If you do any radio or television advertising, then you know it's incredibly expensive, generally ineffective, and often a poor use of your promotional money. But it doesn't have to be that way. You can break through the clutter, get people's attention, and build name recognition by doing something a little different. We call it problem-solving with a dose of humor. People love to be entertained, and they love to see a problem followed by a solution. When you tickle their funny bones, they will remember you.
Any time you're creating ads, whether for print or broadcast media, try to use this formula: Problem + Solution + Humor = Impact.
One of the best examples of the problem, solution, and humor formula is an ad by the Hertz car-rental company. A gentleman walks up to a shabby car-rental establishment and explains he'd like to rent a Bronco. The shady employee behind the counter quickly fills out the paper and takes his money. Then the camera switches to this poor guy on top of a horse bucking, kicking, and giving him a hard time. Unfortunately, he's been duped. Then the camera switches to Hertz and shows how they go above and beyond to deliver a real Bronco (manufactured by Ford) and provide customer service like no one else.
TAKEAWAY
If your advertising is just like everyone else's,
you'll probably get about the same results
everyone else does. Break through the clutter
with a healthy dose of creativity and humor.