Humanize your commercial client

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Jeffrey HedquistPeople buy from people, not from institutions. Advertisers often forget this, and are more concerned about their perfect “image” than about relating to their audience as fellow human beings.  It’s not a perfect world, and listeners recognize this, so a commercial that tries to portray the advertiser as perfect, doesn’t ring true. Let the audience in on your client’s little faults, the chinks in the armor.  For example, the car dealer who says, “We have the best deals, the biggest selection, the friendliest salespeople, but…our coffee’s not so good,” allows the listener to discover his embarrassing secret.  Don’t be afraid to joke about your hard-to-find location, the tacky sign you inherited from the former owner, the boss’s idiosyncrasies.


A little self-effacing humor can go a long way. So many commercials are over-serious about praising a mythically perfect advertiser. Give listeners something to smile about.  If a listener can say “Yeah, that’s me. I’ve done that.” Or “OK, the advertiser is a human being. His product or service is pretty darn good, but he’s not trying to hype me.” you’ve established a bond.  Now your audience is involved.

Give your client the opportunity to poke fun at himself, or at least admit that he’s human and punch up sales.

–Jeffrey Hedquist, President/Creative Director, Hedquist Productions, Inc.

Hedquist is known as “Advertising’s Storyteller.” He’s a commercial creator who’s won more than 700 advertising awards for clients in 45 states.

He’s a consultant for broadcasters, advertising agencies and clients worldwide delivering results by improving commercials. You’ve heard his voice on national commercials for Goodyear, Ford, American Heart Association, Sunbeam, Delta Airlines, Time-Life, Dutch Boy Paint, Boston Market and NAPA.

He is a member of the RAB’s Creative Council, the advisory board of the National Audio Theatre Festival and the Radio Mercury Awards as well as being one of its judges.

He’s the author of “60-Second Copywriter,” “Top Ten Radio Writers Block Busters,” “How To Sell More On the Radio Using Stories” and is a major contributor to Valerie Geller’s book “Beyond Powerful Radio.”

http://www.hedquist.com

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To get your very own free copy of “Hedquist’s List of 245 Cliches,” email [email protected] and I’ll send them. Guaranteed to reduce commercial effectiveness.