Writing Effective Dialogue for Video Ads

by: Paul Schissler

Narration in film has become a trope because it’s often used as shorthand to tell the viewer what is going on instead of using dialogue or action to show us. The same can be argued about video commercial scripts. Writing effective dialogue for a video ad is hard, but it can make the commercial stand out when done well.

Like with radio ads, using dialogue in an acted out scene for a video ad allows you to get creative with the presentation of information and the call-to-action from the brief. Dialogue gives an ad a more conversational feel that viewers can relate to — maybe a family discusses plans for dinner or two neighbors introduce themselves. Dialogue can create a scenario that the viewer can see themselves in. Take a look at this old Taco Bell ad that uses a funny interaction between new neighbors:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJofBWPO_pU

This ad uses funny dialogue to promote a new taco at Taco Bell. Notice how the conversation between the actors mentions the brand and the new product without dominating the conversation. At the heart of the commercial, this is a moment between new neighbors and not just a man who is peddling Taco Bell.

When writing dialogue, say the lines out loud to make sure it sounds like a real conversation. Figuring out how to include the information from the brief, like the call-to-action and slogan, can be tricky and can easily lead to forced dialogue.

For example:
Husband: “Hi, wife. Did you know Wendy’s is offering two-dollar cheeseburgers?”
Wife: “Wow, husband! I didn’t know Wendy’s was offering two-dollar cheeseburgers! Let’s go to Wendy’s located on Highway Five now!”

Doesn’t sound much like a conversation between a husband and wife, does it?

When writing an acted out scene for a video ad, it’s helpful to assign names to your characters. Naming your actors can also help you get into character with the conversation. Thinking about what “FRANCESCA” would say opens you up a bit more creatively than “WOMAN 1.”

Here’s a better example of the husband-wife dialogue:

DARREN: “Hey, honey. I would love Wendy’s for lunch.”
FRANCESCA: “Yeah? Then why don’t you just marry Wendy’s?”
CUT TO: Darren inside a dream of marrying Wendy’s
PRIEST: “Do you, Darren, take this Wendy’s two-dollar burger to be your…”
CUT BACK TO PRESENT:
DARREN: “But right now they have two-dollar burgers.”
FRANCESCA: “Well, maybe we should both marry Wendy’s.”

Here we establish their relationship without saying “husband” and “wife.” We also incorporate the brand and product into their conversation while showing their dynamic as a couple.

One thing to keep in mind as you write dialogue for video scripts is to make sure that the visual elements align with what’s being said. For example, are Francesca and Darren standing in a field? Sitting on a couch? Doing the dishes together? Here are helpful tips on avoiding “white room syndrome.”

If your characters are already talking to each other at the beginning of the commercial, be sure that the video description doesn’t say something like “EXT shot of house. The camera fades into the kitchen. Francesca and Darren walk into the kitchen.” In that case, the video description should have something like “OPEN on Francesca and Darren talking in the kitchen.”

Some calls to action, slogans, and/or disclaimers can be awkward to throw into the middle of a conversation. So, it can be useful to use an announcer VO at the end with text to deliver these messages.

Example:

Friend 1: “Your hair looks amazing! Where did you go?”

Friend 2: “I know, right! I went to Hair Palace. You have to go.”

Announcer: “Make an appointment with Hair Palace today at hair palace dot com. Hair Palace — Treat your hair!”

Take some time to watch commercials with acted out scenes. Take note of how they dive into the conversation, present the brand/product, and then wrap up the exchange.

If you’d like to earn money writing TV ads, check out WriteLabel.com to see how you can become a contributing writer. And if you’re looking for great content for your business, Write Label also offers custom scripts on demand.