In the 1950s and ’60s movie companies made a realisation that television could be a threat to the movie business, in an attempt to up their game curious gimmicks such as 3D glasses and ‘Smell-o-Vision’ began appearing frequently in cinemas. For the release of the 1959 B-movie movie ‘The Tingler’ certain cinemas had seats fitted with buzzers to be triggered at the film’s climax in order to provoke the audience to scream. Wafting smells into cinemas didn’t stick around and ‘The Tingler’ gimmick doesn’t appear to have ever been repeated – it is only 3D that has since seen something of a resurgence.

That’s not to say the media don’t still enjoy playing with gimmicks… if anything we’re even more eager to find new additions to the traditional mediums. We’ve recently produced a couple of television commercials featuring QR codes on the closing graphic, the success or otherwise of these has never been mentioned by any of our clients. Success is still measured in traffic uplift and offline and online conversions – and that’s still via on-screen URLs and spoken brand names. One of our clients (name currently withheld) is experimenting with Sonic Notify – it’s a system that uses the insertion of an audio trigger into the soundtracks of television commercials, in a sense it’s an audio version of the QR code. Neither you nor I can hear this trigger as human hearing (under laboratory conditions) can only perceive frequencies of up to 20,000 Hertz. Frequencies beyond 20Khz can still be heard by electronic equipment and in the case of Sonic Notify, which sits in the 18-21Khz range, the audio can trigger activity on your mobile phone. That may sound a little invasive, but we’re gradually getting more used to near-field communications and letting the outside world have a level of control over our phones – so we’re intrigued to see the results this advertiser achieves with it.

The pet-food manufacturer Bakers have created a one-minute television commercial, a parody of The Italian Job, showing a number of dogs making a daring plan to steal a van full of Bakers food, almost losing the van over a cliff. In addition to the audible commercial soundtrack there is another layer of audio beyond the hearing threshold of human viewers. Dogs have the ability to hear audio frequencies up to 60,000 Herts (60Khz) and their soundtrack is in this upper-range of frequencies, it apparently features a number of whistles and barks. The commercial was tested on twelve dogs, all of whom exhibited signs of recognition to the noises of above 17,000 Hertz. Bakers hope the advert will cause dogs across the country perk up, making owners think they are interested in the product. Bakers brand manager Mark Zaki said, “We are always looking for new ways to deliver an engaging experience for our consumers. With these special sounds we hope this delivers enjoyment for both dogs and their owners.”

From our perspective as producers it’s something of a challenge to mix a soundtrack that is humanly impossible to hear… in fact we can’t even tell if it really exists. An additional consideration for us it that digital sampling and compression commonly removes frequencies not of any use to humans, so even when we’re sure we’ve added the ‘silent’ audio file to the mix, we’re can’t be entirely sure that it remains there. Perhaps we need to consider hiring a dog?

The Italian Job will hit UK screens at 7.15pm during Emmerdale – a soap pulling in seven million human viewers.

This morning I spotted an article on AdWeek.com regarding the broadcasting of standard-definition advertising between HD programmes in the USA. ‘If you own a television and take an interest in big-time sports, chances are you’re intimately familiar with the Geico brand. From October 2010 to September 2011, the insurance provider invested $158.1 million advertising in televised sports, making it the sixth biggest spender in the space. And yet despite the magnitude of Geico’s TV budget, none of its spots were produced in high-def. When the ads run in native HD programming, they’re letter-boxed, bracketed by a pair of vertical bars. For another, the picture quality isn’t as sharp as the surrounding HD content.’

I entirely sympathise with the American situation – here in the UK we supply all advertising to standard-definition channels in 625-line PAL format, a technical standard that hasn’t changed since the late 1960s. Standard-definition via digital services such as Sky+ and Freeview usually provides DVD quality video, and it looks fine on smaller-screens and traditional CRT televisions. However, when it gets ‘up-rezzed’ (is there yet a standard spelling for this new term?) by HD displays the image quality degrades quite badly – and this is most noticeable on larger screens. Of course, supply a 42″ LED screen with a 1080p HD signal and it looks great – however, just like the USA all our advertising is still supplied to broadcasters, be they SD or HD, in 625-line format (also know and 576i). According to AdWeek’s article, ‘digital media-services company DG estimates that only 16 percent of all television advertising [in USA] is aired in HD.’ They extracted return-path data from 100,000 set-top boxes and found that more viewers stuck with an HD commercial than a regular old standard-def equivalent. In my opinion there are lots of variables at play, and in a country as large as America a research base of 100,000 viewers can’t really be said to be conclusive evidence. That said, the statistics did surprise me – retention for HD ads was said to be 18% higher than ones broadcast in SD, and the lift was as much as 28% when the HD ad was first in the break. The lift was even more evident with drinks and QSR brands (Quick Service Restaurant) such as McDonald’s and KFC, presumably because the higher resolution makes their products look more appealing, where the ads benefitted from a 33% boost. If anyone is still skeptical, DG also did audience research – nearly 50% of people surveyed said they could easily spot the difference between SD and HD content.

