Less Is More!
What is the biggest mistake a company makes when advertising their business or service? Trying to cram too much information into a :30 second commercial. It is really common to want to place everything about your goods and services within your ads, but the problem is you are wasting money with this approach. Here is why!
The average viewer will only remember 1, maybe 2 points from any commercial. Contrary to popular belief (sarcasm), viewers do not sit around with a pencil. So knowing this, your job should be to make sure you are guiding them properly to the ultimate goal of remembering your brand and “one” way to get in touch with you. It really is that simple.
What business category do you think is guilty of trying to place too much information into their advertisements?
Im Your Ad Guy 
I think the biggest challenge for advertisers is how will they put something on the screen as I go flying past it at 2x,6x or 30x speed after I have recorded a show on my TV recorder… I often record a show and start 20 mins into it so I can watch it advert free, but I wonder why no one has come up with a splash screen to grab peoples attention as we go flying by :o)
I am surprised it is not already in play also. It is not a software problem…it is a hardware problem. All of the content platforms such as cable, dish etc…will have to agree on something for once. The DVR is just one answer. The moment that televisions (monitors) all have hard drives, it will happen. The best part of all of this is, advertising will be (generally) less obtrusive and more efficient.
Thanks for the comment. I enjoy the conversation.
This is one of my pet peeves. When a 30 second commercial contains 45 seconds of information, there is just too much to process. Pick two, maybe three copy points (one of which is reserved exclusively for branding) and don’t make the viewer feel like he or she is being given a “speed flash card test”. Any producer who can convince the advertising client to take the “less is more” approach with their commercial is doing the client a tremendous favor, NOT a disservice!
As a voice over artist, you would know. It is getting easier to encourage clients to minimize the copy they place in their commercials. It is definitely for the better of the client and the viewer. Thanks for the conversation Larry.