ENVY COPY
From writing millions of words of advertising copy for radio and TV, I have learned that several emotions can be and are, exploited to make copy sell ideas, products and services. One such emotion to be
consciously played upon is that called “envy”.
The words you contrive to use will suggest to the mind of the hearer or viewer that he or she must have such-and-such a new product before others get theirs. The envy urge is very strong with many people and
easily tapped - especially with those who would deny they have any such feelings - and it is up to you as the copy writer to touch the critical nerve with teasing words and suggestions to encourage them to think about it. Men and
women seem to be equally eager to exceed others. Inject the right words through the voice tones of a skilled announcer, with either a leadership tone of domination or in a subtle, low-key, folksy exchange - almost confidential - with
his audience, and the combination will sell.
You set the tone with your words. Sometimes you might choose to be so plain as to “order” the hearer. “Be among the very first in your neighborhood to own a bright, new .....” Or, more subtle, “Your neighbors will
notice the bright, shiny new in your driveway...” Or, even less obvious: “Can’t you just imagine the sensation a new ______ in your drive way could cause! All the world is excited about the new---”
Yes, I find I often have a target type in mind when writing copy and you find you, too, will select certain people who can be aroused to prompt action by the simple voiced competent finding its way into their
presence. Many radio listeners have a built-in affinity for suggestions and that latent interest can be aroused with forceful, demanding word or two. No one likes to be last...a loser. Far better to the first - and a winner! Your words are
needed to convince that hearer to step forward and be counted among the winners.
Advertising with any aspect of modern living, changes with the times and it can be argued ,with good reason, that radio advertising is not the same powerful tool it was before TV came along. Radio was, at one
time, a forceful, demanding way to advertise and it worked some special miracles for a number of people, but it has changed radically. Commercial copy writers are virtually unknown in radio stations now. They
work largely with agency prepared copy, something older newspaper men used to call “boiler-plate copy” Or, they use copy supplied by the makers of the product as prepared by their agencies. Few stations now use the term “disc
jockey” any more, but when they came into existence they evolved into “personalities”. More and more they came to be sold as stars under titles such as the “Joe Pafoofnick Show!! with clank and clatter of mod music before, during
and after such an opening proclamation. These people sell largely through personality power and they make massive use of tapes done by others. Young people, in particular, respond, as do some older people who are filled with
nostalgic memories of their mis-spent teen age years. They miss the feelings of freedom and mobility they once knew. They are there, too, listening to Joe and many of them still wondering what they want to be when they grow up.
They all tend to buy whatever Joe Paffoofnick tells them to get. He is on their side and they yearn to get close to him. He touches the envy nerve button quite often in his loose, ad-lib manner and “right now”
urgency tone. I often get the feeling he needs to get to the bathroom just as soon as all this is over.
A whole host of current radio shows are labeled as “Talk Shows”.
There are some among them which might better be called “Rant Shows.”
Part of the talk or rant is of a commercial nature and it, once again , is based on personalities, showcased and on a support staff who are seldom mentioned as being essential and which includes writers handing the “star” funny or
sage-like things to “say”.
In most cases, not all, to be fair about it, but many, are what the British radio and TV people call them. To the BBC they are “News Readers” rather than “Commentators” “New Analysts” and other such laudatory
terms applied to the person you see or hear. He is reading “news” prepared some time earlier more often by others than his own hand and, sometimes with a carefully slanted purpose of which you may or may not become aware of
at all. Skilled have been the writers who put the words before him or her to be read in their particular, widely accepted style.
I have dealt briefly with just one way in which copy writers can, and do, touch you, personally. We will talk about others, sometime, if you like - such as “Beat”, “Chicken” and “Funny Bone” copy. Be mong the first to e-mail me
concerning your preference.
A.L.M. September 10, 2002 [c868wds]
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