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What If A Successful Radio Spot Is A Guaranteed Tune-Out?
I’ve never been in advertising, but I do know that getting the attention of a listener/viewer is half the battle. Which brings me to a spot that’s been airing on what seems like every station in the market. I’m sure you’ve heard it by now – it’s the one that starts with the baby crying, adds an alarm clock going off and escalates the noise from there.
I think it’s for some kind of smoking cessation product, but I’m not entirely sure. Because it's so irritating, the instant it comes on, I can’t turn the station off fast enough. So while it’s been very successful at getting my attention, it also forces me to change the channel – and I may not come back to that show or station for a long time. In that way, it’s driving TSL down.
So is a spot that makes its point but drives you away from the place it's airing considered a successful ad or not by the sales department? Whatever the answer, I hope this campaign - or in this case, this cam-pain - ends soon. My fingers are getting tired from constantly hitting the button to head somewhere else.
- Peter the K
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Re: What If A Successful Radio Spot Is A Guaranteed Tune-Out?
I happen to love the Nicorette spot and enjoy it when it comes on. I find the musical use of noise very creative and a bit of an earworm.
Pitty that since I don't smoke I have no need for the product but the spot has certainly done its job.
Now if you want to talk about spots that grate, think no further than Alexanians.
Last edited by Peter the K (August 24, 2016 11:24 am)
- tvguy
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Re: What If A Successful Radio Spot Is A Guaranteed Tune-Out?
Good call Charlie. Heard one of those Suburu ads today...the guy starts making noises and actually says "i'm going to Barf". Really??? that's the last thing I want to hear in the morning and switched the station....off.
On that topic, who's the account exec at FAN 590 who allowed the Aaron Waxman - personal injury lawyer ad go to air? It's not only the worst read ever by an advertiser....but the guy's voice cracks several times, and it sounds like there's an edit where the tape speeds up. Memorable or pathetic? Probably generates lots of work for him because he sounds like a dufus.
- Old Codger
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Re: What If A Successful Radio Spot Is A Guaranteed Tune-Out?
No tune-out factor ads. None. Never. Nada. Zero. Zip. You make those bucks off of one irritating client...then, because of it, end up losing audience...and subsequently the station ends up having to downgrade the rate-card and, in doing so, ultimately winds up losing dough with EVERY advertiser including 'numb-nuts' who returns to run his campaign yet again next year for cheap. [and the spiral of death replicates itself annually.]
Sales [and their pet clients] are NOT allowed to barbecue the golden goose. You're costing yourSELF long term commission and also some poor 'talent' his or her JOB due to the ensuing downward changes in budgets. Refrain from being an A-hole.
NO tune-out factor ads...EVER.
Adios 'lone arranger'. YOU're VERY bad for business.
Last edited by Old Codger (August 24, 2016 2:26 pm)
- Peter the K
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Re: What If A Successful Radio Spot Is A Guaranteed Tune-Out?
The ads in question are national ads booked by an agency.
If the station decides to get on its high horse and decide the ad is a tune-out factor, what's to prevent said agency from doing less business with the station?
Really, do stations _ever_ refuse to air certain ads just because they sound bad? Talk about cutting off one's nose.
- Don
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Re: What If A Successful Radio Spot Is A Guaranteed Tune-Out?
I don't know if refusing the spot is really being on a 'high horse'; it's not like it's a moral decision, but rather a long-term business decision. But we're not really in an era of long-term business decisions.
- Kilgore
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Re: What If A Successful Radio Spot Is A Guaranteed Tune-Out?
compared to Canada's Wonderland and the CNE, I was really surprised how little my ACORN stairlift costs
- Old Codger
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Re: What If A Successful Radio Spot Is A Guaranteed Tune-Out?
Peter the K wrote:
The ads in question are national ads booked by an agency.
If the station decides to get on its high horse and decide the ad is a tune-out factor, what's to prevent said agency from doing less business with the station?
Really, do stations _ever_ refuse to air certain ads just because they sound bad? Talk about cutting off one's nose.
No...the ads in question are as the topic heading suggests..."A Successful Radio Spot" and the topic is "What If A Successful Radio Spot Is A Guaranteed Tune-Out?"
Back in the day I don't recall CFRB or CKEY during their runs as beautiful music stations running any Cayuga Raceway Commercials. It wasn't their sound. When radio had integrity the word NO was a part of the vocabulary. There was something called quality control and 'sales' knew its place.
THAT guaranteed more sales.
- Peter the K
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Re: What If A Successful Radio Spot Is A Guaranteed Tune-Out?
I guess there's no point in having a differing opinion, then. As I pointed out, some people (I can't be alone) actually enjoy that spot. Just because "radio geeks" pay attention doesn't mean others notice, or even care.
By the way, a few days ago I was riding in a car that was tuned to classical 96. Guess what spot came on?
- Kilgore
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Re: What If A Successful Radio Spot Is A Guaranteed Tune-Out?
a few days ago I was riding in a car that was tuned to classical 96. Guess what spot came on?
the Eco Tank cartridge-free printer (what else)?
- Doug Thompson
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Re: What If A Successful Radio Spot Is A Guaranteed Tune-Out?
Having produced commercials by amazing writers at CHUM for many years, and later writing and producing thousands of commercials for clients for my own company, I recall that in the 1970's CHUM DID turn down some commercials that we didn't feel were relevant to the CHUM audience and then produced ones for the client that were relevent...at no cost to the client. Agencies weren't all that happy, but the spots were usually better and the agencies did not take their business away.
Having said that, I also admit that I produced spots that could have been tune out factors. I don't know how many times, I recorded Bill Dowling of Crang Plaza Motors in the late 1960's. And they could be annoying.
These days, I'm appalled by what gets on the air. I will switch stations (or just shut off the radio for a minute or two) when I hear one I despise. One is for a certain jewellery chain, with the owner and a hired (American) female announcer and that annoying yell. When I'm listening to Larry Fedoruk on 610 CKTB in the afternoons (which I do often), there's a barbershop quartet sung spot (don't even know the client's name) that I switch off immediately. So many more, so little time to be wasted listening to bad radio.
Last edited by Doug Thompson (August 25, 2016 12:32 pm)
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- Old Codger
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Re: What If A Successful Radio Spot Is A Guaranteed Tune-Out?
I guess there's no point in having a differing opinion, then. As I pointed out, some people (I can't be alone) actually enjoy that spot. Just because "radio geeks" pay attention doesn't mean others notice, or even care.
By the way, a few days ago I was riding in a car that was tuned to classical 96. Guess what spot came on?
Differing opinions are what makes the big ball spin. It's just about staying with the actual topic... ... ...which had noting to do, really, with national spots. [or TV]
- Mike Cleaver
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Re: What If A Successful Radio Spot Is A Guaranteed Tune-Out?
I remember back in the 70s when 1050 CHUM refused to run ads that didn't fit the format or were otherwise objectionable to the core audience.
Said ads were allowed to run if they were re-produced to fit with the format, either by CHUM personnel or the ad agency involved.
Mr. Waters had no problem refusing ads.
The station always was sold out, with a waiting list of advertisers willing to jump at any opening.