A More Effective Ministry of Interior Radio Ad

The current ads on the requirements of having a hands-free headset while driving and talking are rather bland. It sounds like the same voice actors. How many bad things can happen to two people? Seriously, the ads are a joke. The English could have been written a bit better and the actors could sound more real instead of sounding like they are reading from a teleprompter or piece of paper.  I’m surprised you can’t make out the “paper shake” sounds in the background, sheesh.  Could it be any worse?

I worked in radio for a while and I did learn a few things.  I am not the best at writing down my thoughts unfortunately… Maybe I will pick up a voice recorder tonight so I can do the audio blogging.  My three questions in relation to this ad are very simple:

  1. What was the target audience?
  2. Why did you use the same voice actors?
  3. Who approved this crap?

I’m assuming the targets of the commercials that you hear on 99.7 were for ex-pats who speak English.  It is an English radio station for the majority of the airtime so it seems logical that these folks were the target.  If they were, you made 3 very big blunders here:

  1. It was written POORLY.
  2. The actors were not believable.
  3. Essentially the radio ads have turned into comic relief and are not taken seriously.

If the main point to get across was that you should wear a hands-free while driving because of a new law, it could have been done so much simpler.  Check this out:

“Due to a new law currently passed in Kuwait, it is illegal to talk on your mobile phone while driving without a hands-free device.  Breaking this law will result in a 50KD penalty and/or possible jail time.” 

I don’t know exactly what the consequences are, but you get the drift.  All of these bogus scenarios are not believable and people tend to mock them instead of take them seriously.  So, to sum up my garbled thrown together post:

  1. Write better English.
  2. Speak better English.
  3. Mention the consequences.

You need to know your audience and how to get their attention.  The thought of running over some imaginary school children or some idiot getting in an accident because he was talking on his cellphone is catchy, but only in a comic relief way.  Give the consequences and maybe people will listen, but kill the late night standup routine.


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Comments

nice blog..

welcome to Safat

Thanks!

I was not even aware I had been added yet.

Dad look out…!
Skreeeech

hi there, i actually work thr where this terrible ad came from!! i just totally agree!

u r so right thanks God someone did write about it

nice blog :)

@Mentabolism: Lol. The skreech made the commercial all that much more believable. (rolls eyes)

@Mulan: Make me a consultant :D I would actually help out with stuff like that if given the chance. Even my work would be a step above what was produced.

@Newbride: Thanks! I didn’t see alot of feedback from it. Couldn’t figure out why.

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