advertising in the newspaper. From the advertiser's point-of-view, newspaper advertising can be convenient because production changes can be made quickly, if necessary, and you can often insert a new advertisement on short notice. Another advantage is the large variety of ad sizes newspaper advertising offers. Even though you may not have a lot of money in your budget, you can still place a series of small ads, without making a sacrifice.

Some Disadvantages with Newspaper Advertising

Advertising in the newspaper offers many advantages, but it is not without its inherent disadvantages, such as:

1. Newspapers usually are read once and stay in the house for just a day.

2. The print quality of newspapers isn't always the best, especially for photographs. So use simple artwork and line drawings for best results.

3.The page size of a newspaper is fairly large and small ads can look minuscule.
4. Your ad must compete with other ads for the reader's attention.

5. You're not assured that every person who gets the newspaper will read your ad. They may not read the section you advertised in, or they may simply have skipped the page because they were not interested in e news on it.

How Should I Work with my Newspaper Representative?

Every newspaper has its own sales staff, and you're normally given a personal newspaper "sales representative." A newspaper sales rep can be very helpful. He or she can keep you posted on special sections or promotions that may apply to your business, but always keep in mind it is the sales rep's job to sell you advertising.

Your sales rep might say that the newspaper can lay out any of your ads, pre-prepared or not. But these ads are assembly line products and are not often very creative or eye-catching. Consider using an artist or agency for your ads.

In addition, your sales rep can sometimes be instrumental in making sure your story or upcoming an- nouncement "finds" the right reporter because the relationship between the advertising and editorial staff is chummier than most people think, despite claims of total independence.

Buying Newspaper Advertising Space

Since the Expanded Standard Advertising Unit System was adopted back in 1984, it is now easier to buy advertising space in newspapers. Advertising is sold by column and inch, instead of just line rates. You can determine the size ad you want just by looking in the newspaper in which you want to advertise. If you can't locate an ad that's the size you want, just measure the columns across and the inches down. For example, an ad that measures 3 columns across and 7 inches down would be a 21-inch ad. If the inch rate is $45.67, your ad will cost $959.07. In case your newspaper is still on the line rate system, remember there are 14 lines to an inch. So, if the line rate is $3.75, multiply it by 14 and you will have the cost of an inch rate. (The rate would be $45.50 an inch.)

Here are some other things to remember:

1. Newspaper circulation drops on Saturdays and increases on Sundays, which is also the day a newspaper is read most thoroughly.

2. Position is important, so specify in what section you want your ad to appear. Sometimes there's a surcharge for exact position ... but don't be afraid to pay for it if you need it.

3. Request an outside position for ads that have coupons. That makes them easier to cut out.

4. If a newspaper is delivered twice daily (morning/evening),it often offers

"combination" rates or discounts for advertising in both papers. You usually can reach more readers, so this kind of advertising may be something to consider.

Other important tips to remember are:

* Before you advertise, have in mind a definite plan for what it is you want to sell.

* Create short, descriptive copy for your ad. Include prices if applicable. Consider using a copywriter or ask your newspaper for free copy assistance.

* Face your products toward the inside of the ad. If the product you want to use faces right, change your copy layout to the left.

* Be sure to include your company name and logo, address and telephone number in the ad.

* Neat, uncluttered and orderly ads encourage readership. Don't try to crowd everything you can in the layout. If the newspaper helps you with the layout, be sure to request a proof of the final version so you can approve it or make changes before it is printed.

* Always make sure you are satisfied with what your advertising says and how it looks before it goes to print.

(Cited in Owner  E. B. et  al. ?)

How to survive a brand in crisis

If your brand is in crisis, complacency will kill you, according to Samantha Allen, New York-based managing director of Ogilvy Public Relations Global Consumer Marketing Practice.

Speaking at the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA)’s Women in PR Forum on March 1, Allen drew case studies from BP, Toyota and Charlie Sheen as examples of ‘Brands that kick the hornet’s nest…and thrived, survived or nearly died in 2010’.

Last year, brands, clients and the general global environment has been crisis rich with BP’s gulf oil spill, the Toyota Prius recall, the European economic crisis the Haiti earthquake, floods, snow and volcanoes.

