Copywriting (#985) COMM 354
D. Vickers Hall Room D Vic 387
M|W|F 9:00AM
Joe Burns, Ph.D. 549.2899
Office Hours MW: 11 – 1 || TTH: 9 - 12:30
jeburns@selu.edu http://www.selu.edu/Academics/Faculty/jeburns/
Text: Broadcast / Cable Copywriting 7th Edition (Orlik)
Attendance: Attendance is taken only for university/financial aid purposes. However,
even though attendance is not mandatory, testing dates, and dates involving submission of
commercials are. The ONLY excuse I am required to accept for missing a test or
submission date is a university excuse. By university policy, it up to the student to
present the university excuse before the date that will be missed and make arrangements
for making up a test or handing in assignments. I do not allow tests to be made up or
papers to be handed in late because of prior commitments such as attending a wedding or
going out of town, but will certainly allow a student to take the test or hand in a
commercial early. I will discuss emergency reasons, medical, family emergencies, etc. on
a case by case basis. Any and all late tests, or assignments, even with university excuse,
not made up within two weeks of missing the items will not be allowed to be made up.
Cheating: One instance fails the class. For what I consider cheating, see:
http://www.selu.edu/Academics/Faculty/jeburns/cheating.html
Purpose: The concept of this class is to teach the formats of writing spot and public
service copy for television, radio, and the Internet. In short, you’ll learn how to write
commercials. Emphasis will be placed on how well you incorporate the fundamentals
you learn into your work. Since this is a writing class, emphasis will also be placed on
copy structure, grammar, punctuation and your use of language. There is an element of
creativity in this class that cannot be quantified. Your ability to show creativity will help
you greatly.
Graded Items: Commercials (8@25ea.) 200
Midterm Exam 50
Group Project 100
Final 50
400 points are available
A = 90%/360 B=80%/320 C=70%/280 D=60%/240 F=below 60%
Broadcast Copywriting – Page Two
Graded Elements:
The class is set up so that you will write 8 commercials. On Monday of each
week, I will present a new product for you to write about. Your commercial
must be completed by Friday class time for the first four commercials.
Any commercials that are not turned in on time will lose 5 points before
grading.
All commercials must be handed in typed or computer printed. Commercials
will not be accepted otherwise. Do NOT email me your commercials.
For the first four commercials, on Friday, you will break into your Ad
Agencies and hold a focus group reading each other your commercials.
Each group will offer comments on the other’s commercials to help make them
better. Then the agency will choose the best commercial of their group. The
best commercials of each group will stand before the class and present their
commercials.
The class will vote on which is the best commercial. The author will receive
two bonus points and the members of his or her group will receive one bonus
point.
The final commercial is due at the beginning of class on Monday.
The final three commercials do not have Friday sessions. You’re on your own
and the commercial is due Monday at the start of class.
Grades for Commercials:
A (23 or above) - Well written, creative commercial. The spot is fully
thought out and has a chance at selling the product. Voices, sound effects,
and any other additional performance instructions are well spelled out. No
spelling or grammar errors. No incorrect or misleading information.
B (20 to 22) - Well written, good commercial, but is lacking the creative
impact of the A level spot. Voices, sound effects, and any other additional
performance instructions are spelled out. No spelling or grammar errors.
No incorrect or misleading information.
C (17 to 19) - A dull commercial that is relying on cliché or a simple re-
telling of information. A spelling or grammar error. Little or no
performance instruction. The spot would not sell product.
No incorrect or misleading information.
D (14 to 16) - A poorly written spot that carries no creativity. Spelling or
grammar errors. Little or no performance instruction. The spot will appear
thrown together with little or no forethought. Some incorrect or
misleading information.
Broadcast Copywriting – Page Three
F (13 or below) - A poorly written spot with multiple errors and very little
thought. Poor performance instruction. Incorrect or misleading
information
Group Project:
1. The class will be broken up into four (maybe five) advertising agencies.
2. Each group will choose a product in order to create a full campaign.
3. If you would rather undertake a public service campaign instead of a product sales
campaign, that would be acceptable, but the following still applies.
4. Each Ad Agency will create an entire campaign for that product involving at least five
radio and five television commercials. All commercials are different - you may not
make different lengths of the same commercial.
5. You must actually produce at least two commercials.
6. Each group will be assigned an area in which this campaign will take place.
7. Each group has a $300,000.00 budget.
8. Each group will have one class period to pitch their campaign to the business people
that hired them (represented by the class).
9. You will present for 20 - 25 minutes. After that - the class and I may ask questions.
10. You will be graded on preparation, commercial copy quality, information presented,
the campaign ideas, amount of research performed, salesmanship, and your handling
of questions from the class.
