While The Radio Bureau deals in air time, they recognise that it’s a combination of both media and creative that drives effective campaigns for advertisers. Ralph van Dijk, Founder and Executive Creative Director, Eardrum, is a world authority on effective radio, audio content and audio branding. He’s driven by a determination to innovate, subvert and explore new ways for brands to connect to their audience through audio-led campaigns, and was selected as one of the ‘advertising legends’ to serve as Jury President at the 60th anniversary of the Cannes Lions Festival.
At TRB’s Power of Audio event last Tuesday, van Dijk discussed what relevant cleverness sounds like, the key to effective audio, and how to fine tune advertising creative for the changing audio landscape.
Relevant Cleverness and what it sounds like
Relevant Cleverness sounds like a message that has come bearing gifts – gifts that intrigue and entertain people while informing them of the product benefits. People don’t listen to radio ads. They listen to what interests them, and sometimes that’s a radio ad.
Making radio ads more creative
To make radio ads more creative, we should start by summarising the brief into one single-minded message and giving that brief to the right person. Experienced creatives write with more confidence and know how to find the intersection between what a brand wants to say and what a listener wants to hear. Finally, by using a director to cast authentic sounding actors, words can be brought to life, rather than simply making them audible.
A single-minded message – and why it’s so important
We listen to audio because it gives us something to do while we’re doing something else. So by keeping our ads simple, we make it easy for listeners to notice and remember them. Plus, it’s so much easier to ideate when you have a clearly defined message to communicate. The one thing every creative wants in a brief… is one thing.
Fine tuning advertising creative for the changing audio landscape
With an ever-increasing range of audio platforms, messages should be tailored to the different ways listeners are listening. But most importantly, brands need to invest in audio branding assets such as an audio logo, voice or brand anthem. They help maximise media spend by aiding attribution and making it easy for the listener to recognise and remember who is talking to them.
Take ownership of the actual message
Our industry isn’t about spots, dots and airtime; it’s about communication. The sooner media planners and buyers take more ownership of the actual message, the sooner their clients will get the sort of ROI that audio advertising can deliver.
Watch the full Relevant Cleverness presentation from TRB’s Power of Audio:
This story is part of a content partnership with The Radio Bureau.
