commercial – Pullman Radio

Lentils, Lentils, Lentils! (Radio, Radio, Radio!)

August 12, 2018 Rod Schwartz

The National Lentil Festival celebrates its 30th anniversary on August 17th and 18th. I’ve had the pleasure of creating many of the festival’s radio commercials over the years. We’ve always tried to make them entertaining and fun, like the festival itself, and more than a few of them have received […]

“How Often Should My Message Be Repeated?”

July 28, 2018 Rod Schwartz

“Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half.” – entrepreneur and marketer John Wanamaker (1838-1922) Wanamaker’s quote on advertising has been widely disseminated over the past century. For some, it’s inspired bold risk-taking and marketing breakthroughs—”nothing ventured, nothing gained.” For others, […]

Putting Your Phone Number in a Radio Ad is a Bad Idea. Here’s Why.

February 4, 2018 Rod Schwartz

You’re not one of those advertisers who just automatically throw their telephone number into their radio commercials, are you? Good. Didn’t think so. You know better. You chuckle as you imagine somebody pulling over as they’re driving down the road, scrambling to jot down that telephone number. And you recognize […]

In the Studio with WSU Baseball Legend “Bobo” Brayton

July 7, 2017 Rod Schwartz

In his feature story on Chuck “Bobo” Brayton following the legendary baseball coach’s death on March 28, 2015, SportspressNW.com writer Howie Stalwick provided a thoughtful summary of Bobo’s remarkable career. One sentence in particular made me smile: Brayton’s gravelly voice could often be heard on radio commercials during WSU baseball […]

On Radio Anything’s Possible

January 11, 2017 Rod Schwartz

It’s well established that sounds enter the brain faster than visuals, and the memory of those sounds fades more slowly. Which is why, as Paul Harvey once pointed out, as a kid in the classroom, you could answer the teacher’s question, “What did I just say?” accurately, even though you’d been […]

Does Your Commercial Pass the Five-Second Test?

August 26, 2016 Rod Schwartz

One of the best radio copywriters and producers in the business, Jeffrey Hedquist, recently shared his thoughts on how an ad writer or advertiser can gauge potential response to a commercial – preferably before it’s sent forth onto the airwaves. He writes: Here’s a simple, but possibly painful test to perform […]

Don’t Use That Song in Your Commercial!

August 18, 2016 Rod Schwartz

I was recently asked for a favor: to provide a short voice-over for a video intended for presentation at an upcoming trade show, in exchange for dinner and wine for four at a swanky restaurant, worth around $200-250. We live in a small town and the business owner was under a […]

Made in America. Kinda sorta.

July 1, 2016 Rod Schwartz

In an article from The Detroit Bureau (“The Voice of the Automotive World” – although Crain’s Automotive News might take exception) the headline a couple days ago read: The most ‘American’ car on the road? Toyota Camry. For the second year in a row the Toyota Camry is the “most American” […]

The Power of Words

May 11, 2016 Rod Schwartz

“Choose your next witticism carefully, Mr. Bond. It may be your last.” – Auric Goldfinger to James Bond, who is about to be cut in half by a laser beam. Bond: Well, you’re forgetting one thing. If I fail to report, 008 replaces me. Goldfinger: I trust he will […]