Advertising Copy Samples – Accurate Impressions

“Mounting Debt” 30 Second Radio Spot

We open with a close-up of a steep, ice-covered cliff.

SFX: Shrieking wind (under and throughout).

An arm wielding an ice axe swings into frame and the axe bites into the cliff surface.

SFX: A grunt and axe striking ice.

The camera begins to draw back in a smooth, continuous movement. We see a mountain climber, weighed down with equipment and struggling his way up the cliff. Brilliant blue sky is visible behind him. Soon we see the person he’s talking to is a Sherpa guide, also struggling up the cliff. The mountain is large and very steep and the men are becoming very small as the camera slowly zooms out.

CLIMBER: Keep moving! We must be close to the summit!

SHERPA: It’s never seemed this steep before! And so high…it’s almost as if there’s more mountain every minute!

CLIMBER: (with a laugh) That’s crazy! I’m sure everything will be fine!

As the camera pulls back, we see that the men aren’t climbing a real mountain, but are climbing up a labeled line chart of the national debt (similar to this one) with a top that soars out of sight. Clouds drift by between us and the chart.

FVO: America’s national debt is over 14 trillion dollars now. Your personal share is over 46,000 dollars and climbing. Isn’t it time for a change? (Pause) End The Debt Coalition is responsible for this message.

“Changing the Culture” Radio Spot

It is now ____ days until the election.

Together, let’s build a County Board culture that respects you and values teamwork. Let’s focus on achieving financial stability instead of chasing fads. And let’s put a turnaround plan in place that makes return on investment for your tax dollar our top priority.

We can do better and with new fiscally conservative leadership, we will do better. With your support, we can make meaningful change.

I’m Joe Candidate and I approve this message.

“The Better Path” Radio Spot

It is now ____ days until the election.

What is the path to a better Stephenson County? First, give the county government back to the taxpayer. Second, protect the taxpayer’s wallet. Third, reverse the trend of more and more debt and fewer deputies.

We can do better and with new fiscally conservative leadership, we will do better. With your support, we can make meaningful change.

I’m Joe Candidate and I approve this message.

“One Sheet of Paper” Radio Spot

It is now ____ days until the election.

Can we afford to continue a “wait and hurry up” approach to major financial decisions? In May 2006, County Board members received just two sheets of paper regarding the Mill Race loan, in January 2012 they received just one sheet. In both cases they were told they needed to vote right away, and your board piled on almost 10 million in new debt.

I believe you deserve better. With new fiscally conservative leadership, we will do better. With your support, we can make meaningful change.

I’m Joe Candidate and I approve this message.

“Six Years” Radio Spot

It is now ____ days until the election.

Our County Board Chairman calls the failed industrial park at Mill Race “the flagship of our economic development” even though it has no water and sewer access. In six years, the only jobs connected to Mill Race are NIDA staff jobs funded by you, the taxpayer, at a cost of $100,000 per year.

I believe you deserve better. With new fiscally conservative leadership, we will do better. With your support, we can make meaningful change.

I’m Joe Candidate and I approve this message.

“IDOC Warning” Radio Spot

It is now ____ days until the election.

The Illinois Department of Corrections has warned our county that our jail is severely understaffed, creating a danger for deputies and detainees. Yet the current county leadership has put this on the back burner while we pour money into NIDA for meetings and studies.

I believe you deserve better. With new leadership, we will do better. With your support, we can make meaningful change.

I’m Joe Candidate and I approve this message.

“Back Burner” Radio Spot

It is now ____ days until the election.

Did you know, last year our county leadership gave NIDA $100,000 to hold meetings while continued reductions of the Sheriff’s budget forced us to cut deputies? For years we have put public safety on the back burner so we can fund the county “Flagship” Mill Race, NIDA and increased debt.

I believe you deserve better. With new fiscally conservative leadership, we will do better. With your support, we can make meaningful change.

I’m Joe Candidate and I approve this message.

“What Could You Buy?” 60 Second TV Spot

We open on a waitress standing in front of a white background. After she speaks, we cut to an Admiral, and then keep cutting to new people as each explains what we could buy with the money in the national debt.

