• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

SHOULD RADIO (and tv) RUN SOME FREE ADVERTISMENTS TO HELP ECONOMY?

S

Stuart

I am curious about something. (maybe this is happening already)...Would radio stations (and tv) lose a lot of money if the host of the show did some free advertising to help boost the economy? I know a station has to sell advertisments, but it would only take a few seconds for the host to say (for example)..."We here at KDKA are very concerned about the economy, so were are providing as a courtesy a list of auto dealers participating in President Obama's "Cash For Clunkers" Program." (or something of that nature). It only takes a few seconds and people know the station is doing it's part to help turn the situation around.

I also noticed there are a lot of "celebrities" doing radio (and tv) commercials for cars, and other various products to help our economy. I don't think it would hurt the celebrity to spend a couple of hours recording (or filming) the advertisment without getting paid for it. I have noticed a lot of celebrities have been dropped from product endorsements (Tiger Woods from Ford). This would also show that the individual celebrity (ie..Tiger) is doing his part to help.

I was just curious...

Thanks,

Stuart
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
 
I apologize for being a bit sarcastic, a bit of a pessimist.

The advertising you have just proposed will have about as much help to the economy as me and you standing in the middle of main street urinating in a punchbowl.

For advertising to worth anything it needs to offer the listener some concrete call to action that has a benefit for the listener. In small town radio we used to advertise: "At the IGA Supermarket this week you can buy Campbells Pork and Beans for 29-cents a can." And the cost-conscious housewife thought: Thank you, thank you, thank you. And she showed up at the store and she bought.

That style of advertising is out of style today.... and maybe that is one of the reasons radio is "a bit on the ropes" to use a boxing terminology. So, in an ad that says: "We here at WKRP are very concerned about the economy, so were are providing as a courtesy a list of auto dealers participating in the Cash for Clunkers Program." ... what's the payoff for the listener? What's the call to action at this point for the listener?

The ad probably needs to get a bit more specific: "And at Jones Chevrolet, in addition to the Federal Cash Plan, you will receive 12 free oil changes with your purchase." That's probably a terrible example, but it is a specific proposition for the listener. So what does the station now do for Smith Ford, and Lowry Toyota? Does every business in town get a free ad?

Maybe the station could simply advertise: "Hey Americans, get off your butt and go spend some money." Maybe that would save the economy.

<sarcasm mode off>

Let me propose that radio should be doing today,exactly what what it has done well for years and years. You sit down and come up with a plan for each business that creatively gives the listener a valid reason for becoming a customer at Example Stores and presents it to a potential customer and works with their input and wisdom to make it a productive ad campaign.

<Sarcasm mode back on>

I don't have much hope for the punchbowl in the middle of main street solving the economy needs.
 
Radio Ink and the Famous Radio Ranch (I believe) produced a series of generic ads this winter encouraging folks to buy cars. A number of radio stations picked up the campaign. I heard it on a half-dozen stations across Indiana, I assume other stations elsewhere aired it.
 
What about if the "Big Guys" would do some of the advertising?.....Rush, Sean, The Great One, Alan Colmes, Laura Ingram, and Cousin Brucie? Millions of people a day listen to these folks, (150 listen to Cousin Brucie)

Thanks Again

Stuart
 
here in ny state,(?)and souther ontario, Canada
i also recall hearing that . . generic, buy a car ad....hmm.

WHTT, prior to a recent format *tweek* did encourage,
(about 8-10 months ago) a quick :20 second, on air mention
(for the employees to call a local number, and record:
name, company, and a *quik*message), at the station's
discretion, would air the *favorite* of the week, in a segment,
hey check out our most recent caller to #881-*#*#, but i
maaaybe, suspect it was just a teeease, to have you call...
and once you are on the line, you would be offered
a variety of potential(paid) rates for your product, . . . or
record, your :20sec. spot, that might air...hmm?

i dont know, i never called.
 
Stuart, I know your suggestion is well intentioned, but I disagree with the premise. Heck, why not extend your logic and put the burden on the vendors and retailers to jump start the economy. Let each dealer give away some free cars in hopes that other people will pay for theirs. Let every store give away some free stuff to get people in the door who will then buy other stuff. They would NEVER go for it and it would NEVER work.
 
Stuart Greenberg said:
What about if the "Big Guys" would do some of the advertising?.....Rush, Sean, The Great One, Alan Colmes...
Click to expand...

Alan Colmes!? Don't both sides consider him to be a complete tool? I know I would actually re-think my purchase of anything if I found out that Colmes was promoting it.

And to me, The Great One will always be Jackie Gleason. Or maybe Wayne Gretzky.
 
Goat Rodeo Cowboy said:
Stuart Greenberg said:
I guess there are many "Great Ones". I was referring to Mark Levin!
Click to expand...

"Everyone to his own taste, said the farmer, as he kissed his cow."
Click to expand...
I believe the saying is, "Everyone to his own taste, said the cowboy, as he kissed his goat."
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom