The copywriter in a radio or television station’s advertising department writes the copy of words that are heard in the advertisements the station airs. Most advertising copy aired nationally is written by the advertiser’s agency. There are, however, many local, cable, or syndicated advertisements that must be prepared by the advertising department of television or radio stations. The copywriter has varied responsibilities and duties, depending on the size and structure of the station and its advertising department. In smaller stations the copywriter might be responsible for everything from conceiving the ad idea to producing it and getting it on the air. In larger stations the individual may just be responsible for writing the copy. Whatever the responsibilities, the end result is basically the same: the copywriter must develop creative, effective, unique, and stimulating copy for ads.
Depending on the size and structure of the department, the copywriter may be responsible for developing an entire advertising campaign for an advertiser. At times he or she may just be required to write the copy for one ad. Advertisers usually have their own ideas of how the ad should sound and the information to be included. The copywriter must listen to the client’s ideas and try to come up with something the advertiser likes that is effective.
The copywriter can work with either the salespeople or the advertisers themselves in order to obtain a feel for the points they want to get across in an ad and to learn about the audience they are trying to reach. If the product or service advertised is new to the copywriter, he or she may visit the advertiser’s place of business to learn more about the product. The copywriter might also review copy from previous advertisements and from competing advertisements to develop ideas.
The copywriter may have to write a number of different drafts of copy for ads. The copy will then have to go to the advertiser for approval. The advertiser has the option of changing ad copy at any time. For example, he or she may hear or see the ad aired once and then decide that it won’t do the job. The copywriter will then have to start all over. The copywriter must be able to write in a variety of styles, from straight copy to dialogue. He or she must have the ability to write scripts for the actors and actresses who will be reading the lines. The dialogue must be crisp, clear, and believable. The individual may also have to write instructions for special sound effects, voiceovers, or stage directions if the ad is visual.
In larger stations the copywriter may work with producers, directors, and senior copywriters. The individual writing copy for a television advertisement as opposed to a radio ad also works with art directors, graphic designers, models, and camera people.
Successful copywriters have the ability to write advertising copy in such a way that the ad will stimulate enough interest in a product or service that a consumer will buy. Radio and television ads are often tested by advertisers through discount offerings or a special prize to a buyer indicating where he or she heard a particular ad.
The copywriter must be able to condense his or her words into the required time frame of the commercial. The individual may be asked to write copy for longer ads that can also be used for shorter spots. For example, the advertiser may want to run some 90-second commercials and some 30-second spots. Often the copywriter may put the “fluff” of the ad at the beginning and just delete it for the shorter time slots. The copywriter might also be asked to write copy that can be used jointly for both television and radio advertising.
Copywriters who are writing for televised ads may be asked to do their preliminary copy in storyboard fashion. In this way the advertiser can see from word to word what will be happening graphically when the words are spoken. The copywriter has to work on many different projects at one time and finish them on tight deadlines. Advertisers usually want their ad written as soon as they decide that they want to advertise. The individual in this position must be able to handle the pressures of tight deadlines as well as the stress that can occur from having to constantly come up with creative copy for ads.
Depending on the structure of the advertising department at the station, the individual may be responsible to a senior copywriter or to the advertising manager. This type of position usually has normal working hours. However, an individual may often bring work home or may be asked to stay late to finish needed copy for a project.
Annual earnings for copywriters working in television or radio station advertising departments vary greatly depending on the size of the station, the location of the station, and the responsibilities and experience of the individual. Annual earnings for copywriters range from $23,000 to $48,000 plus. Salaries are usually lower in small-market radio and television. These positions, however, are useful because they afford the individual with no experience a chance at employment. Salaries go up for individuals with experience. Earnings are also higher in larger cities with middle- and large-market stations.
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Note: This article was sent to us by: Andrew Scott at 04202010
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