DistinctivelyDifferentCreative
THIS MIND TO REMAIN UNLOCKED DURING
BUSINESS HOURS
Radio TV Outdoor
Print Web
Mike Berlak
Thinking Stuff Up & Writing It Down
mikeberlak@aol.com 980-322-2803
~~~~~
This
is a collection of copy, concepts and characters:
Pictures
and sound that connect.
Rough
ideas and polished productions.
Custom
creations.
One
size fits one.
Let’s
take your measurements and craft creative that works.
Not
for me, but for you.
DistinctivelyDifferentCreative.
________________________________________
Biz-to-Biz with Bob: (radio/tv spot)…
Click
here to hear fully produced audio!
This is Bob.
He’s a “small” businessman.
(Bob:
“Hi there.”)
Actually, Bob is 6-6 and 275, but, you know
what we’re talkin’ about.
When it comes to buying the things his business
needs, Bob gets his paper by the ream, his coffee by the can, and, of course,
gas by the half gallon. When it comes
to marketing his small business, Bob is careful and smart there too.
For logos, ads, brochures and advice, he goes
to a place called the PRstore. Even without the big business budget, Bob
gets big-business-quality on his marketing from the PRstore.
If you’re in small business, market like the
big guys.
After all, you are competing for the same customers!
Visit p-r-store dot com for details and the PRstore location near you.
If you bump into Bob while you’re there, say,
“um, excuse me?”
(Bob:
“That’s OK.”)
The P-R-store.
Medal-Winning Drama. Sort of:
(during the
Olympics)…
“Every
four years, people from the farthest reaches of the globe gather in a spirit of
human cooperation, friendly competition, and good sportsmanship. (Uh, yeah, that’s nice.) Every day of every year, we’re competing to bring you the lowest price on a new
Beemer at BMW of Elk Grove. Our gold-medal deals include 1.9 percent
financing on approved credit, and maintenance included for the first four years. And wait till you see the stunning pageantry of the opening
ceremonies daily in our service department……”
Target Mom:
“Your
child has a fever, and YOU have to go to work.
Now what?!! Now you call
442-6633 because now there’s Kids On The
Mend, the
Dog Talks on Radio:
“Hi, it’s Mr. Unbelievable.
Yes, the DOG. You’ve seen me on
TV, at Toyota of Lake Norman, with
the two humans who walk thru the giant inventory of new cars, trucks, and SUVs,
carrying that wacky sign. The one that
says “
Request for
Spec:
Product: “Perf-It” rack card. This is a two-sided, 4” x 9” card with
a perforation at the bottom for a business card. Please create copy for
both sides. Maximum word count: 125 wds/side
Company:
www.heartlandpaymentsystems.com
(the site has more than enough information)
Objective: To help potential clients understand how easy and profitable
it is to accept credit/debit cards
Target: Small business owners looking to set up credit/debit card
systems
Call to action: Call to schedule a consultation
Mike’s
Copy: (side
1)
BEFORE HEARTLAND:
“Your total is $328.99.
Sorry, we don’t take debit or credit cards. Cash or check only, please.”
Is the customer still
there? Or has she already left the
building in search of a competitor who makes it easy to spend her money?
Don’t lose valuable sales with roadblocks at the cash register. Heartland
Payment Systems makes it easy and
profitable for you to offer state-of-the-art credit and debit card
transaction processing. And that means
your customers spend more time selecting what
to buy and less time worrying about how
to buy it.
Visit us online at www.heartlandpaymentsystems.com
And then, turn this card over to see your future!
Mike’s Copy: (side 2)
AFTER HEARTLAND:
“That’s $451.26. Is that credit, or debit? Thanks!
Come again!”
Now you’re really in
business…with customer focus even at the register! Find out how to make it happen for you. Discover the advantages of having full-service credit/debit card
payment processing available to your customers. And hear how Heartland’s
24/7 small business support center makes it easy for you! Call us at
888-963-3600, or direct-dial the Personal Relationship Manager whose card
you’ll find below to set up a friendly, no-pressure consultation.
