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30 Second SpotTo encourage the presentation of information in an attention grabbing way.
Participants are asked to prepare an advertisement that will attract people's attention to the message that they are communicating. They may choose to script a 30 second radio advertisement, a single radio news item, a full page newspaper ad or a headline and the first two paragraphs of a newspaper story.
In communication skills training for participants who are expected to take a message back to a wider audience. e.g. safety representatives, sales staff, union officials and supervisors are often given information and expected to communicate it to others.
45 minutes plus 1 minute per group of 6 participants.
Flip charts - 1 per syndicate
Voting slips (cards on which three preferences may be marked)
Audio recorder
(Optional) 1 audio recorder per syndicate
Briefly explain that to introduce a new message, an attention grabbing technique is needed.
Research regularly shows that newspapers, radio and television are among the most credible sources of information, whether the information is presented as news or advertising.
These media present information in an attention grabbing way, that produces an impulse to investigate further. The time available to create that impulse is very limited. Advertising costs limit the size or length of ads and space limits the length of news items.
1. Provide the background information above (in 1 minute or less, you are trying to communicate too! To read the text as printed will take less than 20 seconds.)
2. Divide the participants into groups of 5 to 8.
3. Ask that they spend the next 20 minutes preparing either:
a 30 second radio ad; or
a news item for inclusion in radio news (three paragraphs - less than 30 seconds long); or
a newspaper ad - to be prepared on a sheet of flip chart paper; or
a newspaper headline and first paragraph - to be prepared on flip chart paper.
4. The message is to be one that they wish to communicate about the subject matter.
5. Allow 20 minutes for the syndicate work.
6. Display all of the newspaper articles and advertisements on the conference room walls. Announce that participants will be allowed to browse shortly.
7. Ask all groups that have chosen radio to have the news-reader or announcer take a seat at the front of the conference room.
8. Assign the order of radio presentations.
9. Tell participants that they may now browse through the newspaper exhibits and while they are doing so the radio will be on. Once people are looking at the newspapers ask the first announcer to commence and then have subsequent announcers follow without a break. Record the announcements for later play-back.
10. After the radio announcements are completed ask participants to resume their seats.
11. Have the groups using radio tape their ads or news items and play them back. This allows those involved in the radio presentations to also browse through the newspapers.
1. Distribute voting slips and ask participants to list the three most effective messages.
2. Tally the votes, but do not announce them yet.
3. Lead a discussion on why certain messages were more attention grabbing. Note that the context we have experienced is typical. While we read the newspaper there will often be background noise, such as radio. When the radio is on, we are often doing something else. We often need to compete with background noise when we wish to relay a message.
4. Display or replay the messages individually.
Involvement in the preparation;
Emotive words
The voice of the announcer
The print style or pictures in the press ads
Placement (order of presentation, location on wall.)
5. Discuss the impact that this has on presenting our message in the workplace.
6. Announce the results of the voting and review the summary discussion.
