Page 200 - Duct Tape Marketing

184 Part III: Creating and Placing Ads

Producing TV Ads

People spend more time with the television than with any other advertising
medium. I saw it on TV has become a mark of having made it into the adver-
tising major leagues. To get there, though, be prepared to make a financial
commitment. Successful television advertisers have two things in common:
They earmark adequate ad production budgets and they fund media sched-
ules that span at least a multi-month period. If you can do both those
things — produce a quality ad and fund an adequate schedule — TV advertis-
ing will deliver awareness and credibility for your business.

If your market is limited to a concise geographic area, you can use the ever-
increasing number of cable channels to air your ads at a fraction of the price
of major station ad rates. But remember that even if the time charge is low,
the production value of the ad you air needs to be high enough to represent
your business well in this competitive advertising arena.

Overseeing creation of your TV ad

Notice that this section isn’t titled “Creating Your TV Ad.” Do not create your
own television ad, your own marketing video, or any other moving-picture
product. Ever.

Why the insistence? Consider this: Your ad will play to an audience that has
been trained to expect feature-film quality and Nike-style concepts. To com-
pete on a small-business budget, you need a strong, simple ad concept and
clean, well-edited visuals. The first step toward making a good impression is
to get help from those who deal in television ads daily.

Hiring professionals

As you select a creative partner, rely on the following resources:

ߜ Advertising agencies: Big agencies serve major advertising accounts on
annual contracts. They often accept large project work as well, but if you
want to receive major attention for a fairly small project, interview small
agencies to evaluate their talents, expertise, costs, and availability.

ߜ Video production services: Look under Video Production in the Yellow
Pages and you’ll find businesses specializing in everything from wedding
memories to digital production. Look for a studio that offers creative
services, script writing, production, and editing services.

ߜ TV station production facilities: Local stations can create your ad for
“almost nothing,” but get a bid anyway. To those who deal with TV
advertising daily, “nothing” could be enough to break your bank.