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Embrace The Commercial Break – Part Two

By Wayne Clouten, BPR

If you are yet to read the first instalment of this series, then please do so this second part makes sense.

Embrace the Commercial Break – Part 1

In the first instalment we explored the role and impact radio commercials play in the listening experience.  They are an integral part of effectively programming a radio station whether we like it or not.  The key thing to understand is that the sum-total everything we broadcast forms the listener value proposition or what I like to call, the Shit to Fun ratio (STF).

The STF is the ratio between the content listeners like and love and the content they dislike of hate.  As a general rule; this ratio needs to be no less than 3:1 in favour of the stuff they like and love.  Listeners often express this sense of value in the context of a station, personality or show being “worth it” or “not worth it”.  The “it” they refer to being the content they ether don’t need, dislike or hate.

What constitutes the listener value proposition is a collage of many elements of which commercials are just one, however for the purposes of this article we will keep the focus on radio commercials.  Before we delve into some specifics relating to commercials it is important to note the fundamental difference between music stations and news/talk radio stations.  The contrast between commercials and all talk content is less than that between commercials and music. In effect the appearance of a commercial on a news/talk station can stand out less than what it does on a music station.  That does mean the STF rules do not apply to a news/talk station, it just means that news/talk formats have a little more leniency for about 30 seconds.

With regard to radio commercials and optimising their role in the listening experience there are a number of things you can do including.

Length Of Commercial Break:

A commercial break longer than a song is a trip-wire for listeners.  Listeners are not watching the clock when listening to radio however they do have an innate sense of when something has gone on for too long, even when listening passively.

Frequency Of Commercials:

Listeners do not dislike radio commercials per se.  What listeners actually hate are commercials they believe they hear too often, are abrasive or voiced by someone with an “annoying voice”.  Unless you have the budget to research this issue then you have to reply on your ears and common sense.  If nothing else at least have a policy concerning how many of the same commercial you are prepared to  schedule in a particular daypart.

Format Fit:

Following on from the previous point, a very important consideration is whether the commercial fits the brand of the radio station in terms of its style and sound.  The classic example of this is a loud abrasive style of commercial on a Soft AC station.  Where possible work with clients and agencies to create commercials which fit the brand expectation of the radio station.

Creativity:

Creativity can be a “get out of jail free card” when it comes to mitigating the potential negative impact of commercials.  Humour is a very useful tool as it simply using great voices and well scripted commercials. What is a well scripted commercial? One which captures the imagination and avoids marketing language cliches.

Variety:

Listeners hear commercials the same as they hear music and will notice and be likely annoyed by the same commercial at the same time every day.  If you are blessed with long term client contracts with the same commercial at the same time each day then work with your client to change the commercials frequently and have at least 3 variations in rotation at any particular time or use different voices for the same commercial.

Scheduling:

Radio has been generally sold as a “Frequency Medium” for as long as I can remember.  I certainly sold it that way when I was in sales.  Unfortunately now that listeners are no longer held hostage to radio and have virtually limitless listening choice at the swipe of a finger radio stations must take a more holistic approach to commercial scheduling.  As much as possible stations must look to imbedding as much variety into the placement of commercials as they can.  This is important not just to programming but also to optimise the impact of the client’s advertising campaign.

Don’t Negatively Position The Commercial Break:

“I’ll be back after the break” is quite possibly one of the dumbest things radio presenters can say.  The word “break” implies something stopping and we do not need to signal that to the listener.

Forward Promote:

Following on from the previous point high-lighting what is coming up next is an old-school but highly effective way of assisting listeners through the commercials. In an ideal world presenters should mix this up and avoid being predictable.  Where possible use audio clips and demonstrators and not just voiced teasers.

There are many other ways to optimise commercial breaks but for now this is a long enough list.  It is very likely that some of what is recommended in this article stations will find too hard if not impossible.  The only approach is to do what you can realising that your programming content and commercials are inseparable components in the listener value proposition and the more your can optimise your commercials, the longer your listeners will listen and the more effective your client commercials will be.