Discussing the behind the scenes world of creating commercials
Before the dawn of the internet, we were forced to watch shows on TV, and the commercials that ran with them. I grew up not just watching commercials, but in the ‘behind the scenes world’ of advertising. George Longley, my dad, was an art director and copywriter at Leo Burnett, one of the largest advertising agencies in the world. He created commercials that brought to life characters like Tony the Tiger, Snap! Crackle! Pop!, and the Pillsbury Doughboy. I sat down with my dad to talk about his approach to creating quality commercial content.
Ariana Longley: What is your approach to making commercials?
George Longley: I wanted to tell stories with the characters. Commercials are like short films. That was my big epiphany. I looked at it like a 30-second piece of film and figured out how to tell an entertaining narrative. When you’re working with characters, every action and line should reinforce who they are. I find a lot of people who work on animated commercial characters don’t get that. They think, “it’s just a 30-second commercial for kids; just move the camera, add some goofy sound effects, and yell at them. They’re kids, they won’t know any better, they’ll just buy the product.” I wanted to create something that people wanted to watch again and again. When people have an affinity for the characters, they hold the brand close to their heart and eventually buy the product.
AL: How do you make a good commercial?
GL: You’re looking for an insight. You’re looking for something that resonates with the viewer or whoever the target is. Because depending on if you’re targeting young children or tweens or whoever, you’re looking for something they’ll grab onto. Sometimes it’s understanding behavioural insights, sometimes it’s as simple as kids have to deal with sibling rivalries and group dynamics. You have to make sure it’s as entertaining and relevant as possible.
AL: How have your commercials changed from the beginning of your career to now?
GL: Earlier in my career, I wrote based on what I learned from school, which wasn’t a lot. The teachers give you assignments, you work them up the best you can, and they give you input. But in the real world, it was different. The ideas had to sell. I learned the limitations of 30 seconds, what you can show and what you can’t show, how much story you can tell, how much product you need to show and when to show it: all the nuances that allow you to write and create material that A) tests well and B) sells. And as you figure stuff out, you learn, and ultimately your work gets better.
AL: What are some of the lessons you’ve learned being a creative in advertising?
GL: At first, I wasn’t sure if my ideas were good. But the more you get them out there and the more they work, the more you realize that you can come up with ideas that resonate. Just doing stuff makes you better. It’s the whole 10,000 hours thing. The more you work at doing one particular thing, the better you are at it.AL: Would you consider making commercials an art?
GL: I would. You can add your voice to your commercials and tell a story. Like a filmmaker adds their voice to their work. You can flex your creative muscles and make an idea work as hard as possible.
https://george6longley.wixsite.com/george
Photo provided by Ariana Longley