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I loved being on the air back in the day. For me, it was often because of the contests radio created that enthralled millions upon millions of listeners over the years using excitement, creativity, and what sometimes were life-changing prizes.
They ranged from ultra-large cash giveaways to strange and often weird challenges, but the best always created fun experiences and helped generate rating success stories.
Here are some classics that I think were some of the most innovative and created a high level of excitement. Both my favorite and the most infamous are at the end of the list.
“Win a Baby” – This original, innovative, and controversial contest on B96 Chicago offered fertility treatments to a lucky couple. It was responsible for raising awareness about the cost of fertility treatments. It was truly groundbreaking and received a good deal of national attention.
“Beat the Bomb” – Listeners had to stop a countdown clock before an audio “bomb” went off. Cash amounts grew as time ticked down. The risk-to-reward created tension and excitement, making it a big hit.
“The Birthday Game” – A simple but engaging contest where listeners could win cash if their birthday matched a randomly selected date. This format’s accessibility and appeal to a broad audience made it a long-running favorite.
“The Million Dollar Morning” – Listeners had the chance to win a million dollars by answering a trivia question correctly. The huge cash prize and simple mechanics made it a high-profile and successful promotion.
“The Secret Sound” – Listeners were challenged to guess a mystery sound for cash prizes. The challenge of figuring out the sound’s origin kept listeners engaged for weeks or even months, making it a beloved contest across various stations. A variation on this used a “secret voice.”
“Bigger the Better” – Listeners presented their biggest or most outrageous possessions to trade for other prizes. Think “Let’s Make a Deal.” The wild submissions created excitement and curiosity, making it a favorite.
“Win a House” – A landmark contest on KMEL in San Francisco offered a house as the grand prize. This was one of the higher stakes, life-changing prizes that received a great deal of attention and participation.
“Win a Car” – A venerable classic, radio gives away a car to one lucky listener. This is a tried-and-true way to drive listenership. Countless stations have successfully run this type of promotion over the years. It often included a first step which gave away scores of keys, but only one key would start the car.
“Live in It to Win It” – Contestants had to live inside a confined space like a car for as long as possible. The last person standing (or inside) would win the prize. This contest was unique at the time and often generated lots of local buzz and even tied in local clients like an automotive dealership.
“Keys to the Cash” – Listeners collected virtual keys over time, and one lucky key would unlock a vault filled with cash. The slow build combined with a large cash prize made this another highly successful contest for many stations.
“The Last Contest” – This legendary contest in 1972 on San Diego’s KCBQ gave away massive prizes, including cars and trips, through a postcard entry system. Its scale, extravagance, and almost mystical promos included millions of dollars in prize packages. This “smoke and mirrors” contest helped KCBQ dominate the market throughout the 1970s. Click here for a KCBQ Aircheck with promos.
My Personal Favorite:
“The Family Fortune Contest” – Created by Mike Joseph for WCAU-FM when we launched Hot Hits in Philadelphia in 1982. We would pick a name out of the phonebook and announce the last name on the air. We also announced the amount of money in the family fortune jackpot and told listeners to call everyone they knew with that last name. At various times, we would announce the amount, a new name, or call someone with that last name. If they knew the amount in the jackpot, they would win it. The cume and TSL on the station grew incredibly large.
MOST INFAMOUS:
“Hold Your Wee for a Wii” – This is certainly one that people remember for many of the wrong reasons. This 2007 contest in Sacramento ended tragically. It asked contestants to drink the most amount of water without using the bathroom, all for a chance to win a Nintendo Wii. A listener’s death due to “water intoxication” led to litigation which eventually, caused the station to go dark and surrender its license.
These contests and many others have played an important role for as long as radio has existed. They remain responsible for driving listenership and ratings through high levels of engagement. The key has always been a fine-tuned focus on creativity and fun. From life-changing cash prizes to ridiculous challenges and interactive treasure hunts, we must all continue to create contests and promotions that highlight radio’s ability to remain local. After all, we continue to rule the audio landscape because we entertain and captivate like no other.
Bob Lawrence serves as a Market Manager for Seven Mountains Media, overseeing the company’s Parkersburg, WV/Marietta, OH cluster. He has held virtually every position in the business over his 40+ year career, from being on-air in Philadelphia, San Diego, and San Francisco as well as programming legendary stations including KHTR St. Louis, KITS Hot Hits and KIOI (K101) San Francisco.
Bob also honed his research skills over ten years as Senior VP of Operations at Broadcast Architecture, eventually launching his own research company and serving as President/CEO of Pinnacle Media Worldwide for 15 years. Bob spent five years as VP of Programming for Saga Communications before joining New South Radio in Jackson, Mississippi as GM/Market Manager. Prior to joining Seven Mountains Media, Bob served as General Manager for the Radio Advertising Bureau, overseeing its “National Radio Talent System”.
