Know the rules of radio advertising when writing your ad message
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates radio airwaves. It has very strict rules about what can be communicated over the radio, including advertising messages. Your radio ad will be rejected by the station if it does not meet these regulations, because the station can be fined if it does not comply with the FCC's guidelines. To follow radio advertising rules when writing your ad copy, keep a few important details in mind.
Profanity
When writing your ad copy, you may be tempted to add mild profanity to the wording to grab listeners' attention, but this is a no-no. The FCC bases its ruling on whether a word is profane by asking if (1) the average person finds it obscene, (2) the word or phrase is offensive or sexual in nature, and (3) the word has any specific value in relation to politics, science, art or the literary world. If the answers are not "no" to the first two questions and "yes" to the last question, leave the word out of your radio advertisement.
No Misleading Ads
Your ad must not be misleading. You cannot lie outright about a deal that does not exist to get leads. For instance, you cannot tell your customers that they will get a 20-percent discount on a product and then change the story when they call your company. Avoid being deceptive in any way that could be construed as intentionally misleading to potential customers. Be direct, unambiguous and completely truthful in your advertising message. Provide complete details about your offer, such as the end date, get the offer and who is eligible for the offer, or your ad could be considered misleading.
No Tobacco Ads
Since the Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act of 1969, you cannot advertise cigarettes or other tobacco ads on the radio. Do not attempt to write ads for cigarettes, and avoid making any reference to tobacco products in your radio advertisements unless they are public service announcements.
Be Socially Responsible
One of the main reasons the FCC has such tight rules is that regulators want radio stations and their advertisers to be socially responsible. These ads will most likely be heard by children, families and a wide variety of people from different cultures, so it is important to keep all these groups in mind when you are writing your ad.
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