Copywriting is hard, mentally exhausting and a little tedious.
The basics of radio scripts are that they need to be engaging, informing, clear and within a time frame or spots. The three main spots that a radio script usually follows are 15 seconds, 30 seconds and 45 seconds.
Using the 15 second spot means delivering information as quickly and concisely as possible. A 30 second script allows for a more informative ad but not enough to create a visual story. 45 seconds is the golden time, in my opinion but reaching 45 seconds is extremely hard without babbling on. So therefore, my highest respects go to all the great Copywriters out there who pump out brilliant ads one after the other. You probably have a pocket dictionary and a quick witted mind.
My experience writing a script for a radio ad was horrible, my timing was off and my humor was forced all the whilst trying to create an informative and engaging piece of creative which will speak to the target audience.
I wrote a total of 6 ads, 3 were for Qantas and the target market of young professional women, with style, luxury and a passion for fine dining. The last 3 were for a company called Attic Ladders, who specialize in room conversions and installing ladders. The target audience was high earning mothers, with degrees behind them, high achievers with young children. So the copywriting was essentially a cheese fest of words, clumped together with a few sound effects and sloppy call to actions.
BUT THEN! Two incredible voice actors came into my copywriting and radio class, and turned my clumpy script into something that you may actually hear on the radio. My script came to life! So then what’s next? Well I transformed from a copywriter to a sound engineer and clipped, glued, equalized the creative until it became the advertising.
It was a stressful, intense 3 days coming up with the script and an even harder 6 hours piecing it together in my final assessment, the Radio Workshop. But I made it! I’m alive! and I probably won’t attempt copywriting again, i’ll leave that to the sharp-tongued, quick witted, humor filled professionals.
Always,
Caitlin.
Caitlin Louise Thomas 