Radio Sales Café

I'm thinking of an on air, event and on line promotion where we get listeners to sign a document saying "NO" to texting and driving ... Has anyone put one of these programs together ... Would love to discuss it with you!  

Hi, Kimberly - A few years ago GBS put together a series of fifteen :30-second Don't Drink and Drive messages, each addressing the problem from a different angle. Based on the abundance of evidence that texting while driving is just as risky as DUI, and in view of the fact that a number of states have outlawed the practice (mandating hefty fines for violators), there might be some businesses or organizations out there willing to sponsor an initiative designed to inform/educate listeners to discourage the practice. Personally, the signing of a document doesn't grab me - but I certainly could be in the minority on that point. -Rod

Kimberly,
My station cluster is located in a college town and this is a promotion that I would definitely think about putting together. We are working on an idea for a student book store and something like this could work. The client would be included in the on air promos reminding people about the dangers of texting and driving. Promote an event complete with live action broadcast for the signing of the pledge not to text and drive. Have a coupon on the bottom of the pledge that everyone participating is either given a discount or maybe entered to win a fabulous prize or both. An I-pad would be a great prize for this! Make sure you put the word out to local news sources. It would generate great publicity for the station and client to be able to say - we had over X number of people pledge not to text and drive.

Tie in a cell phone company like T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T, etc. Or if you really got lucky, perhaps all the cell phone companies could participate in a joint venture. . . plus, offer their smart phones as a prize, like the AT&T I-Phone.

Thanks for all this advice guys! I'll keep you updated on how it goes.

Check local and state law enforcement agencies. Many have grant funds to promote such things as buckle up, Drink & Drive, and text and drive. In radio we call this alternative funds. Better that retail dollars because nobody cancels for lack of calls.