TVC advertising is a single element of the marketing process. It aims to get the word out concerning your business, product, or the services you are offering. It is not just about the production of the advert but also the placement and frequency of the advert. Companies use TVC advertising with a view to changing their target audiences buying behaviour. If a TVC advert does not drive any conversation among consumers then it is inadequate. Some great examples of TVC adverts which did just this are Ancient Blue Band Margarine, Vicks Kingo, Blue Omo Powerfoam, Kasuku, Tusker Export, Barclays Free ATM, among others. These are still fresh in the minds of most Kenyans. When planning a campaign which involves TVC there are a few things that you must consider:
- Target Audience- First and foremost a company should know who their target audience is when developing an advertising campaign. Your products or services will not appeal to everyone and you will need to decide which is the most effective media channel to use, it may not be TV it might be radio or print media. For example if you are targeting people who live in the rural areas of Kenya TVC advertising will not be appropriate because most people do not have televisions but the majority do listen to radio.
- Simple and Memorable- The target audience won’t work too hard to understand your message thus you should adopt simplicity of approach. If the viewer does not remember the advert after viewing it, the company paying for the advert is simply wasting their time and money. With an effective TVC advertisement, the viewer should be able to clearly recall the key message and the product. That recall is the assurance of an effective advertisement and increases the likelihood that someone will consider a purchase in the future.
- Entertaining- A good TVC advert will inform the consumer about the product or service you have to offer whilst entertaining the potential buyer. Comedy works for me, the more hilarious your TVC advert, the more effective it is likely to be. Creating a parody of recent events is often a good way to incorporate humor into your advertising campaign. If your TVC advert is also available online then you are more likely to have your content shared if it is funny.
- Grabbing Attention- TVC adverts must capture and hold attention and create an emotional reaction to prospective buyers. Nowadays companies work towards storytelling and sparking conversation in their adverts to get people talking. A good example is the current BRITAM TVC advert which informs their would-be customers to be financially ready in all phases of life with their wide range of financial products to avoid being surprised. Getting the attention of those potential customers is crucial, it pays to test several different ideas and choose the one that grabs the most attention, because what consumers say about you as a brand is far more important than what brand says about itself.
Karen Mukami- Marketing Operations Executive
