4 Ways To Make Television Ads Work

Last week I gave you some tips on how to improve your newspaper advertising. This week I thought we could take it one step further and look at some things we can do to improve television ads. It might not apply to as many of you, but there are some things that don't just apply to television only. So have a look!

1 – Remember you are not in business to entertain, you are there to sell! Many ‘clumsy’ TV ads sell more product than the famous big budget ones that win awards. When making your own TV ads concentrate on packing the ad with product benefits. Your audience will forgive you for a clumsy ad if it tells them how your product can improve their lives.

2 – Your customers don’t care about USP’s, just give them benefits! USP’s are the ‘unique selling points’ of your product or service – e.g. the leather seats in your new car model. But customers don’t care, they want to know about your benefits – e.g. ‘upholstery that gently hugs you in all the right places, making you feel one with the car’. You only have 30 seconds, if you waste it on USP’s you will be disappointed. Stick to benefits, it’s what they want to know.

3 – Use a mix of 30, 60 and 15 second ads. It’s more cost effective. 30 seconds is the most common for TV ads. Most TV production studios can be persuaded to make 60 and 15 second versions of the same ad for little extra. The 60 second version allows you to tell more of your selling story. The 15 second version may help you get FREE bonus spots. Run about four 60 second ads for every six of your 30 second ads. Supply the 15 second versions so the TV channel has more options when giving you small letters bonus spots.

4 – Learn a lesson from the infomercials. Spend less money, sell more products! Infomercials never win awards, but they DO WIN SALES! Don’t be afraid to use some of the tricks of the infomercials. Demonstrate your product – and if you can’t afford actors, just speak to the camera yourself. Holloways ads for TrustPower do this and the ads have out-performed many bigger budget ads. If you’re afraid of forgetting your lines, don’t worry, ask the production studio to use a ‘Teleprompter’ so you can just read your lines like the newscasters do.


If you have any more tips, please share them with us!


To succeed... You have to believe in something with such a passion that it becomes reality - Anita Roddick