THE GURU'S LECTURE: As you already know, we believe it's important to be consistent using a spokesperson for the business or the style and theme of the commercial.

Often the business owner or manager will choose to go on the air themselves. This is fine, but be careful using an employee or a manager who may not be there for the long run.

The other option is to find and hire local talent. In virtually every city of any size in America there is a local acting group. They usually have a name like Community Little Theater or the Gateway Players or the Actors Studio.

Give them a call and describe the type of person or character you seek, and you will have an instant source of talent. Once you have found the person you want, you have a spokesperson who can represent your client forever.

This is a tactic the national advertisers use, and many stick with their spokesperson forever. For example, the dreaded Marlboro Man, or the beloved Pillsbury Dough Boy have been with us without change for decades.

Which bring us to our final lesson, RULE 14: "Find Local Talent"

"Look above and you will see the local talent used in Sumatra for the original King Kong Movie."

"Surely teacher you do not want us to consider animals as local talent to be spokespeople in our ads."

"Why not? Geicko uses a gecko. Aflac uses a duck. Taco Bell had a talking Chihuahua. Energizer uses a bunny."

"Yes! Local talent is not restricted to local actors, but can include, pets, puppets, or people in costumes. Just be sure to settle on one spokesperson or spokesanimal and stay with it for the long haul."

"You keep telling us to use the same identity over and over, but Budweiser ads are great and they change characters all the time. They have used frogs, ferrets, Clydesdales, beautiful girls, dumb jocks and even Augie Busch in their ads."

"True. But Budweiser has 100% name recognition and a multi-million dollar ad budget. Our local advertisers cannot change ads like Budweiser does, they don't have enough money."

"Exactly. And speaking of money you should know the local amateur actors in your community are not only very talented, but very inexpensive. Plus, they love doing TV ads. Let's take a look at a local spot made using local talent for a furniture store in Worcester, Mass." Watch the ad now.