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What is the best radio promotion in Atlanta Radio history?

T

tlyle

What is the best radio promotion in Atlanta Radio history? Many stations over the years have had great promotions. WQXI sponsoring the Chattahoochee river races in the 70's come to mind. Does Star 94's live in a car qualify?

What do you think are the best one's? I am starting a separate thread for worst?
 
I loved the one Power 99 (I think) did back in the 80's with bringing the Bangles to the school who sent in the most index cards. This was before internet and texting...when mail was all you had. Remember Mary Glenn Lassiter? The concert went to North Cobb High School. The media was all over it. You couldn't find a 3x5 index card in a store anywhere in metro Atlanta for months!
 
Was it WQXI who did the live turkey drop - inspiration for the famous "Turkey Drop Promotion" episode on "WKRP in Cinncinnatti?"
That would have to qualify for the best promotion ever......
 
The Power 99 "Power PLOP" when we gave away squares that were numbered and laid out in a field and had the dairy cow walk around and wherever she plopped if it was your number you won the car. I thought it was funny that they bronzed the turd and I have it on a plaque in storage. Power 99 did many fun promotions in those days; "Wing-Ding" comes to mind and the Halloween Fright Train on the Georgia Railroad with Fresh Prince and Beastie Boys who by the way became a little too aggresive with Sweet Sensation then destroyed the rail car they were in.
 
taylorengineer said:
Was it WQXI who did the live turkey drop - inspiration for the famous "Turkey Drop Promotion" episode on "WKRP in Cinncinnatti?"
That would have to qualify for the best promotion ever......
Click to expand...

From the WQXI Wikipedia page (who knows how accurate it is, but whatever):

WQXI was the inspiration for the television sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati. Series creator Hugh Wilson dealt with the station when he worked in advertising. WKRP episodes which included dropping turkeys from a helicopter as the "dancing ducks promotion," with ducks dancing on hot plates, were actually done by Jerry Blum at WQXI. Blum leased an 18-wheeler and tossed hundreds of live turkeys from a suburban Atlanta shopping center.
 
Many years ago, Z93 did a contest with a big giveaway where you had to listen each morning for another instruction on something to find out and then call or send into the station (I forget the specifics)

I do remember a couple of the items though..

One was to find out how many Waffle Houses were visible from I-285.
Another was to find out the total count of soap dispensers in bathrooms in the (then brand-new) IBM tower in downtown.

There were several other wacky items. The contest went on for a couple of weeks and the cash giveaway was like 25 grand.
 
WQXI when they did "The Last Contest". It was outrageous!!!!

Six pack of Corvettes, jumbo airplanes, ocean islands, exotic things, etc.

They blew out the phone lines.

Crash, I believe that cow plop was over at American Pie????
 
The Last Contest was syndicated. I believe the first station to carry it was KCBQ in San Diego. I think Jack McCoy, Bartell programmer based at KCBQ, created it.
 
earswideopen said:
I loved the one Power 99 (I think) did back in the 80's with bringing the Bangles to the school who sent in the most index cards. This was before internet and texting...when mail was all you had. Remember Mary Glenn Lassiter?
Click to expand...

If Mary Glenn Lassiter was involved, then it was Z-93. (She stuck around when Steve McCoy left and survived Randy Miller's departure, at least for a little while.)


NightFlyer said:
Many years ago, Z93 did a contest with a big giveaway where you had to listen each morning for another instruction on something to find out and then call or send into the station (I forget the specifics)

I do remember a couple of the items though..

One was to find out how many Waffle Houses were visible from I-285.
Another was to find out the total count of soap dispensers in bathrooms in the (then brand-new) IBM tower in downtown.

There were several other wacky items. The contest went on for a couple of weeks and the cash giveaway was like 25 grand.
Click to expand...

I believe that was the big Scavenger Hunt, circa 1987. The final task was the number of steps on the longest escalator in Atlanta. Some teams picked the south escalator at the Peachtree Center MARTA station; others tried the one at Hartsfield. (I believe the former was the winner.)
 
taylorengineer said:
Was it WQXI who did the live turkey drop - inspiration for the famous "Turkey Drop Promotion" episode on "WKRP in Cinncinnatti?"
That would have to qualify for the best promotion ever......
Click to expand...
As God as my witness, I thought turkey's could fly!

A pre-eemptive welcome the the 1K club.
 
RoddyFreeman said:
The Last Contest was syndicated. I believe the first station to carry it was KCBQ in San Diego. I think Jack McCoy, Bartell programmer based at KCBQ, created it.
Click to expand...

You are correct.

I first remember hearing it on 93 KHJ with Bill Drake and the infamous Tams "Drake Jingle" package.
 
"THE TURKEYS ARE HITTING THE GROUND LIKE SACKS OF WET CEMENT!!!"

"OH, THE HUMANITY!"

I don't care if the Turkey-Dropping promotion on WKRP in Cincinnati was a parody, a spoof, or an exaggeration of the truth ... it's still based in fact it qualifies as the BEST and the WORST promotion in radio history! And it made Jerry Blum a legend!!!

Am I showing my age?? :eek:

Here's my gift to everyone - watch the episode and laugh your coccyx off!! (Ha! - another double!!!)

http://www.hulu.com/watch/322/wkrp-in-cincinnati-turkeys-away#x-0,vepisode,1
 
Good recall earswideopen, on the BANGLES index card promotion, BUT
it was Steve McCoy on Z-93 with MAry Glen Lassiter who did that.
John Young was the brilliant program director of that legendary station.
 
The Flash said:
"THE TURKEYS ARE HITTING THE GROUND LIKE SACKS OF WET CEMENT!!!"

"OH, THE HUMANITY!"

I don't care if the Turkey-Dropping promotion on WKRP in Cincinnati was a parody, a spoof, or an exaggeration of the truth ... it's still based in fact it qualifies as the BEST and the WORST promotion in radio history! And it made Jerry Blum a legend!!!

Am I showing my age?? :eek:

Here's my gift to everyone - watch the episode and laugh your coccyx off!! (Ha! - another double!!!)

http://www.hulu.com/watch/322/wkrp-in-cincinnati-turkeys-away#x-0,vepisode,1
Click to expand...

Freakin classic!!!
 
"I first remember hearing it on 93 KHJ with Bill Drake and the infamous Tams "Drake Jingle" package."

You're really confused.
 
makemineblatz said:
"I first remember hearing it on 93 KHJ with Bill Drake and the infamous Tams "Drake Jingle" package."

You're really confused.
Click to expand...

I was talking about "The Last Cotest".
 
You remain confused.

(a)Drake was long gone from KHJ when Jack McCoy syndicated The Last CON test.

(b)There was no infamous Tams "Drake Jingle" package.
 
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