11. You must hand in a full proposal that includes, in this order:
All commercial copy
An itemized budget showing where all money will be spent
Listing of all radio and TV station schedules you will be purchasing
Demographics for the area
A one-page outline of the campaign and how it is to work
Your fee.
Any other information you feel is pertinent.
Final: To be undertaken during the allotted finals time. I intend to make a determination
on the class’s strengths and create the test around that topic area.
NOTE:
Friday, March 13th is the last day to withdraw from this class.
Broadcast Copywriting – Page Four
The Classes:
Wed Jan 14 Introduction / Syllabus / Ad Agencies
Fri Jan 16 Chapter Two: Copywriting and the Communication Process
Mon Jan 19 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Wed Jan 21 Radio Format – Write Your First Slogans
Fri Jan 23 Television Format – Write More Slogans
Mon Jan 26 Chapter Three: Tools of Our Trade
Wed Jan 28 Chapter Four: Rational and Emotional Attractions
Fri Jan 30 Chapter Six: CDVP Factors
---------------- Grading begins ---------------
Mon Feb 02 New Product (R) / Super Bowl Ads!
Wed Feb 04 Ad Agency Names Set Today || Writing Your First Commercial
Fri Feb 06 Commercial Focus Groups
Mon Feb 09 New Product (R) / Chapter Five: Making Sense of Our Audience
Wed Feb 11 Chapter Seven: Radio Copywriting
Fri Feb 13 Commercial Focus Groups
Mon Feb 16 New Product (R) / Chapter Eight: Radio Commercials
Wed Feb 18 Chapter Nine: Additional Radio Endeavors
Fri Feb 20 Commercial Focus Groups
Mon Feb 23 Mardi Gras Break
Wed Feb 25 Mardi Gras Break
Fri Feb 27 Discussion of final project – time for groups to meet
Mon Mar 02 New Product (R)/ Radio Ratings
Wed Mar 04 Radio Ratings
Fri Mar 06 Commercial Focus Groups
Mon Mar 09 Radio & Television Ratings
Wed Mar 11 Television Ratings
Fri Mar 13 Television Ratings
Mon Mar 16 Mid Term Exam
Wed Mar 18 Positioning
Fri Mar 20 Positioning
Broadcast Copywriting – Page Five
Mon Mar 23 New Product (TV)/ Chapter Thirteen: Campaign Copywriting
Wed Mar 25 Discussion of Final Project (Groups MUST have product today!)
Fri Mar 27 Commercial Focus Groups
Mon Mar 30 New Product (TV) / Chapter Fourteen: P. S. Campaigns
Wed Apr 01 Public Service Announcements
Fri Apr 03 Public Service Announcements
Mon Apr 06 New Product (TV) / Making a Buy
Wed Apr 08 Making a Buy
Fri Apr 10 Spring Break
Mon Apr 13 Spring Break
Wed Apr 15 Spring Break
Fri Apr 17 Spring Break
Mon Apr 20 New Product (TV) / Making a Buy
Wed Apr 22 Making a Buy / Advertising on the Web
Fri Apr 24 Advertising on the Web
Mon Apr 27 No Class – prepare for final project
Wed Apr 29 Final Project Group One
Fri May 01 Final Project: Group Two
Mon May 04 Final Project: Group Three
Wed May 05 Final Project: Group Four
Fri May 08 Final Project: Group Five
Our Final Time: Tuesday, May 12th. 8:00 to 10:00AM
Statement regarding Classroom Behavior / Decorum
Free discussion, inquiry, and expression are encouraged in this class. Behavior that
interferes with other student’s ability to benefit is unacceptable. Examples include
routinely arriving late or leaving early, talking in class without being recognized or while
others are speaking, or arguing in a manner that would be considered “crossing the
civility line”. Beepers and cellular phone are to be turned off, both ring and vibration
mode, during the class period, unless prior permission is received from instructor.
Students are expected to treat each other with respect during their time in this
classroom.
NOTE:
If you are a qualified student with a disability seeking accommodations under the
Americans with Disabilities Act, you are required to self-identify with the Office of
Student Life, Room 203, Student Union.
Keep Track Of Your Grade
There are 400 points available in this class. What is below is the same format I use to
keep your grade. As you get your commercials and tests back write in your scores. At
any point in the class take the number of points available and divide it into the number of
points you’ve earned, bigger number into the smaller number. That percentage is your
grade.
Commercials: ___/25 ___/25 ___/25 ___/25 ___/25 ___/25 ___/25 ___/25
Midterm: ___/50
Final Project: ___/100
Final: ___/50
Bonus: ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ (from the commercial focus groups)
As always – never throw anything away until the final grade is posted. You may need it.