Television is often called "king" of the advertising media, since a majority of people spend more hours watching TV per day than any other medium. It combines the use of sight, color, sound and motion...and it works. TV has proven its persuasive power in influencing human behavior time and time again.
Some advantages of television advertising include the following:
1. Advertising on television can give a product or service instant validity and prominence.
2. You can easily reach the audiences you have targeted by advertising on TV. Children can be reached during cartoons and housewives during the afternoon soap operas.
3. TV offers the greatest possibility for creative advertising. With a camera, you can take your audience anywhere and show them almost anything.
Producing a commercial is also an important variable to consider. On the whole, television audiences have become more sophisticated and have come to expect quality commercials. A poorly produced commercial could severely limit the effectiveness of your message, and may even create a bad image in your customer's mind.
Advertising agencies or TV commercial production facilities are the best organizations for creating a commercial that will be effective for the goods or service you are offering. But the cost of a well-produced commercial is often more expensive than people think, ranging from $2,500 to $20,000 per commercial! Some TV stations will claim they can put together commercials for "almost nothing." Before agreeing to this, find out what "almost nothing" means. Then, determineif the commercial quality and content they are proposing will represent your organization's image.
Creativity: A Vital Element
When you advertise on TV, your commercial is not only competing with other commercials, it's also competing with the other elements in the viewer's environment as well. The viewer may choose to get a snack during the commercial break, go to the bathroom or have a conversation about what they just saw on the show they were viewing. Even if your commercial is being aired, viewers may never see it unless it is creative enough to capture their attention. That's why it's so important to consider the kind of commercial you are going to create...and how you want your audience to be affected. Spending money on a good commercial in the beginning will pay dividends in the end.
Consistency is Key
If you're running TV and radio commercials, keep them consistent. Use the same announcer and music for your commercials. Use the same tag line. You want to keep everything consistent so your potential customers and/or donors start identifying your tag line, your colors, your font, your announcer, jingle - everything that relates to your organization's ad campaign. |
