ABSTRACT
Commercial and ad are shortened terms for commercial announcement. This chapter examines commercial announcements by functional classification and by what makes them sell—strategies used in creating commercials, types of creative formats, appeals, approaches, and production. Announcement classifications include distribution medium, placement, length, purpose, marketing interest of advertisers, basis of payment, production medium, and method of production. The video news release (VNR) grew rapidly during the early 1990s. Most VNRs, video descendants of the printed press release, tell one-sided stories designed to sell products, businesses, or political viewpoints. Most programs clearly separate advertising from program content into availabilities. Programming breaks are formal interruptions for local advertising during network TV programming. During election years, candidates for elective political office sometimes use longer announcements.
