I’m working on a TV script for a local non-profit and I wanted to share how I’m approaching it.
The situation
A regional retailer has decided to partner with a local non-profit to give back a percentage of their sales for a month.
This retailer wants to promote the partnership through a 15-second TV script, as well as through press spots, emails, and social media. The TV script however will carry a bulk of the messaging and everything needs to ladder back to that.
The challenge
The 15-second spot doesn’t allow for much copy length AND there is quite a bit of complexity to communicate:
Non-profits tend to be multi-faceted, they don’t do just one thing
The relationship between the business and the non-profit
The ask of the customer, how do they participate in the campaign
And then on top of that, how to make it compelling as opposed to just retelling of the facts
The approach
Here’s the simple framework I am using.
The script outline
WHY
This is the place to give a “we believe” type statement. Speak it with conviction. You can also use a statistic here, as you’ll see in version two below. P.S. Whatever you write, needs to be true.
WHO
Connect the belief to a real person or organization. Since this, then this.
WHAT
Give an overview of the work, the mission, the goal.
NOW WHAT
Make an ask of the audience.
CLOSE
Tie it back to the brand. This could be a tagline, mission statement, campaign slogan, etc.
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To give you a real example of how this outline could be filled in, here’s the working script I wrote up yesterday.
The working script version one
WHY
At [business name], we know nothing brings people together like sharing a great meal.
WHO
That’s why we’ve partnered with [non-profit name] to fight hunger here in [city name].
WHAT
Between now and April 15th, when you upgrade your home, you’ll be helping to end food insecurity.
NOW WHAT
Stop by your local Floor & Home between now and April 15th for any of your flooring needs, mention Generation Alive, and we’ll donate a percentage of your sale to the campaign.
CLOSE
Love the home and the community you live in.
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Here’s a second version, proposed as an alternate, or potentially run as a social-only campaign.
The working script version two
WHY
20% of children in the [region name] don’t know where their next meal will come from.
WHO/WHAT
That’s why we’re raising money to provide 100,000 meals in partnership with [non-profit name].
WHAT
Upgrade your home, end food insecurity.
NOW WHAT
Come in between now and April 15th, mention [non-profit name], and we’ll donate a percentage of your sale to the campaign.
CLOSE
Love the home and the community you live in.
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Which of the two versions do you like better?
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Derek
Copywriter, strategist, marketer, and researcher at Plain Writing