Worldwide economic losses from natural catastrophes and man-made disasters added up to $222bn last year and the number of deaths due to catastrophe – man-made or natural – reached over 250,000 in 2010, the highest figure for the past 30 years.

Two thirds of the 25 most expensive disasters in the past 40 years have taken place in the past decade, but Allen believes as PR practitioners, we can learn from such terrible journeys that brands and countries have been on to ensure our clients don’t suffer the same traumas.

She enthuses: “We see newspapers, bloggers and a variety of commentators talk about the way many of these crisis struck brands handled their communications. All brands receive criticism when they handle a crisis – it’s the nature of our world.”

As part of crisis management, she says, there is no perfect path and every crisis needs to be handled differently.

Toyota suffered a constant a barrage of criticism in 2010 as its PR was not seen to respond quickly enough or openly enough.

But Allen warns: “If a brand responds too quickly it can risk jumping the gun and not having all the facts. On the other hand, if it responds too slowly, it’ll be attacked for not having all the facts fast enough.”

Furthermore, in today’s media environment, there’s also the role of parody to contend with.

Allen explains: “Parody plays an enormous role in taking the most extreme elements of a crisis and taking it to absurd lengths. It’s these images that are remembered so as communications advisors, we need to be ready to see extremes and approach that by asking how the media and commentators are going to see our brands before they actually do.”

And there is some good news. Companies that take responsibility in a crisis can outperform those that blame someone else when it comes to trust.

Allen explains: “In a crisis, a client’s worse enemy is self absorption. The best way to deal with a crisis is to continue to communicate how the customer will come first.”

Consumer perception can become stronger after a crisis as it can show consumers the real you and transparency is a great place to start when building trust.

Allen concludes: “When it comes to bad news, the more indirect it is, the more likely it is it could have a positive effect.

“We may not remember the context in which we heard something, we just know it is familiar and we feel close to that brand.”

Melinda Varley (Ogilvypr Australia)

LEARNING from GREAT EXPERIENCES

1. How wonderful it is that nobody needs wait a single minute before starting to improve the world. (Anna Frank)

2. To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart. (Donald Laird)

3. Any change, any loss, does not make us victims. Others can shake you, surprise you, disappoint you, but they cannot prevent you from acting, from taking the situation you are presented with and moving on. No matter where you are in life, no matter what your situation, you can always do something. You always have a choice and the choice can be power. (Blaine Lee The Power Principle)

4. There's always the motivation of wanting to win. Everybody has that. But a champion needs, in his attitude, a motivation above and beyond winning. (Pat Riley)

5. You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along... You must do the thing you think you cannot do. (Eleanor Roosevelt)

6. You make the world a better place by making yourself a better person. (Scott Sorrell)

7. Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and you only can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you. (Carl Sandburg)

8. Everyone has a purpose in life. Perhaps yours is watching television.

9. Difficulties should act as a tonic. They should spur us to greater exertion. (B.C. Forbes)

10. If money is your hope for independence you will never have it. The only real security that a man will have in this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience, and ability. (Henry Ford)

What is ADVERTISING?

Put simply, advertising is any paid message by an identified sponsor, designed to promote ideas, goods or services for exchange.

Most definitions of advertising seem to have five basic components:

* Advertising is a paid form of communication, whether directly or indirectly. Indirect payment would include pro-bono advertising which uses donated space and time.

* The sponsor, meaning the marketer or advertiser, is identified. However, this is changing with new forms and uses of advertising.

* Most advertising tries to persuade or influence the consumer to do something. At a minimum, the point of the message is to inform consumers and make them aware of the product of company. Mostly, it involves positioning a product, service, idea or organisation in the consumer's mind such that it creates or builds a brand relationship. In other words, it is strategic communication driven by objectives and these objectives can be measured to determine whether the advertising was effective.

* Advertising aims to reach the largest possible audience as cost-efficiently as possible that is, in the place or at the time most likely to induce a positive result.

* The message can be conveyed through many different kinds of mass media, which are largely non-personal. This implies that advertising is not directed to a specific person, although this is changing with the introduction of the Internet and interactive media.

A modern definition, then, might be: Advertising  is any form of predetermined, paid communication that uses the media - including forms of interactive communication - to reach audiences in the most cost-efficient way, so as to achieve a marketer's objectives.

(Quoted from Ruth Spence-Stone's book Advertising: Principles & Practice)