Theater of the Mind: (radio station contest)…
“A big
bag of money sits precariously perched on the diving board. At any minute it could just up and cannonball
into the pool! Creating what experts
refer to as a giant summertime “Splash of Cash!” When you witness this phenomenon (weekday afternoons on Lite102.9), be caller 25 at
1-866-525-WINS and scoop up five thousand
dollars in cool, soggy, wet cash.
Ahh…refreshing!”
A Little Offbeat:
“And now, a commercial for dirt. You know, dirt. Great stuff. Comes in several fashionable earth-tone colors…never gets
dirty…and works better than anything else to plant stuff in. Maybe that’s why more people use dirt as the
basic ingredient in both their front and back yard landscaping! If you’ve just moved into a brand new home,
and your yards look like the moon, get some dirt. Get best quality topsoil from the garden department at Lowe’s. Seven locations around
Not a Mac:
(#1 = perky
yet nerdy puppy)
(#2 =
gruff/sarcastic cat)
#1 Hello, I’m a mutt!
#2 Yeah, and I’m a PC: Pussy. Cat.
#1 Adopt me today at the Humane Society of Charlotte and I’ll jump all over you when you get home, and look at you with these really cute puppy-dog eyes.
#2 Ah, who wants that noise? Pick me and I’ll lay there on your favorite chair in a big fluffy ball lookin’ at you like you’re an idiot.
#1 The Humane Society of Charlotte is the place.
#2 Whatever.
#1 Details and directions at humane society of charlotte dot org.
#2 I think I’m gonna go “finick” now.
Posted
in radio
programming by mikeberlak on March 17, 2008
Social Networking on the Radio?
How would we do that?
Much has been written about the
challenge of competing with all the newer web-based technologies. Should
we compete with i-Pods by trying to sound like i-Pods? Can we
make headway with users who find their web networks more personal by
making our radio stations less personal? Are we rocket
scientists or aren’t we?
I had an idea for a way to really engage the audience…to “socially network,” if
you will…via a traditional broadcast facility. Here in my home market,
I’d call it SoundCharlotte and an
entire website of explanation awaits your click here.
Yeah, it’s just a little of what they used to call “full service,” but with a
21st-century presentation, and a LOT of two-way, immediate, interaction with
our users.
Your Attention, Please:
(15-second TV spot for female
targeted radio station)…
* Video:
hunky guy sits on stool just “smoldering” --
* Audio: female
voiceover sounding rather “coy” –
Ladies, a
reminder to listen to Lite102.9 while
you work.
* Video:
guy removes t-shirt, station logo appears over his chest --
Want to see that
again so you don’t forget?
* Video:
instant replay of shirt removal and station logo --
Now every time
you think of this, you’ll want to do this…
* Video: digital radio dial scans and stops on
“102.9” –
* Audio: voiceover changes to male announcer --
The at-work
station…Lite102.9.
* Video: animated station logo --
You’ve got to SEE this one! Here’s a link to the
finished, produced version of the above spot.
Heritage:
“Your great grandfather
bought his first car right here. As did
your grandpa. And your dad. Throughout the years, as automobiles grew into
the high tech machines they are today, we’ve been here. Throughout the generations…we’ve been your
life-long transportation company. We’re Hallowell
Chevrolet, and we’re celebrating 75 years of service from our family to
yours. Hallowell Chevrolet. We’re
here for you. On Shaw, just east of
Puts It In Perspective:
“The standard one-dollar bill measures 6 and one-eighth inches in length.
A hundred and two
THOUSAND one-dollar bills, laid end-to-end, would stretch 9.86 miles…roughly
the distance on I-77 from Uptown
If you taped them
all together, you’d have a ribbon of cash long enough to stretch from the
sidewalk to the top of the Bank of
If you spread ‘em
all out, 102,000 dollar bills would cover all the floor space in
five-and-a-half 2,000 square foot homes!
