Safety Seymour is the superhero that helps you keep safe against the dangers of that invisible killer carbon monoxide – sometimes known simply as CO. He’s with Mimi and Loz from the CO Crew and they need your help.
He knows that you’re great at staying safe but some people aren’t as good – or don’t even know about the dangers… and he wants to get the message across to them. But he needs your help… he’s thinking a radio advert would be great to engage people and tell them all about CO! But what makes a great radio advert?
To help… he downloads a new app. It’s called… “A RADIO GAME”.
SAFETY SEYMOUR’S “A RADIO GAME”. CREATED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CADENT. CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE.
Hi there! Today’s challenge, we’re looking at the brief. Think of it as your mission plan. It’s crucial to have a clear idea of what you want to say and who you want to say it to. Ready? Let’s start!
CHALLENGE ONE – IMAGINE YOUR MESSAGE IS LIKE A NOTE IN A BOTTLE – WHAT MIGHT IT SAY?
“Save me from this desert island!” is a very clear and simple message… it’s nice and short. The same is true for radio adverts.
Keeping your message direct and fun helps to keep your advert on track to hit the target! 
CHALLENGE TWO – WHO’S YOUR AUDIENCE?
Kids, parents, space pirates? And how would you talk to your target audience… to really get them to listen?
For kids, it might be good if an advert sounded fast and fun, like a game announcer!
For parents, maybe calmer and more informative.
Or maybe include a really exciting story in your advert – everyone likes stories!
Oh… and sound effects can make an advert come alive!
Maybe don’t use too many sound effects… 
The sky is the limit when it comes to ideas as long as you’re tailoring the sound of the advert to engage the people you want to talk to.
CHALLENGE THREE – GET IN THE MOOD!
You want to get across the important message about the dangers of CO in the right tone – too light hearted and people might not take you seriously.
Try saying “Protect your family!” in three different tones – silly, dramatic and then calm.
CHALLENGE FOUR – WHAT’S YOUR CALL TO ACTION?
This is all about what you want people to do after hearing your advert. Do you want them to sit down and have a cup of tea or take instant action?
- You want people to buy a CO detector if they don’t already have one!
- Or test it if they do have one to make sure it’s working and check if the batteries need changing.
- It would also be good for them to know how to spot the signs of CO poisoning.
Remember, keep it simple, know the audience, set the mood and make them act.
The best adverts are tested, tweaked and refined to hit just the right note. Now, you can go forth and create a message that protects people and catches their attention.
To help you write your advert, here’s a tip from Safety Seymour’s CO clue-book – “Get Detecting!”
CO detectors are like superheroes for your home! They beep if there’s CO around, warning you to get out safely. Put them in rooms that have a gas appliance, like a boiler, heater and cooker. Check them regularly and change the batteries when needed. These little gadgets can save lives – yours included!
You can discover more about CO with Safety Seymour here and with the CO Crew here.
How to enter
Now that you know how to create an advert, here’s YOUR chance to show off your imagination and make a real difference.
You can just write a script, send it in and we’ll make it for you OR you could create the advert yourself and send us a finished advert, ready for broadcast!
