Classic Radio Promotions (from the Billboard Magazine archives)

25 August 1984

Station: Z-100 (WBIZ) Eau Claire, Wisc. (contemporary)
Contact: Tom Allen, promotion coordinator
Concept: I Ate It For Weird Al

Execution: In conjunction with "Weird Al" Yankovic's appearance at the Northern Wisconsin State Fair, Z-100 conducted a contest, with listeners asked to enter a random drawing. The 10 contestants selected were challenged to eat everything in Weird Al's song "Eat It" in the shortest time possible. Held at a local nightspot and client, The Trader & Trapper, the great eat-off, to which listeners were invited, paid off in prizes which greatly surpassed the feat.

The first place eater was awarded round trip air transportation for two from Eau Claire to Chippewa Falls (that's 10 big miles, folks); a chauffeured trip to the fairgrounds, where they were treated to an elegant "Corn Dog Dinner "; an introduction to Weird Al, and the honor of introducing his afternoon performance.

But wait, there's more: The truly memorable prize also included a ginsu knife (no lie, folks), the Popeil Pocket Fisherman, an introductory accordion lesson and a one-way bus ticket for one to anywhere in Wisconsin served by Greyhound Lines.

13 August 1983

STATION: WBCY Charlotte
CONTACT: Bob Kaghan PD
CONCEPT: Ticket giveaways

EXECUTION: While events may be exciting, the giving away of tickets is usually mundane. Calls, letters and random drawings are totally de- pendent on the appeal of the prize. In Charlotte, the World 600 Race is an appealing event, but sparking listener interest even further, the morning team came up with a unique way to award tickets.

John Boy and Bill James asked the audience to mail them a potato chip. If the chip arrived intact, the sender was eligible to win a pair of tickets.

How good is the Charlotte postal service? Well, out of a thousand entries, they had no trouble awarding the allotted 50 pairs of tickets.

6 April 1985

TAX TIME
WPFB Middletown, Ohio (country)
Contact: Bob Spangler

With the even tougher IRS restrictions this year, it's becoming a game of creativity to see just what you can get away with on your tax returns. As April 15 is rapidly approaching, WPFB has decided to help listeners out, so to speak, by having the audience share the loopholes they've discovered.

In a tongue-in-cheek promotion, the country station is asking listeners to send in a letter outlining their most creative tax scam to date. If the listener phones when his or her "deduction" is aired, he'll have a chance for a weekend for two in nearby Cincinnati.

7 April 1984

Station: KMEL San Francisco (AOR)
Contact: Rick Lee, GM
Concept: "Where's the beef?"

Execution: The Wendy's hamburger chain's commercials featuring an old woman shouting "Where's the beef?" have captured the imagination of program directors across the country. In San Francisco, KMEL is asking listeners to write the station in 25 words or less explaining why KMEL has the beef.

Claiming to be the station that delivers the beef, KMEL will award the grand prize entry: 1,000 pounds of it - live on the hoof.