For many years America was a long way behind the UK in terms of television standards, their 525-line NTSC system was widely regarded as pretty awful. However approximately 82% of the programming now broadcast in the USA is offered in HD, with 70% percent of cable TV also delivered in the format. Mike Caprio, the Senior VP at DG said, “You’re spending millions of dollars on media, millions on creative, hundreds of thousands on production, and then at the point where the customer will see all that work and all that investment… you’re essentially turning them away. The advertising business hasn’t been as progressive as it should be in addressing the issue.”

For the time-being both the USA and UK continue to juggle a mixture of NTSC, PAL, 720p, 1080p and 1080i sources and best match them to common standards for SD and HD delivery chains. On this side of the Atlantic there is currently no requirement for production companies to supply commercials to broadcasters in HD – even for entirely HD services. This is especially a shame as we’ve been producing many of our commercials in HD for several years – but convert them down to standard-def for delivery and transmission. The delay in seeing hi-def commercial breaks is two-fold, firstly ITV’s regions still have a standard-definition infrastructure which prevents them running local services in parallel SD and HD offerings. Secondly, many advertisers are still running campaigns that were produced before HD was widespread (the ones that get dusted off and brought out at Christmas for example). We’re keen to begin delivering in HD, it’s no problem for us to do so, but will likely only be doing so when the scales tip towards HD being the most prevalent broadcasting format. Fingers crossed it shouldn’t be long now – what the research does conclusively prove is that viewers notice the difference, and the appreciate it.

When I’m socialising people sometimes ask what I do all day. I reply, “I’m in television darling!” and wave a business card at them promising I’ll make them a star… okay, I don’t actually do that. However, when inebriated people find out I’m in television advertising there are two questions I am always asked, word for word these are – 1) “Which ones, will I have seen any of them?” and 2) “I don’t like ads, why are ad breaks so long these days?” I sigh and decide whether to let them continue believing their conspiracy theory, or to explain why they are wrong. Commercial breaks are not getting longer; in fact there has long been regulation in place in the UK to make sure the balance always remains in favour of programming.

The UK’s broadcasting regulator Ofcom stipulates there can only be an overall average of 7 minutes of advertising per hour of programming – with an upper limit of 12 minutes of advertising per clock hour (i.e. including the breaks between the programmes as well as those within them). I concede that during primetime (6PM to 11PM) there is actually a slight increase in the amount of commercials shown, a maximum average of 8 minutes of ads per hour of programming. In reality, that’s only two more 30-second ads during an evening programme than during one in the daytime. This is a small but fair concession due to the fact that primetime programming is usually of higher status (more expensive) and that advertisers will spend more to have their commercials scheduled between 6PM and 11PM.

This morning I spotted a story that I hope will make the whingers consider themselves lucky the next time they feel the need to moan about commercial breaks being ‘too long’. According to data from the Emirates Media Measurement Company (EMMC) commercial breaks lasting more than 20 minutes are now common in the United Arab Emirates. The longest break observed earlier this month comprised of 76 commercials (yes, seventy-six commercials) and ran to 24 minutes in duration. Not surprisingly Chris O’Hearn, EMMC’s General Manager, commented, “People leave during a long ad break.” The length of commercial breaks is one statistic provided by EMMC’s new audience-measurement system which has issued its first public figures on TV viewing patterns in the Emirates. O’Hearn said the data on dips in audiences during ad breaks could prompt broadcasters to change their scheduling. Bhaskar Khaund, Regional TV Planning Director at media agency MEC added, “The ideal norm is about 15 minutes of commercial airtime per hour, and 45 minutes of actual programming, but it’s not being followed by everyone.” He added that government legislation on the length of breaks, like that of the UK, was unlikely to work in this region.

