Commercial Twists On The Familiar

You give your stories power when you tap into the familiar in the lives of your listeners. Much of our shared experience in the twenty-first century is in the form of audio.

Creating a radio commercial based on these sound experiences can establish resonance with your audience and give you some great opportunities for humor ... if you deliver a twist on the familiar.

Let the audience know that it's a parody fairly soon into the story.

A talking toy with an attitude, a car navigation system that makes personal comments about the driver, a discount store price check that mentions lower prices at the advertiser's store, a disclaimer that takes up the entire commercial ... there are endless possibilities. Okay, not endless, but quite a few.

Here are some suggested references:

• Airline pilots announcements
• Flight attendants' instructions
• Elevator voice prompts
• Talking toys
• Video games
• Computer voices
• Discount stores p.a. announcements: price checks, lost children, etc.
• Fast Food Drive In speakers
• Airport announcements - bags, smoking, flights
• GPS navigation voice
• Voice mail - preprogrammed announcements
• On-hold announcements
• Store or mall closing announcements
• Instructional audio
• Public transportation exit announcements
• On-stage concert announcements
• Hotel wake up calls
• Political candidates - mobile loudspeaker announcements
• Public radio sponsorships
• Pre-recorded telemarketing
• On-air equal time apologies
• Disclaimers
• Supermarket clerks asking for a price check
• School p.a. announcements: menus, daily activities
• Hospital paging
• Carnival barker
• Ringside boxing announcer
• Sports play-by-play

Each of the above is begging to be parodied, so answer the call, and do the twist.