A TV spot is like an advert you see on television for services or products. It has a story, actors and a message and it aims to convince the viewer of the benefits of the product or service the advertiser is promoting.

According to the Story of Advertising by James Playsted Wood, the first known written ad in the history of advertising was found by archeologists in the ruins of Thebes, known to the ancient Egyptians as Waset. It was the papyrus created in 3000 BC on behalf of a slaveholder who was trying to find one of his slaves.

The world's longest running TV commercial is the Discount Tire Company's Thank you commercial, produced by Swartwout Productions (Arizona, USA) and first aired in 1975. The same commercial has been aired continuously every year in parts of the USA.

The process is as follows:

• Step 1 – Write a Creative Brief.
• Step 2 – Creative concepting.
• Step 3 – Storyboards/Script.
• Step 4 – ClearCast.
• Step 5 – Production.
• Step 6 – Shooting.
• Step 7 – Post-production.
• Step 8 – ClearCast.

Six Essential Tips for Creating a TV Ad

1. 1.1 Get a great script.
2. 1.2 Consider the people carefully.
3. 1.3 Represent your brand as clearly as possible.
4. 1.4 Stay simple.
5. 1.5 Maintain your theme.
6. 1.6 Always use a call to action.

The standard length of a TV ad is 30 seconds long and approximately half of all ads are 30 seconds. However, ads can also be 10, 20, 40, 50, 60 seconds or longer.

July 1st, 1941 We'll now discuss the first-ever recognised television commercial. To do so, we must return to July 1st, 1941, in New York City. The WNBT (now WNBC channel four) broadcasted an advert for the watchmaker Bulova, before a baseball game.

Bulova watches The world's first television commercial aired on July 1, 1941, The advertisement was for Bulova watches and was aired before the beginning of a baseball game in New York. The world's first ad was only 10 seconds long and cost the company a total of $9 (Rs 670).

July 1st, 1941 The Birth of TV Advertising The money was in selling TV sets. But once most homes had one, the model had to pivot. The first TV ad ran on July 1st, 1941, before a game between the then-Brooklyn Dodgers and the Philadelphia Phillies.

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5 Tips for Creating an Effective TV Commercial

1. Represent Your Brand Clearly. Using both verbal and visual cues, your brand's name, logo and perhaps even the product itself should be conveyed throughout the commercial.
2. Create a Storyline or Jingle.
3. Develop a Signature Character or Theme.
4. Keep it Simple.
5. Don't Cut Corners.

Essential TV Ad Creation Techniques

1. Get a great script. A story is crucial to any TV ad that makes a significant impact.
2. Consider the people carefully.
3. Represent your brand as clearly as possible.
4. Stay simple.
5. Maintain your theme.
6. Always use a call to action.