If you missed the last post - go back and read that now before you continue, because today we are discussing how to improve your radio ads for food.
1. Include an Expert View - if you are trying to target those who want healthy eating choices, or, if you don't want to make it juyst about the food, but about the healthier choice.
This could include:
- A Nutritionist - Regardless of who your target audience is, you can’t go wrong with a nutritionist in your radio commercial for food.
The expert can give parents tips on what to feed their children. Or they can give athletes an alternative tummy-filling but lo-calorie meal option.
- A Chef - my preferred choice - why? Because a reputable chef may go a long way in advancing your campaign.
2. Use an authentic, perfect voice - this also means being consistent.
- Food ads, like any other form of advertising, require that you be very specific and consistent with your brand, if you have used an older voice before - use it again.
- If you have a jingle or a song, stick with it for every single ad you run. Doing so will enhance your brand recognition with your target audience.
3. The content of your ad - This is important, don't just run the same ad over and over again - switch it up, otherwise you won't get any different results. For example, make your ad topical, seasonal or focussed on an event. Simply pay attention to what’s going on around you, and mirror that or pre-empt it, you can really take your pick to create the content.
4. The timing of your ad - that means don't just run it BMAD (Breakfast Mornings, Afternoon and Drive)
- You can even two different scripts playing, one for a daytime and night-time. or just drive, or breakfast only - really you can choose your focus.
Next time we start to get really inspired, and start writing the scripts.
Most radio ads for food go something like:
“Wow, your food is soooo tasty! Care to share your secret?”
Listeners are accustomed to this, so much that it doesn’t get their attention anymore. Starting your ad like this makes a poor first impression, and remember a good first impression makes the best impression.
Let the uniqueness of your brand shine in the commercial.
Need help crafting the perfect radio ad? Submit a project with us and we’ll have it ready in a flash!
Use odd words that surprise the listener, thereby drawing all their attention to the radio ad.
Aside from attractive bargains, radio ads for food can make the product sound more appealing. A well-worded script with sounding words (onomatopoeia) can engage the audience’s imagination. It can make them hungry for your food.
The human mind can translate audio information into tastes and smells.
This can induce memories of listeners enjoying the same food. Take advantage of such responses by creating ads featuring sounds like food simmering over a grill or boiling in a pot. Avoid sounds like clattering plates or pans, which are common in most radio ads for food.
Here is an article on how to turn listeners into fans using 30-second radio ads.
Since most ads sound the same, listeners can easily confuse one brand of food for another. Consumers greatly depend on unaided recall when shopping, so if they can recall anything specific about your brand, chances are they won’t buy from you.
Finally, remember that…
Uniqueness can be borrowed
Listen to popular radio ads for food and get inspired to write your own.
Look to renowned fast-food chains like KFC and take a page from their marketing campaigns. As long as you don’t use other people’s ideas as they as, your brand could benefit from using proven radio advertising techniques.
Take this McDonald’s campaign for instance:
The roads have emptied. Only us left. Kids sleeping in back. Cat’s eyes shine bright. White lines roll by. The rhythm of the street lights. Radio hums quietly. Rain starts. Hypnotic wipers. Pull in. Hot latte and apple pie. Ease back into the darkness.
VO: Over 600 McDonald’s open 24 hours. We are awake.
This commercial only mentions food at the end, but it still appeals to consumers. In fact, listening to the ad makes you anticipate for something. The words used are very descriptive, hence inspiring listeners to imagine themselves in a McDonald’s cafe, sipping a hot latte on a cold night.
Your radio ad doesn’t have to be complicated to do the trick. Sometimes, simplicity is the best way to go. Lean into what the consumers want instead of focusing on all your latest offers and newest menu additions. The ad should be relatable, and the best way to achieve this is to put yourself in the shoes of the listener.
best radio ads for food
Types of Radio Ads for Food (and when to use which)
There are various forms of radio ads, and almost all of them can be used when advertising for food.
Live reads involve an announcer’s voice reading from a script.
These are usually incorporated into programs, and the presenter of the program does the reading. In the live read would be the perfect scenario to showcase the trends and how your brand matches up-to them and even beats them. It also presents an opportunity of reading the menus and recipes to your listeners.
Jingles, on the other hand, incorporate a song at the beginning of the ad and the end.
The song provides the opportunity of showing the uniqueness and creativity of your brand.
The songs also influence how much the ad sticks with your listeners.
The timing of the jingle, when done correctly can even induce hunger in an individual who had thought of skipping lunch! It also provides the perfect opportunity to appeal to particular audiences like kids and teenagers.
How music advertising can add to the value of a product.
Situational ads are best when you want to include the view of an expert since they involve dramatization of a script by two or more voices.
These ads can also allow you to hire celebrity voices to represent your brand.
When acting out events in your radio ad, make sure the customer is at the center of it all. Listeners need to feel like they are part of the conversation and not like outsiders looking in.
Situational radio ads for food are more flexible. They allow you to use ‘real’ people that can connect with the audience on an emotional level.
Here is a short guide to understanding and using emotional ads.
Conclusion
Radio ads for food remain to be one of the best ways to market your brand.
For the best results, keep up with trends in the food advertising industry. Always remain true to your brand and do not claim to be something you are not.
Credible and authentic radio commercials for food are an effective tool for engaging the hungry masses. For one, you catch your audience while they are on the move. Many would drive around hungry and dehydrated without such ads on the radio to guide them. Radio ads for food may be the secret source your business needs to get your audience off the driver’s seat and behind a dining table.
