Connecting With Different Audiences

Connecting with your audience is one of the most important, and also one of the most overlooked, factors in an effective radio ad. Many ads have a broad audience (Ex: “All Ages — Everyone”), but for those ads targeting a specific demographic, it’s valuable to write copy in a voice that connects with those listeners.

Here are some helpful reminders when considering specific audiences:

Don’t call out the audience directly:

Example: “Hey, white-collar men between the ages of 34 and 65…”

The example above sounds unnatural. The audience info section in the brief is there to help you word things in a way that connects with that demographic, not for you to explicitly mention them. It’s better to address them how you would address this group in real-life conversation.

Examples:

“Hey, gentlemen…”

“As a businessman…”

“Are you the man of the house?”

This way, we’re specifically addressing a group without breaking it down in the copy.

Put yourself in their shoes:

When addressing a specific audience, it’s helpful to picture yourself in their shoes. If the ad is targeting senior citizens aged 65+, imagine how would you want to be addressed if you were in that stage of life. What things are relatable that you could mention in the copy? How would you speak to fellow senior citizens? Asking yourself these questions can strengthen the way the messaging is conveyed.

Bad Examples:

“Are you an old senior citizen?”

“Attention people 65 and up…”

Good Examples:

“Are you enjoying retirement?”

“Grandkids are truly a joy…”

In these good examples, I’ve used context clues to establish that we’re speaking to a certain demographic, without explicitly calling them out.

Vary the language and vernacular:
It’s easy to use standard openings and generic filler in a script. But when you really want to connect with a specific audience, it can strengthen your message to capture that demographic’s voice. If you’re connecting with a younger audience, you can probably speak a little more casually and slip in some youthful vernacular (if it fits with the company’s image).

Examples:

“What’s up, y’all…”

“Hit up Joe’s Barber on Facebook…”

These examples speak to a younger crowd without sounding too forced. One thing to keep in mind is to avoid using stereotypes. We all carry stereotypes in the back of our minds — some bad, some good — but it’s important to be aware of these stereotypes and not use them in copy.

For example, if you see the audience says “young urban women”, avoid something like “Oh hey gurrrrrls” or “Yasss, ladies…” These examples seem a little cartoonish and might come off as offensive.

As you approach each new project, I encourage you to spend a little more time considering the audience so that your message more effectively connects with those listeners!

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