Try this sometime…just sit down and write a radio ad. Don’t worry about the length of the script. Simply include what you think is needed to make your point. Nothing more, nothing less. Probably have a little creativity…maybe an attention-grabbing intro, then the main thought (what I call the “meat and taters” of the ad), and then, of course, the call for action at the end.
Again, don’t worry about what the ad will time out to. Then after you write it, read it aloud and time it. Chances are, it may end up being about a 45 second ad.
For over 30 years, I’ve probably written thousands of radio ads, mostly :30’s or :60’s. As I’m editing, quite often I end up with one of two possible questions: “what can I cut to get this to :30?”…or…”what can I add to get this to :60”. I’ve also seen that same thing happen many times as my Radio 1 Broadcast School students write commercials. I’ve seen it with my new employees as they cut their ad-writing teeth. Forty-five seconds just seems to be a length they end up around.
You might think our :30 and :60 ad lengths are a worldwide standard. Actually radio ad length varies greatly around the globe. Some countries like Colombia have many :10’s. Others have a :40 normal. Some countries seem to just have random radio ad lengths, and the clients pay per second. So just keep in mind that the :30 and :60 thing is not gospel everywhere.
I don’t think of myself as a radio rebel, but I do ask my fair share of “why?” questions. And after the 3,000th time my new script for a local car dealer, or restaurant, or widget outlet seemed to seek that 45 second point, I thought, “why not?” I promised myself that when I own a radio station someday, I’d offer 45 second ads. So now Wisconsin-106 in Adams offers :45’s. The rate is right between a :30 and a :60 rate.
More and more we’re selling :45’s because it makes sense and fits the needs of many of our advertisers wanting to get their point made efficiently to listeners without paying for additional air time they don’t need. My guess is that my radio station is probably one of the only stations in the entire nation that sells 45 second ads.
It’s funny how some random little decisions from many years ago just stick, and we don’t change it or question it. An example I give my students is this: Do you know what boats looked like in the 1950’s? They looked like cars, with a hood, a windshield, and a dashboard. I suppose boat designers back then thought “it’s like a car on water, so…” None of the designers asked “why?” Eventually they did, and we now have much more functional boats that don’t resemble a car.
So think about offering 45 second ads. But even if you decide not to, don’t be afraid to ask “why?” when it comes to long standing traditions in radio, and maybe start your own “why not?”
Joe Deschler
Wisconsin 106
WCWI FM