WAITRESS: If you had the 14.5 trillion dollars we need to pay off the national debt, you could buy lunch for everyone on Earth every day for a year.

ADMIRAL: Or 2,800 Nimitz class aircraft carriers.

MOVIE DIRECTOR: You could make the movie Avatar 61,000 times.

SOLDIER: Or fund the defense budget for 22 years.

ASTRONAUT: Or fund the space program for 763 years.

WOMAN IN AIRLINE PILOT’S UNIFORM: Or buy 650,000 corporate jets.

MAN IN A WAL-MART UNIFORM: Or buy Wal-Mart…80,000 times over.

MAN IN A BUSINESS SUIT: In fact, you could buy the top ten companies in the Fortune 500 and still have over 12 trillion left to spend.

WOMAN IN BUSINESS ATTIRE: You could buy every American over the age of sixteen a Mercedes E-Class sedan.

LITTLE GIRL: Or…you could buy back my future.

MVO: If we don’t deal with our crushing national debt, our children will be bankrupt before they make their first dime. The time to act is now. (Pause) End The Debt Coalition is responsible for this message.

“Lullaby” 30 Second TV Spot

We open on a baby drifting off to sleep in a crib as his mother sings a lullaby.

SFX: Lullaby music as if from a music box, under the mother’s song.

MOTHER: (singing, offscreen) Hush, little baby, don’t you fret

You’re going to pay off the national debt

Fourteen trillion piled up high

IOU’s stretching to the sky

Before you can walk or stand

You’re going to owe a cool forty-six grand

The baby appears to be asleep. The lights dim.

SFX:Footsteps as Mom walks away.

The baby’s eyes snap wide open. He has a very stressed expression and he begins sucking on his pacifier for all it’s worth.

FVO: If we don’t act now to tame our national debt, our children will be bankrupt before they make their first dime. (Pause) End The Debt Coalition is responsible for this message.

“Asteroid Drillers” 60 Second TV Spot

We open on the surface of a huge asteroid. We can see a lunar lander-type spacecraft parked on the surface and a few astronauts near the lander’s crew ladder.

SFX: Breathing noises from the astronaut’s helmets.

We cut to a view on the surface of the asteroid, a few feet from the mission commander. He pauses near the bottom of the ladder. We glimpse the legs of another astronaut as she climbs the ladder and we can clearly see into the commander’s helmet as he looks at something in the distance behind and above us.

SFX: Beeping “transmit” sound, occurs at the beginning and end of each line of dialogue

COMMANDER: Houston, this is Capricorn. We have placed the warheads and we’re about to launch. You’ll be able to blow this thing in a couple of minutes.

HOUSTON: (offscreen, slight static from radio transmission) Ah, Capricorn, we’re going to need you to stand by a minute. The President and Congress are debating exactly when we should act. Might be awhile before they decide, so sit tight.

COMMANDER: (angry) What? Do they know what we’ve got up here? We have to do this right now or it will be the end of everything! A five year old could figure this out!

HOUSTON: (terse) Stand by, Capricorn. They promise they’ll get to it.

The commander stands for a moment, staring, mouth hanging open.

FEMALE ASTRONAUT: (offscreen) My God, Chuck, you don’t think…

We see the commander’s perplexed expression as he begins to give her his answer. As he speaks, we turn and rise until we see the lander, both astronauts and what they are seeing: The Earth is filling the sky above the asteroid’s horizon, perhaps only minutes away at the asteroid’s speed. North America is visible.

COMMANDER: I don’t know…I don’t know if we have enough time. [Pause] No more time…

Cut to a black title card. White supers come up on it in sequence.

SUPER: America’s national debt is now 14.5 trillion dollars and climbing.

SUPER: If we don’t deal with it, it will cause the extinction of our economy.

SUPER: All they’ve done in Washington is fight over how to make it bigger.

SUPER: The question is, can we turn it around in time?

FVO: End The Debt Coalition is responsible for this message.