So, there you have it. Not only does Britain arguably produce the best television commercials in the world, but our ad breaks are actually some of the shortest. However, if my drunken acquaintances are not satisfied by my answer they may wish to move to Norway; television advertising is so strictly regulated that no channel in the country may interrupt a program, at any time, for advertising breaks. Happy now?

In almost all instances (all but the most basic of ads) our television commercials begin as a storyboard accompanied by a rough script. Storyboards are especially useful when we are producing for clients further afield. On several occasions we’ve emailed storyboards as PDF files to the USA in the morning (UK time) ready to discuss in an afternoon teleconference with the client. Many of the potential commercials pitched by agencies never actually get into production – the storyboards are just visualisations of the possible creative treatments, and more often than not only one of them will make it to fruition. The rest are filed away as inspiration for another day. The storyboard is a vital ingredient in making sure that everyone around the table, or on the other side of the Atlantic, has a similar interpretation of what the final commercial needs to look like. Storyboards are especially important for clients as, unlike the agency, they won’t have spent days putting fully-fledged ideas together – the client often can’t quiet visualise what the creatives have dreamt up to meet the brief. The storyboard makes the proposed commercial more ‘real’ and becomes something that can bring all parties (agency, client, production company) into the loop – quite literally everyone is ‘on the same page’.

Sometimes a static A3 paper storyboard just doesn’t quite convey the complexities of motion in the shots or the flow of the edits in a proposed commercial. So, to give a better idea to the client of what’s in our heads we’ll sometimes take a little longer to produce an ‘animatic’ – basically a roughly animated storyboard comprising of still images and illustrations brought to life with the anticipated camera movements, approximate edit points and a guide voiceover. The creation of an animatic is of most use on commercials where timings are going to be critical or to answer the simple question of whether the proposed concept can comfortably fit into the thirty or forty seconds allocated to it! For the most complex of commercials we may even do a ‘test shoot’ – these often make for amusing viewing as they usually feature people from the office acting out the commercial with props cut out of cardboard boxes and so forth, but they commonly provide answers to questions that would have caused hassle (or unexpected expense) later on in production. A test shoot also provides post-production with an opportunity to test any proposed effects or compositing work and any recommendations from this can then be catered for during the ‘proper’ shoot… practise is the best method of making sure things go right first time!

So, even in a workflow where all of the day’s footage ends up on a memory card the size of a postage stamp the whole process still often starts with the humble old paper storyboard.

The decision for Andi to take up the piano was really made for him, his father having studied for 12 years at the Royal Academy of Music.

‘My first experience of a keyboard was, when I was 4 and placed in front of a harmonium in Sunday school to basically shut me up I think, I’m happy to report that it never worked. As I looked at the keys I instinctively understood what I was seeing and knew almost immediately how to construct a simple melody recognising the odd mistakes, and developing my musical ear, which these days helps me to recognize what sounds good and what doesn’t.’

Tucked away in Studio C Andi is often to be found in front of his kit with an early assembly of shots from a lengthy television project, having to create music to a tight brief in what seems an amazingly short timescale, and it’s the piano that he often turns to first to get the musical juices flowing.

‘Often when I compose more complex orchestral works, everything starts with the piano… if it sounds good on that then it’s a good indication that it will sound good with all the whistles and bells thrown in. For me the Piano is a perfect expression of who I am and what makes me tick, and this is why I have composed this collection of short Piano pieces, the sort of thing you hear on TV / Films all the time’

Please feel free to audition any of the tracks below for your production, then when you contact us, we will make broadcast quality files available for your use. We are happy to modify or provide longer or shorter versions as you require. All we ask is that you provide PRS details to the broadcaster ahead of transmission in the usual manner.

Contact JMS Music

Thanks. We hope you enjoy ‘The Piano’

Every day at JMS our writers and producers invest a good deal of time sourcing just the right music track for each and every production, and we’re totally aware of the recent trend towards simplicity in instrumentation, and in particular, the use of solo piano. In TV Commercials from Lloyds TSB to Hyundai, from the Fiat Punto to Apple’s ipad2, the piano has been the instrument of choice to conjure up just the right contemporary mood. In fact we can’t get enough of this style of track – so we ‘jumped on the piano band wagon’, and produced an album of our own – solo piano themes which we now offer licence-free for your broadcast use.