It’s a
And one lucky Lite102.9 listener will have 102
seconds to carry away all they can…”
7 Words on a Billboard:
(outdoor concept for new radio station challenging Mix 96, the longtime “at-work” leader)…
Proposal:
(for new
broadcast station format…)
I’m looking
for an adventurous broadcast company here in the Queen City to host and support
an exciting new approach to local radio I call “SoundCharlotte.” Here's some of what makes the
concept different: It's a station where the
city is the “star,” one that really is a local portal for Charlotte
headlines, weather, scores, community info, and maybe a quick comment on
today’s “Topic A.” Although music is
not the main focus, the blend of songs is unlike any other,
and you help build the music list on a real-time basis. Plus,
something shocking: local artists and actual listener requests. It's big on audience participation...instant
“earwitness” reports, the occasional lost dog announcement, and a “happy
birthday” shout-out to your 8-year-old. Yes, "social
networking" on the radio!
What will it sound like? Imagine "fast-paced morning show" all day long...no
12-in-a-row sweeps, but no too-hip-for-the-room, momentum halting, insider
talkfests either. With a fun, friendly, live, conversational host
moving quickly and engaged with what's going on today in our town. A
foreground sound with music carefully selected to reach the largest 25-54
adult audience...a variety of songs most everyone knows...from all the biggest
genres...a little bit "Jack," a little more "pop."
With occasional hours of instant, online song selection just to keep it
interesting. But, in breaking an old-time radio paradigm, the music
is not the star here...the city, its people, and the information
they want IS. Local, informative,
relative, entertaining...all between some of the best songs ever. That's
why this format is way different than anything on the radio (or the web) right
now. That's why it's called “Sound Charlotte.”
If you listen, you'll feel like everyone else in town does
too! Imagine the ratings and revenue
opportunities to be had by actually giving the customer what she
wants!
Act Now:
“A couple weeks ago, The Arthur Murray Dance Studio made an
incredible offer on this station. 10
lessons, 20 bucks. A lot of people
flat-out didn’t believe it. Some tried
to adjust their sets for proper reception.
But the smart ones jammed the lines at 971-35-50 and took advantage of
this honest-to-goodness great deal. 10
lessons, 20 bucks for the whole shebang at Arthur
Murray. And, this week only,
against their better judgement, they’re doing it again……”
How’s My Driving?
(bumper sticker for radio station fleet vehicles)…
Inside Information:
“Psssst! Listen closely. Sometime during the next 60 seconds, on this station,
we’ll tell you how to pay half-price for any set of premium speakers in the store
at all
OK,
let’s do it now. To get your speakers
at half-price, just do these three
things:
One: Go
to any
Three:
Buy any complete system (including receiver and CD player) and get the speakers
for half-price……”
Hah!
(“Head
On-style” image sweeper for radio station)…
“107.9 The Link: Apply directly to the
eardrums.”
Click here to hear AUDIO SAMPLES!
I concepted, wrote, and directed the production of this radio station branding and image material:
http://offsitepd.com/audioproduction/
Local Connection:
(website
caption)…
You’re Kidding, Right?
“We’re sorry.
We ordered too much money, and now we’ve got to get it out of here
before new money arrives! Want
some? Just watch for us to flash your name
on the screen tonight during Fox News
Edge on Fox
Makes Cents:
“Introducing
a store where you’ll find brand names like Levi, Guess, Liz Claiborne, Esprit,
Calvin Klein, and Ralph Lauren. A store
where you’ll find those brands at a fraction of their new cost. Because, well, the stuff’s not new! The store is Sac’s Thrift Avenue on Fruitridge, just 3 blocks east of 99. It’s
Good Lookin’:
(collaborated
A LOT on logo, colors, and layout of outdoor campaign)…
