writing tv commercials
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tips for writing television commercialsTRANSCRIPT
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.