The album project was based on the piano of Alicia Keys. Her very own Yamaha C3 Neo grand was built to celebrate Yamaha’s 100th anniversary and represents the very best of their Conservatory Collection. Using vintage microphones, the C3 was painstakingly ‘captured’ by some stonking award winning engineers, and the result is a tool that not only Alicia herself uses, but also, via amazing software, our composer Andi Baxter!

In the album, Andi has created over twenty wonderful tunes, all the time keeping a keen ear to their suitability for use in advertising.

You’ll find all the tracks on our blog page here.

Please feel free to audition them for your production, then when you contact us, we will make broadcast quality files available for your use, entirely free of charge. All we ask is that you provide PRS details to the broadcaster ahead of transmission in the usual manner.
We are very happy to modify, or provide longer or shorter versions, as you require again at no cost (Andi doesn’t need much excuse to sit and tinkle the ivories!). And that’s it!
Thanks. We hope you enjoy ‘The Piano’.

What can you do in ten seconds? What can you do in twenty seconds? What can you do in thirty seconds? Well, rather a lot actually, just so long as you don’t overstretch yourself!

Less is more.

Simple is always better.

One idea per commercial.

These are rules we trot out again and again because these rules make the best radio!

Want to target trade customers and domestic customers? Then create two separate commercials. That way you can split the information and give a stronger emphasis than you’d be able to achieve in a single commercial.

Want to push the pensioners offer, the games room and the quiz night? Rather than cram all of these into one commercial leaving very little room for creativity, surely it is better to split them into separate commercials that are better targeted at the correct audience?

Be concise, don’t waffle. Be clear, don’t confuse. Be focused, don’t try to do too much.

2. A successful commercial talks to the right audience…

Knowing your target market is key to creating a successful commercial; it dictates everything from music choice to voice casting to tone, style and selection of language. Get these factors wrong and you may end up alienating the very people you wish to attract. Very few businesses can boast a broad, mass appeal. You might think you want to trade with everyone, but does everyone want to trade with you?

You’re an independent jewellery shop catering for the high end of the market; would you prefer 1000 people to visit your store, spending nothing, or 5 people to visit spending a grand each? That’s the difference between trying to target a large number of people, most of whom can’t afford your stock and so ignore your commercial entirely, and targeting those few specific customers who can afford and are very willing to spend big bucks with your business. That’s the difference between advertising being a valuable asset to your business and a costly failure. That’s knowing your target market. So, the next time you advertise, refrain from trying to appeal to anyone and everyone. Think about who your actual customer base is, and appeal to them.

3. A successful commercial chooses the correct tone of voice…

The right tone of voice can invite, excite, reassure the listener; it can enhance the attractiveness of your product or service. The wrong tone of voice can turn the listener off. Literally, off the airwaves. So striking the right tone is crucial.

There are the obvious ones; bright and enthusiastic tones for products aimed at children. Serious and direct tones to convey an anti-drink driving message. Warm and inviting tones to attract listeners to the good old country pub. And then there are those products or services that need more thought.

Take the funeral home; somber, solemn tones might spring to mind. But wouldn’t someone who has just lost a loved one be better reached with a more positive, reassuring tone?

Knowing the right tone to use on the air is brought about by knowing your target audience, your product and your business – and knowing what you want to achieve from advertising. Many clients come to us wishing to advertise a sale – they want big, they want attention grabbing, they want… shouty.

There’s a big difference between ‘the hard sell’ and ‘the desperate shout’. The hard sell uses a strong, urgent tone with stress on the words that will make the most impact– the shout just sounds annoying.

You wouldn’t shout at a customer face to face; so don’t do it on the radio!

4. A successful commercial is always underwritten…

“I’m paying for a 30 second advertisement, I should make the most of my investment by including as many details as possible”, hmm we seem to encounter this view a lot, but it happens to be completely counterproductive.

If a voiceover isn’t given room to breathe and just has to gabble through the script, how on earth is the listener going to absorb it all?

Let’s be completely blunt, the listener doesn’t want to listen to a commercial, they are willing to listen to a commercial. If you’re talking to the listener in clear, concise, smoothly paced way then they will be more likely to take the message in and act upon it.

