CPR Promotional Check-Up - Mar 7, 2016

Interviewing For A Promotion Director

One of the stations is going through that process right now. Here are four questions to file away for that possibility.

1. What is the biggest promotional disaster you've ever had? If they say they've never had one, they're either lying or not trying hard enough.
2. What is the best promotion you ever did? How they answer shows whether they're what you need. If they answer "A tri-partnered co-op vendor program that tied the stations digital platforms and Target into..." then that's great. If you need a Marketing Director. If they describe a summer campaign that threw backyard parties and crashed beaches, that's great...if you need a street animal.
3. What promotion have you always wanted to do but haven't? Great Promotion Directors always have goals, things they want to do that no one else has ever done.
4. Kit Kat wants that station to do a four week promotion where people submit 30 second home-recorded jingles for the client to win an iPod. Would you do this or would you rewrite it and how?

Big Green Things

Three years ago WGRD in Grand Rapids took a large intern, painted him green and sent him around as "The World's Largest Leprechaun" to get his photo taken with listeners. There was a schedule of his bar tour so you knew where to find him and get snapped. You then sent your photo in for a chance at $500.

For Your Restaurant/Bar Clients

One of the stations has an Applebee's type of client that wanted "something" for a Wednesday night.

When I have early flights, I'll usually get a hotel near the Minneapolis airport. One of them is in a "nice" 'burb and across the parking lot is an upscale type of bar/restaurant. Sports bar in one area, good food in the other. Several Monday's ago I wandered over for dinner, and the joint was packed. Hostess asked if I was there for bingo. I said no and grabbed the last open table.

At about 6:45 she started working the room, handing out bingo cards to people at all the booths and tables. Whole families of them. All Monday night regulars who come for food and bingo. Number calling started at 7 pm and the games were all good for either cash or tabs or appetizers. Again, packed. And all regulars.

Running (Crawling) Baby Betting

One of the stations has a Leprechaun Race slated for St. Patrick's Day. Eight kids in green diapers crawling towards a pot of gold. (Actually "gold level" tickets to the local concert venue; win and get a pair of tickets to every concert this summer. $1000 value)

They're getting into the aesthetics of if and will have a giant black pot with rainbow'ed steamers, etc.

On line? They'll have photos of the kids and racetrack-type stats. How they crawl in the mud. Medications they may be on. Members of their listener club can place a "bet" on which kid will win. One of the people who pick the correct baby will be in a second chance drawing for more "gold" tickets.