Copywriting for TV and Radio Commercials
Copywriting for the electronic Media: A practical guide
Milan D. Meeske
Basic Mechanics
Copy Appearance
Radio Script Format Conventions:
i. Write on one side of the page only
ii. Double-space all copy
iii. Write instructions for sound effects and music ALL IN CAPS, and underline
iv. Write talent instructions – for example, (WHISPER) or (LAUGH) – in parentheses, and capitalize
v. Write all spoken copy in upper and lowercase
vi. Put only one spot on a page
vii. Write speaker’s names ALL IN CAPS.
Television Script Format Conventions:
i. Write on one side of the page only; two columns - one for video and other for audio
ii. Video instructions in capital letters
iii. All spoken audio in upper and lowercase
iv. Audio instructions for sound effects and music ALL IN CAPS, and underline
v. Single space video and double space audio
vi. Double space between speakers and shot changes
vii. Keep the audio and video for a given scene opposite each other as much as possible
Neatness
Make your script error-free
Proof read
Make edits clearly
Your are invited to the frand opening (Copy with errors)
You are invited to the grand opening (edited copy)
Your are invited to the frand opening (Correct way to edit the copy)
Simplification
Abbreviations: avoid. They cause confusion
Organisations that are well known – continue to use it that way.
Separate each letter with a hyphens
, i. YMCA – Y-M-C-A
ii. UNICEF – U-N-I-C-E-F
Those that cause confusion, use the acronym followed by the expanded form
i. MADD, Mothers Against Drunken Driving
ii. WHO, World Health Organization
Time of the Day:
i. Avoid using AM or PM
ii. The scale begins tomorrow at 9 am
iii. The scale begins tomorrow morning at 9
Use Contractions
i. Aren’t/ doesn’t/ don’t/ he’s/she’ll
ii. It is not warm today
Clichés and superlatives
Bad Copy
i. Think Tasty Food, Think XYZ restaurant
ii. It serves amazingly fantastic delicious food
Lead-in question
Point of view:
Punctuations
Radio Industry India
INR 31.3 Billion
4.2% of total revenue of the media and entertainment industry
Services, Auto, BFSI, Food and Beverages, and retail – top spenders on radio ads
Radio Umang – India’s first online radio station launched in2018
Sport Flashes – 24/7 internet-based radio channel with dedicates sports content
Radio is the theatre of mind
Most portable means of mass communication
Remains one of the chief means for entertaining and informing
The listener and the writer
Listener Writer
Build Scenery Provides material to build the scenery
Does the costuming Decides the fabric with which to fashion the
costume
Decides what the face behind the voice looks like Features from which to form the face.
Copywriting for the electronic Media: A practical guide
Milan D. Meeske
Basic Mechanics
Copy Appearance
Radio Script Format Conventions:
i. Write on one side of the page only
ii. Double-space all copy
iii. Write instructions for sound effects and music ALL IN CAPS, and underline
iv. Write talent instructions – for example, (WHISPER) or (LAUGH) – in parentheses, and capitalize
v. Write all spoken copy in upper and lowercase
vi. Put only one spot on a page
vii. Write speaker’s names ALL IN CAPS.
Television Script Format Conventions:
i. Write on one side of the page only; two columns - one for video and other for audio
ii. Video instructions in capital letters
iii. All spoken audio in upper and lowercase
iv. Audio instructions for sound effects and music ALL IN CAPS, and underline
v. Single space video and double space audio
vi. Double space between speakers and shot changes
vii. Keep the audio and video for a given scene opposite each other as much as possible
Neatness
Make your script error-free
Proof read
Make edits clearly
Your are invited to the frand opening (Copy with errors)
You are invited to the grand opening (edited copy)
Your are invited to the frand opening (Correct way to edit the copy)
Simplification
Abbreviations: avoid. They cause confusion
Organisations that are well known – continue to use it that way.
Separate each letter with a hyphens
, i. YMCA – Y-M-C-A
ii. UNICEF – U-N-I-C-E-F
Those that cause confusion, use the acronym followed by the expanded form
i. MADD, Mothers Against Drunken Driving
ii. WHO, World Health Organization
Time of the Day:
i. Avoid using AM or PM
ii. The scale begins tomorrow at 9 am
iii. The scale begins tomorrow morning at 9
Use Contractions
i. Aren’t/ doesn’t/ don’t/ he’s/she’ll
ii. It is not warm today
Clichés and superlatives
Bad Copy
i. Think Tasty Food, Think XYZ restaurant
ii. It serves amazingly fantastic delicious food
Lead-in question
Point of view:
Punctuations
Radio Industry India
INR 31.3 Billion
4.2% of total revenue of the media and entertainment industry
Services, Auto, BFSI, Food and Beverages, and retail – top spenders on radio ads
Radio Umang – India’s first online radio station launched in2018
Sport Flashes – 24/7 internet-based radio channel with dedicates sports content
Radio is the theatre of mind
Most portable means of mass communication
Remains one of the chief means for entertaining and informing
The listener and the writer
Listener Writer
Build Scenery Provides material to build the scenery
Does the costuming Decides the fabric with which to fashion the
costume
Decides what the face behind the voice looks like Features from which to form the face.
