Lights. Camera. Action! Tips for Launching Your Brand on TV. - Issue: 2001 Qtr 1
You have an approved Brand strategy document in hand. You have a budget number in mind. Now the time has come to put your Brand on television. How exciting! So now what? Exactly what do you need to do to launch a successful television campaign? Here are a few tips for what to expect.
1. Don't approach broadcast like print.
Don't think about television like a print campaign. For example, print media is purchased with regard to publications with the best CPMs (Cost Per Thousand) per target audience. Television media is selected based on ADIs (Areas of Dominant Influence), CPPs (Cost Per Points) and GRPs (Gross Rating Points). Also, print ads are designed to speak to you without sound, whereas television has sound as well as movement. The best television campaigns take advantage of these two critical elements to present viewers a story.
2. Read the television scripts "Video" side first.
Television commercials begin with the script -- usually presented in a traditional two-column format with video on the left and audio on the right. Successful television commercials come to life first visually, then are supported with solid copy. You should see the proposed commercial in your mind first from reading the "Video" column, then hear it through the words written in the "Audio" column of the script. If the audio doesn't seem to support the video, it most definitely won't after it's shot.
3. Be prepared to pay for good talent - sometimes even after the campaign is over.
Many people aren't prepared for the complexities involved with the hiring of actors or "talent" used in commercials. There are two kinds of actors or "talent": "Union" and "Non-union." Individuals categorized as "Union Talent" are paid based on how many times a commercial airs which is determined by your media schedule. In addition, if a commercial featuring union talent is used again in the future, you can end up paying "holding fees" for the time the commercial wasn't on the air, in addition to more "usage fees." These fees can add up to thousands of dollars, depending on how many actors you have in a commercial. Your only alternatives are to use "Non-union" talent or even your own employees or friends in your commercial, depending on the creative approach. However, if the actors are not able to do the job adequately, it can sometimes result in additional production costs (e.g. re-shoots, production schedule overages, etc.).
4. Don't expect to produce a television spot overnight.
With the advent of the computer, turnaround times on print projects have shortened dramatically in the past few years -- from a few weeks to just a few days. Unfortunately, the broadcast production process is generally still a lengthy process. You still have to figure days for:
- Developing the script
- Casting
- Finding the right locations
- Audio and music edits
- Producing station "dubs"
In general, the average television campaign takes at least a month to produce -- from the date of the approved script.
5. Expect to make lots of little but important decisions along the way.
There's an old saying in the television business that if something goes wrong while shooting a commercial, we can "fix it in edit." Sometimes this is true, but more often it is not. There are many critical decisions made along the production process that cannot be corrected in edit. For example, if your commercial features a celebrity spokesperson that is later discovered to be inappropriate (e.g. "The O.J. Simpson Syndrome"), you'll probably have no choice but to pull the commercial from rotation and reshoot altogether. Likewise, if your company's legal department decides a certain word used throughout the commercial to describe your brand is legally incorrect, you may have to go all the way back to the drawing board. So it's important to be aware of the importance of every decision throughout the process and to make good judgment calls.
6. Work with a good production company.
With all the details involved with any television commercial, it's all the more important that you work with an experienced production company, one that's familiar with every aspect of broadcast production -- filming, talent, locations, makeup, wardrobe, directors, music production, logistics, special effects, etc. Chances are, your communications agency will have worked with several and can recommend companies that offer varying levels of expertise and expense. A good production company may cost a little more, but it can be well worth it in the long run -- making the process a smooth and pleasurable one for everyone involved.
Once you're aware of the major issues involved with launching a Brand television campaign, you can be more prepared to address them. If you'd like to talk more about how you can get your Brand off the ground and onto people's screens, give us a call at 317-873-8100. We'll help you determine if television is indeed the best way to launch your Brand.
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