Radio Ad Text Debate

If you’ve listened to the ad that the previous post linked to its worth considering the debate we had over its content. It went something like this.

I came up with the text which repeated the campaign website three times and spelled the name W-E-L-T-Y once. There wasn’t really enough time in 30 seconds (there never is) to get any subtle points across other than the most general eg “we love apple pie and the flag.” In my case I mentioned fiscal responsibility and something “about getting along.”

The getting along stuff was gentler than my original text which was pretty biting. It dealt with the definition of insanity. Mel wanted it softened to sound more statesmen-like. I’m getting a lot of this from Mel because he’s fed up with the bickering in Washington. Who isn’t?

Well, after a round of email and various proposals I left the computer to run some errands. I had to pick up samples from my printer and some envelopes for my first major fundraising letter. On my way home it ocurred to me that the only reason for the ad was to draw attention to the website so I mentally added more references to the name Welty and its correct spelling. Two weeks ago Mel had already warned me that the numeral 4 would be a problem in radio ads so I purchased the alternate domain name with a “for” in it for people who couldn’t hear the difference between 4 and for. (That’s everyone, of course)

If anyone hears the ad and tries to find the website as a result they will be much more likely to type in the correct address. W E L T Y F O R C O N G R E S S (dot) O R G because now its OK to type in a “for.”

Other than this the ad is piffle. I wish I had fifty thousand dollars to blast my piffle over the air waves.

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