Underwriting is the key to this!

5. A successful commercial only includes one response mechanism…

Too often we’re in a situation where an advertiser wants to cover all their bases by putting in multiple methods of contact. The result? Confused listeners!

If you want to make it clear to the listener how they should respond to the commercial, then you should just present them with one simple method of response.

You want footfall? Focus on your location. You want people to find out more? Highlight your web address. You want phone enquiries? Give your phone number (landline, never mobile!)

By keeping the response mechanism to a minimum you’ll get the maximum response.

It’s also important to choose the right contact detail. What is it you are trying to achieve with the campaign? If you’re a clothes shop, it’s no good trying to monitor the success of a campaign by the number of phone calls the commercial generates. After all, why would a clothes shop receive any calls in the first place? So choose the correct contact!

6. A successful commercial is transparent…

You wouldn’t lie to your customers face to face, so why mislead in a commercial?

As well as the creative side to radio production there is of course the legal side too.

We have to be careful how we phrase everything. We don’t want something we say to be interpreted in the wrong way. Depending on context, use of the words ‘biggest’, ‘exclusive’, ‘best’ will most likely require substantiation to ensure they are true.

You want to attract the listener to your business, but you don’t want them to feel let down once they get there. So make a conscious effort to represent yourself accurately in your commercial.

7. A successful commercial uses music wisely…

Music influences mood. It can motivate, sadden, inspire; listening to a favorite track is even known to release ‘feel-good’ chemicals in the brain. With such a strong ability to enhance and manipulate our feelings, its no wonder music is integral to advertising.

Advertisers have long used music to help set the tone of their commercials, and evoke the desired response from listeners. Advertising a sale? Then use music with a sense of urgency to excite and motivate your target audience. Advertising a spa? Include a slow, ambient backing track to create a sense of escapism and relaxation. Music can be used to enhance your message, but it can do much more than this. It can convey the things you don’t have time to say.

Words such as ‘friendly’, ‘reliable’ and ‘welcoming’ are so common place in advertising that they have lost much of their impact; clichés don’t hold much weight with the average listener. So instead of wasting precious seconds on a defunct buzzword, simply convey this information through your choice of music.

But don’t forget who your target audience is. Put personal preferences aside and consider the right sound for your market. For instance, a hair salon advertising with a pulsing, R&B track will convey to listeners that they offer cutting edge fashion cuts for a young market. Conversely, a calmer, more stylish theme will attract an older generation of listeners, and all without you having to clarify it in the copy.

8. A successful commercial uses sound effects wisely…

If you have something interesting to say then people will listen to it.

We’re regularly asked to begin a commercial with a siren / klaxon / car horn / explosion etc in a not so subtle attempt to make the listeners pay attention. But there really is no need (plus it’s not allowed!)

A well chosen sound effect used in the right way can add a layer of atmosphere, it can generate humour, underline a point or place characters in a scene (saving you precious time having to use the voices to establish the location or situation).

But you have to ensure the sound effect that gets used is clear enough! There’s a reason why radio stations run competitions called “what’s that sound?” It’s because a simple, ordinary, everyday sound can be unrecognisable when you have no visual clues to go by.

Good sound effects properly integrated into the script can really enhance a commercial.

9. A successful commercial makes the best use of scheduling…

The key advantage of broadcast media is the ability to schedule a commercial at a specific time of day to ensure it is heard by the most suitable audience:

A Kitchen Company? Schedule the commercial during breakfast time when people are in the kitchen. A Car Dealer? Schedule the commercial during drive-time when people are in their car. A Family Attraction? Schedule it during the school run when all the family can take notice. A Restaurant? Schedule it during the day when people are making plans!

By working out when your target audience is most likely to be listening to the radio, you can get the maximum response to the campaign.

10. A successful commercial is part of a well structured campaign…

Too often a radio campaign is a hurried affair, a last-minute dash to cram some selling points into a single radio commercial and hope for the best. Successful campaigns think long term.

If you are going to be a regular advertiser then you need to give yourself an on air identity. Build a brand. For continuity you could use the same announcer voice or music on each commercial. Create a strapline? Use characters? Incorporate a jingle or sonic ident? There are many ways of turning a single commercial into a continuous campaign.

