Promo Meeting shout out to B-105 Cincinnati’s “The Big Dave Show.” The show ran an eight-week promotion called “Crock Stars,” which asked listeners to submit Crock Pot recipes. It was simple to execute, and people were likely competing more for recognition than the $100 Kroeger gift card.
Pets and Kids
There are two surefire ways to connect with your listeners and people in general: kids and pets. I saw them firsthand recently in my own world.
I have a neighbor who is nice enough but incredibly shy and guarded. She barely says hi out loud while looking at her feet. All that changed when I saw her walking her dog. I fussed over the dog, learned its name, and started saying hello to the dog before her. Now, she is a different person when I see her, even offering me the dog’s leash to walk with her recently.
Humane Society adoption events or a weekly segment with adoptable animals will be a winner for your station or morning show. I worked for a station that titled the segment “Doggies on Death Row,” which may now be a little too harsh and graphic by today’s standards. I toned it down in later years as “Furry Friday.”
It connects with listeners, creates engaging web and social media content, and positively impacts the community.
Kids are a little more difficult. I worked with one of the majors at a time when they were not quite but practically mandating the cutest baby contest. When people submitted their pictures, we then had to follow up with a specific release to allow us to put their minor child on the web. This was before DocuSign, so snail mail was required to obtain a “real” signature.
Let’s just say the time in execution was not worth a month of extra web clicks.
Technology
When I worked for Entercom (now Audacy) Madison, AAA Triple M had a technology feature called “The Geek Critique.” The late Mickey Reynolds hosted the segment and was the perfect choice. With a quirky personality and unique voice, he could truly portray the geek.
The idea is to review new technology from an intelligent, albeit geeky, perspective. With AI and nearly constant innovation, it is a good time to launch something similar.
Get a sponsor to provide you with technology to review and then give it away during the segment.
More Take Me Backstage
I wrote about WQMX Akron’s annual “Take Me Backstage” T-shirts a few weeks back. (BMM 3/6). Here’s another version of that promotion from 93Q in Houston. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is a huge 20-day event that features, among other things, numerous Country music concerts.
93Q passed out buttons with the station logo stating, “Take Me Backstage.” This can be easier to execute and more cost-effective. It also allowed the station to interact with fans at the rodeo.
Morgan Wallen is one of the hottest acts in Country music. His fourth studio album, “I’m the Problem,” will be released on May 16. With a new album generally comes a tour.
Sticking to Houston and Country stations, 100.3 The Bull has a clever ticket giveaway called “Where’s Wallen.” Listeners are encouraged to listen for clues on where the virtual Wallen is hiding in Houston. When a listener determines the location, they call the contest line to win a pair of tickets to Wallen’s show at NRG Stadium.
Your Talent As Judges
Here is something that I see pop up far too often: A client, advertiser, or civic organization asks someone from your team to judge a local contest. You get your morning show on board and think it is a great way to get them involved in the community.
I never allowed my on-air talent to do this. While it may seem to be good exposure, it is just as likely to blow up in your face.
The Fred and Wilma morning show judges the contest. Who are the people that didn’t win going to blame? Not the person putting on the event. They will blame the high-profile judges who just told them their pet, baby, or cooking wasn’t the best.
This was almost as big a hot button for me as when stations wrapped roll-a-banners around a trash can at the concert or the fair. You want your brand to be associated with garbage, OK?
Or here’s another one along those lines. Buying bus board on local transit and getting the one on the back of the bus. So you’re sitting in traffic on a hot day with bus fumes bellowing at you, and you want to associate your brand with that?
I would love to give your station a shout-out in a future edition of the Promo Meeting. Let me know what you are doing, and I will pass it along and spotlight your team.
Email jeff@barrettmedia.com
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
Jeff Lynn serves as Editor of Barrett Media’s Music Radio coverage. Prior to joining Barrett Media, Jeff spent time programming in Milwaukee, Omaha, Cleveland, Des Moines, and Madison for multiple radio groups, including iHeartMedia, Townsquare Media, NRG Media, and Entercom (now Audacy). He also worked as a Country Format Editor for All Access until the outlet shut down in August 2023.
To get in touch with Jeff by email, reach him at Jeff@BarrettMedia.com.
