Radio Copywriting

If you want to say something important to someone, something that will actually be registered, you never go, “Look: I need you to know seven things.” It’s one. That’s the one thing I want my freelance copywriting clients to know. Even URL’s are less important than your message. People will find you by name. The ideal radio ad script: one idea, persuasively put, with personality. Terry O’Reilly, Canada’s marketing guru as well as a legendary advertising copywriter and radio advertising expert, says it should be 70-75 words. But most radio ads you hear have around 90 or more, which is a big reason why they don’t stick. They’re rushed. And they try to “smooth things out” with too much music and musical “stingers” that you hope will be associated with your name. But unless you have a gigantic budget for repeated listenings, those stingers won’t sting. Advertisers who want people to remember too much in an instant will be instantly forgotten. We remember people by something they did or said or wore that was distinctive or even unusual. Radio ad copywriting should try to do the same thing. What will you say that makes you memorable? Let’s find that out together.

SMALL CHANGE FUND: "GREENBELT"

In November, 2022, when the Ford government suddenly announced plans to annex thousands of acres of Ontario's Greenbelt to build homes, I scrambled to produce a campaign in four days. The former Minister of Environment Communications Adviser said "a few people assumed I had a hand in these. I wish I had!"

SMALL CHANGE FUND: "SECRET SPRAWLER"

In the October 24, 2022 Ontario municipal elections, urban sprawl was a big issue. As a freelance copywriter I developed a radio ad and Facebook ad campaign with this idea: if candidates weren't clear about where they stood on sprawl, they very well could be a "secret sprawler." The Facebook ads were 350% times more effective than the average, and in every region we ran ads in, candidates who declared where they stood were elected.

JACUZZI ONTARIO / THE WELLNESS SHOP

Freelance Copywriting. I've been helping Ontario's biggest Jacuzzi chain with radio ad copywriting and those Jacuzzis have been selling like hot tubs. Ahem. They even extended the last sale and a big reason is the ads, my client Robert Burns told me (click to read the whole testimonial): "Our last event in Kitchener saw a huge spike in traffic and sales which (based on customer feedback) we could directly correlate to the ads Jim had written."

Here's couple of the many I've written so far. I also produced and directed "Waiting," the first one.

ALDERLEA VINEYARDS

Freelance Copywriting. A campaign so successful they ran out of wine. No BS. This tiny award-winning winery in Vancouver island wanted ads that sounded like nothing on the radio, and that reflected their no gift shop, no tour buses, it's all in the bottle mentality.

PFAFF AUTO

Poolhouse Agency. Copywriting for this fast-growing automotive family.

H&M

Roche Macaulay and Partners. Copywriting. This and other radio ads were created for the launch of their flagship New York City store.

MISTER SAFETY SHOES

Freelance Copywriting. With this great client, I created this now long-running campaign for the independent retailer that's grown to 28 stores across Canada.

TORONTO ZOO

Roche Macaulay and Partners. Copywriting. This radio ad promoted the Zoo's record-setting launch of Splash Island.

EINSTEIN BROTHERS BAGELS

Roche Macaulay and Partners. Copywriting. These radio ads for a courageous client -- their food was kind of daring and weird, so the ads couldn't be anything less -- led to a17% increase in sales in a few weeks. The one idea here? Unusual.

COUNCIL OF ONTARIO UNIVERSITIES

Manifest Communications. Creative Direction. Copywriting. The one idea here is that universities contribute a lot.

THE CO-OPERATORS INSURANCE

Roche Macaulay and Partners. Copywriting. Featured on Terry O'Reilly's national radio show.

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