If you’re doing a launch, a teaser campaign building up to the event would work well. If you’re holding a sale, then a series of time sensitive commercials that run before, during and towards the end of the sale would all help to keep the event in the spotlight.

The radio station you choose will also have a great influence on the success of the campaign – but you’ll need to talk to someone else about that!

And if these suggestions should require additional investment, be assured that radio is a medium in which it’s almost guaranteed that the more you put in – the more you get out.

These tips were put together by JMS Group Copywriters Tim Mountford and Amy Taylor.

Not, it seems, that radio itself is witnessing a massive resurgence – more that agencies and individual clients have been surfing the web for cost-effective New Year radio deals.  And most of them are overjoyed they found JMS. Let’s examine a few of the questions we’ve had so far.

“DO I HAVE TO GO TO A RADIO STATION FOR A COMMERCIAL?”

This is the top FAQ – to which the answer is a straightforward ‘NO’. One advertiser confided that a station ‘threatened him with a surcharge’ if they had to transmit a production they’d not made themselves, but as we suspected it was one rogue salesperson and an empty threat.

“BUT DON’T I GET A BETTER ‘PACKAGE’ DEAL FROM THE STATION?”

Nope. A radio station’s primary aim is to sell airtime, which is what they have plenty of, what they’re expert at, and airtime is of course the most costly part of the deal. As long as they’ve structured a good airtime package for you, and the commercial works technically, they’re happy. A JMS production aims to make better use of that airtime – that’s all.

“IS IT CHEAPER IF JMS MAKES THE COMMERCIAL?”

Significantly. Although to be honest, we’d recommend that rather than pocketing the difference, you invest those savings into enabling us to produce more creative ads.

“WHAT IF I WANT TO GO ON MORE THAN ONE STATION?”

Brilliant! This is what we excel at! We can create a single commercial to go onto any number of stations at a realistic rate (and deliver them all). Or we can create a ‘core’ commercial – the same for all stations – but with a portion of the commercial tailored individually to each station or region (perfect for dealerships). There’s a slight extra cost to adding this information (we call it a ‘tag’) but its way cheaper than creating a new commercial for each station! The cost of airtime for the stations should be no different from usual.

“IS THIS A SALES PITCH?”

In exactly the same way a radio commercial is a sales pitch. If you’re in the market for the product we hope this will attract, then interest, then create a desire to purchase. If you’re not, it won’t. P.S. sales pitch or not, it doesn’t alter the fact that more new radio advertisers have contacted us recently than EVER before…

“WHAT DO I DO NEXT?”

Visit our blog for a straightforward explanation of the process, the practicalities, and above all the price.

WHAT DO I GET FOR MY MONEY?

A thorough fact-find. You can speak directly to one of our creative team and discuss your needs or we’ll provide you with a briefing sheet designed to elicit everything we need to know.

A dedicated Account Handler. You’ll have someone to contact who’ll keep your production on track through all its stages, right up to final delivery for transmission.

An experienced Scriptwriter.  Each of our writers knows radio and advertising intimately, has the ability to devise ear-catching creative concepts and snappy dialogue, and is expert in all aspects of advertising rules and regulations.  You can talk directly to our scriptwriters at any time.

A skilled Studio Producer. It takes technical ability and artistic flair to create great audio, and each of our producers excels in both, blending voice, music and sound effects to make powerful radio. Although the standard rate doesn’t allow for you to be present at a recording session, you’re welcome to discuss your requirements with a studio producer beforehand.

Professional Performers. We’ve heard of studios using work experience kids or the office cleaner to voice commercials. Not us.  All JMS performers are professionals, many of whom you may recognise from radio and TV ad breaks nationally, and we choose exactly the right ones for your production.

A huge music selection. We have access to tens of thousands of music tracks and sound effects – the cost of which is included in the production fee – and our producers are experts in music selection and use. Also, we’ll complete all music licencing agreements on your behalf.

Copy Clearance. In certain instances a commercial will require clearance prior to broadcast through the Radio Advertising Copy Clearance Centre. We can advise you when this is likely, and we’ll carry out clearance on your behalf.

Delivery. JMS’ Traffic department will deliver the finished commercial(s) to the designated station(s) in good time, and will obtain written confirmation it has been received for transmission.

