[BC] Getting the Commercials on

[Thomas G. Osenkowsky]

When I was an OM (PD/MD) I also made commercials part of my programming. I
started with contests that forced the listeners to LISTEN to the product. I
would have trivia questions about the song just played. For examples, in the
Ian Matthews song "Shake It", name the five things the girl had? In the
Ozark Mountain Daredevils song "Jackie Blue" (we played the LP version) what
color were Jackie's eyes? It took me two months to prepare for April Fools
Day. I would edit songs and listeners would have to call when they heard the
wrong version. For example, in "I Am Woman" the last refrain says "I can
face anything", whereas the previous two said "I can do anything". Or in
"Summer In The City" I spliced in twice the bridge with the car horns twice.
You had to actively listen to win.

I then transitioned that philosophy into spots, asking questions like "What
kind of wood is used in the Harmony dresser?" Advertisers loved it,
listeners won prizes and billings were above expectations. Creativity was
key. More work yes. Greater results, yes.

Tom Osenkowsky, CPBE

>A PD friend of mine once told me that he made commercials a part of the
>programming, and they had fantastic ratings for a long time.  MY OPINION:
>Those people paying for advertising are precious and should not hear a
>station play an hour of "commercial free music" or XX in a row, etc.  The
>station is subliminally saying, "Commercials are bad and we know it."  What
>an insult to the paying customer.