Designing Breakthrough Advertisements: Time Advertisements will teach you the skills to make breakthrough timed commercials; the advertisements that tells stories through time. Reels, TV commercials, radio spots, online videos, branded entertainment and more. In this course you will learn the history of different timed commercials, how they work, and how to approach concepting and designing them. And we explore techniques to make your advertisements stand out.

Designing Breakthrough Timed Commercials

Designing Breakthrough Timed Commercials
This course is part of Designing Breakthrough Advertisements and Commercials Specialization

Instructor: Dan Ligon
Included with
Recommended experience
What you'll learn
Create effective timed advertisements for television, radio, social media, and online video using strong concepts, scripts, and clear storytelling.
Study the history of classic and modern commercials to learn how timing, structure, and performance create breakthrough advertisements.
Create commercials designed to stand out, hold attention, and communicate memorably in fast, time-limited media formats.
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March 2026
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There are 5 modules in this course
Timed commercials are a different kind of advertisement. The exist for moments in time then are over. We will study and explore the different kinds of timed commercials you may be tasked to make, highlight some of the basics and the challenges of production. And discover how writing scripts for live announcer reads applies to social media and influencer maker.
What's included
12 videos4 assignments
While they may feel old-fashioned, Live Announcer Reads and spot radio commercials are alive and well thanks to social media influencers and podcasters. Both mediums tap advertisements that are "audio only," sometimes pre-recorded, sometimes read live. This modules takes you through the history of radio commercials and live announcer reads, and gives you exercises and best-practices to create better scripts and spots for both.
What's included
9 videos5 assignments
Long form advertisements also known as branded entertainment present a different challenge to designers, namely how does one keep audiences engaged and entertained for more than a few minutes? And testimonials, the next best thing to word-of-mouth advertising, have to be based in truth, thanks to to the abuses of some less-than-forthright advertisements from years past. How to think about and design these timed commercials, and make them break through the clutter, will be the focus of this module.
What's included
12 videos4 assignments
For many decades, the reigning king of advertisements was the TV commercial. Few advertisements are more visible of effective. We'll explore the history, the creativity, and the challenges associated with designing TV commercials. And we'll discover methods and technique to craft original tv commercials of your own. And we'll delve into how these advertisements are finding new life on social channels and streaming services. Finally, we'll explore the watch-outs and opportunities when producing TV commercials on your own.
What's included
14 videos5 assignments
The Final Challenge: Ideate, write and pitch your concept for your very own television commercial.
What's included
1 video1 assignment
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University of Colorado Boulder

University of Colorado Boulder
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Frequently asked questions
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.
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