Continuity writing is actually copy writing for broadcast media and it is in great demand now. The spoken or visual words need fine tuning to hit with audiences effectively. It needs good writing skills imagination creativity and product knowledge well to excel in this field. It is like writing copy for print media and skills are in need to give good product information in succinct terms and situations
Broadcast copy in the US is highly creative and uses good writing skills and God use of visuals and ideas. Continuity writing has changed since 1980s as new changes have come into being in society and new conditions exist. One generation has gone and new one has come into being and as a result new techniques are being used. What is considered appropriate some years ago has gone or changed. Such conditions exist in India today also.
David Ogilvy wrote copy for a car commercial, and it goes like at 30 miles an hour the only sound comes in your car is the sound of electric clock. He is legendary copy writer from UK, and this copy has won him awards Many good commercials have such copy written and Pepsi commercial of 1980s had Michael Jackson singing and dancing saying the Pepsi the choice of New Generation.
Radio and TV copy need to be crispy chatty and direct, and copy need to be written in spoken languages. Good visuals to accompany TV copy and it has to be in good style going well with commercials. Creative writing is required and it has to be crispy clear and communicate in good language and style.
Also, appropriate personality is to be used if testimonial advertising is needed. Actor Prabhu is used in Kalyan jewelers print and broadcast commercials and advertisements. He is son of Actor Sivaji who acted as swami and who spoke good Hinduism in movies. Kalyan Jewelers has selected him appropriately to feature in advertisements.
Actors and actresses are also featured in commercials and advertisements. Trisha in GRT jewelers Vijay in Coke and Ajit in Nescafe Kapil Dev Sachin Tendulkar in boost advertisements and commercials are found.
Coke in USA has done one important work and it withdrew coke and introduced new one during 1980s. People protested to it in Alanta and powered new coke in front of Atlanta office. It introduced the old coke again with name coke classic and people liked it. The jingles and visuals are interesting in advertisements and commercials for all such cokes.
Dr William L Hagerman Prof of Communication of University of Louisiana Lafayette wrote a book on Continuity writing for radio and TV says motivated sequence approach in continuity writing It is more like motivating or using such words and appealing to people in marketplaces. Continuity writing is more like copy writing but writing for radio and TV.
More creative writing skills are essential for writing reviews said Dr Gerald Flannery Senior Professor of same university His TV and Film criticism course narrated skills of writing reviews like copy and emphasized good writing skills in English among others and such writing is seen in TV Guide of USA and other leading magazines of USA
Copy writing or continuity writing is explained clearly in PR textbooks and workbooks found in USA India and other countries. NBC releasing a press release on TV show beginning is contained in such books found once. Finally, continuity writing is still emerging discipline in India and will bound to grow more in future.
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