Value for money? We think so. After all as you can see, each commercial will pass through five key stages and have enlisted the skills of at least five experts, working on your behalf to get the very best out of your airtime. But on top of that, you’ll receive an audition copy of the script for your input before it gets anywhere near a studio, you’ll also receive samples of potential voice-artists and music tracks before we use them, and once you’ve signed-off the finished production you’ll get a year’s usage on your chosen station. It’s this total service which many of Britain’s greatest advertising agencies have cherished, year after year.

* ‘Local FM station’ excludes major metropolitan stations, regional or National stations.

However there was one thing on which we could all agree, namely that some people have no idea how to enter their work for an Award. The finished work may be excellent, exceptional even, but simple oversights and omissions damage its chances of a fair hearing.So, at the risk of confronting granny with a suck-box full of eggs, may I offer any potential Awards entrants some pointers?

Perversely, I must start with the organisers…

DEFINE THE AWARD CLEARLY

Please give entrants a tight brief, with clear criteria. A category for ‘Best Ferret’ may sound obvious enough, but are we looking for best-groomed, largest, smallest, best behaved, most prolific….? This also holds good for the format of the entry. Please stipulate clear parameters – size, duration, whatever. I’ll be judging another Award next year where the radio conditions for entry clearly state the ad must have been broadcast between certain dates, in a certain geographic location, and ‘no campaign under 3k media spend will be considered’ – Bravo! Total clarity.

For the applicant too, the criteria must be your prime consideration. Ask what the category is seeking, and double check that what you’re submitting is actually what’s being asked for. I imagine you’re shaking your head and saying ‘that stands to reason… who wouldn’t do that?’ Loads of entrants don’t, believe me.

HELP THE JUDGES

In a popular category there may be a large number of entrants. Accordingly the judges have to wade through loads of material. You might think it will help provide an overview if you support your application with a compendium of everything you’ve ever done. It won’t, honest.

Conversely, sending only the briefest ‘taster’ of your work may not give a judge enough material to reach a conclusion. It’s obvious you’ve picked only the best bits – so the judge is left wondering if there really IS anything beyond those brief snatches.

Again you may be saying ‘That’s common sense’. So let me tell you that for one Award I had to plod through video entries which ranged from under 2 minutes, to more than an hour. Neither the shortest nor the longest endeared themselves to me.

The cleverest applicants sub-divided the submission, to provide an opening ‘taster’, followed by clearly signposted options to select longer versions should the judges wish to dig deeper.

MAKE A CASE

There are 3 common (and equally fruitless) beliefs regarding ‘supporting materials’:

1. Just submit the work – it’s obvious what it’s about!

2. Use the supporting materials to hammer-home how tough it was to create the work.

3. Do a real ‘hard-sell’ explaining why this is by far the finest piece of work the judge has ever seen and simply HAS to take the ‘Best Beer Coaster of the Decade Award’. PS it looks even sillier if you’ve submitted 5 pieces of work for the same award, each supported by the same argument!

Once again, it pays to view your submission through the eyes of the judges.
For a start, it may not be clear why you submitted this particular piece especially if the criteria weren’t precise (see above!). Next, any judge will take a dim view of being brow-beaten by a contestant bigging-up the submission – if the work isn’t special, no amount of hype will change things.

The supporting materials are your opportunity to create a context in which your submission will be viewed, and if the work’s good, then well constructed support will actually increase your chances of a favourable outcome.

To make a good case you should:

1. Explain the original brief or storyboard (the ‘must have’ elements and the ‘would like to have’) elements.

2. Explain how your work met, and preferably exceeded, that brief.

3. Set out (and illustrate) anything which increases the significance of the work, e.g. related multi platform campaigns, worldwide internet interest, publishing deals etc. This will put the work in a wider context, and force the
judge to consider something which could not be found in the original work alone. By the way, simply adding ‘the client (or the audience, or the commissioning editor) loved it’ tells the judge nothing.

And yes alright, you can explain how tough it was, but only if the story is material. The fact the crew lost toes due to frostbite but still got the only shots ever taken inside pack-ice would be highly influential. Simply having had a demanding client, or a tight deadline, or being forced to lug a camera up ten flights of stairs, won’t help. Don’t forget, an experienced judge will almost certainly have had equally trying experiences.

WINNING THE AWARD

I can guarantee that if you follow the advice above you’ll improve your chances – a lot. As for creating an award-winning piece of work – I’ll leave that to you! Good luck.