AERIAL AWARDS

CELEBRATING RADIO ADVERTISING WITH RADIOCENTRE

Winners Maria Sousa Machado and Claire Stokes, creatives, BBH I chose this ad because…

With charity ads for the NSPCC and Alzheimer’s in this month’s shortlist, it’s difficult to compare with commercial spots. So I judged on which made the most of a core, everyday challenge: to make even the most uninteresting sound interesting.

Putting messages to music is a simple mechanic that gets a message hummed by the nation. Once, such ads were a staple. Kia-ora’s “just for me and my dog” was regularly sung in my home and “I’m a secret lemonade drinker” conjures fond memories.

And that’s why I’m picking the KFC ad. Simple and effective with its cute little ditty, it’s short and sweet at 20 seconds.

Too many creatives seem to feel longer on radio is better or somehow more complete; neither is true. So at a time when we need smiles, bring on more ditties. “Um Bongo, Um Bongo, they drink it in the Congo…”

How would you encourage creatives to ‘See Radio Differently’?

Casting is key. This sounds obvious, but the right casting can add more than just a great voice, and the best ads come from a sense of play in the session.

Record the ads yourself first. Don’t just read them out loud – play with them, experiment, see what you learn and what evolves from where you started.

Harness the format and do what won’t work on TV.