Let’s be honest, most TV ads are painful.
You know the ones: fake laughs, awkward taglines, and someone in an ill-fitting polo shouting about “massive savings this weekend only!” It’s not that TV advertising doesn’t work anymore. It’s that too many people are still making ads like it’s 2005.
But when it’s done right? A good TV ad doesn’t just grab attention. It builds brand love, lands emotion and actually sells.
Here’s how to make one that doesn’t make viewers wish for the skip button.
1. Start With a Story, Not a Sale
If your first line is “Looking for a new [insert product]?”, congrats… everyone already changed the channel.
People don’t remember ads, they remember moments. Tell a story that connects before you start selling. Whether it’s funny, emotional, or just plain weird, it should feel like entertainment first, marketing second.
If you’re not sure where to start, ask: Would I still watch this if I didn’t need what they’re selling? If the answer’s no, go back to the whiteboard.
2. Cast Humans, Not Mannequins
Your audience can smell fake acting from a kilometre away. Real emotion beats overacting every time. Choose people who look and sound like your audience, not like a stock photo brought to life. And please, for the love of all things broadcast, if you’re going to use humour, make sure it’s actually funny.
3. Cut the Clichés
No more spinning logos. No more slow zooms on fake smiles. No more “trusted by locals since 1982.” Clichés make your brand sound like everyone else’s. Be bold enough to sound human, even a little irreverent.
Try lines that surprise, visuals that catch people off guard, or endings that make them smirk. Because if you can make someone feel something, you’ve already won.
Read more: Why Your Marketing Strategy Should Appeal To Emotions, Not Logic
4. Leave Them With a Line That Sticks
Every great TV ad has that one line, the one that people still quote years later, without even realising where it came from.
A killer tagline is confident, punchy, and a little bit unhinged. Don’t explain your brand; express it. Because when people start repeating your ad for fun, you’ve officially won the game.
