“It’s all about being creative”, said Niall Power Head of Station Sound, Beat 102-103. “Big budgets aren’t everything.”

The following is his list of top 10 international radio promotions:

1. Q music, Netherlands – Forbidden word – The DJ is not allowed to say the forbidden word. Everytime the presenter says the forbidden word the jackpot increases for the listener.
2. Radio 1 drop BBC – A Halloween promotion. Presenter Jordan North needs to work out who he can trust and who controls the button that can drop him into the water. His co presenter Greg James has planned this act of revenge based on a previous promotion.
3. Radio Rock – Korporaatio 100 – Two hosts of the breakfast show both turned 50 and decided to take a trip lasting 100 hours, based on a suggested itinerary from listeners. They travelled 3,000 km around the Finnish peninsula and broadcast live every day for 12 hours. Listeners were on hand to greet the presenters and every hand shaken became a new loyal listener.
4. KIIS iHeartRADIO with Kyle and Jackie O – Cash Cock promotion where listeners had the opportunity to win money for riding the Cock. Host Kyle also had a go at riding the Cock. Great opportunity for laughter and innuendo at rider’s expense.
5. Beat Breakfast Campout – Presenter hadn’t camped out before so the promotion came about to organise a mini summer festival where listeners could get tickets to join the presenters, listeners joined them. Clients were eager to to come on board to sponsor and they arranged entertainment for campers.
6. Hit Radio FFH – FFH Lie detector competition offered 10,000 Euro prize to the contestant who could tell the truth, even with an interrogation expert, while being strapped to a lie detector, was asking  extremely awkward questions? Promotion took place on air and through socials.
7. Promotion 98FM’s Dead Air – Halloween promotion where presenters were told one of them would be murdered. Over 9 days listeners tuned in to collect clues. On Halloween Presenter Suzanne Kane was electrocuted and had been murdered! Interrogations were hosted online and on socials. Murder update bulletins  ran on air throughout the day. Killer was revealed the following day and winners announced.
8. Hometime with Bush and Richie on Tesco mobile – Bush and Richie’s bonus day – One listener had the chance to have a special day organised on the leap day, so chose to do a tour of the haunted underground tunnels. He then had lunch with the  presenters at the Hard Rock Cafe.
9. Promotion 94.5 Km Capetown South Africa with Carl Wastie – KFM Mystery Mic. Winner of the South African Innovation award. Four non singing celebrities were put in a studio with an audio producer to record their favourite song. Listeners heard one singer per week and had to identify celebrities on Mystery mic to win a cash prize and an experience.
10. Gold 104.3 Melbourne, Australia, 48 hours of Groundhog day. Sixteen listeners were brought into a cinema to watch the same movie on repeat for 48 hours. The last person left standing would win $20,000.

Power’s key takeaways include:

• Ensure the mechanic is not overly complicated.
• Give it the “serial effect” – people want to know what happens next.
• Ensure the 360 approach but always bring it back to on air.
• Big budgets aren’t everything.
• It’s all about being creative.

Finally, Power shared advice from Derek Bargwanna Group Content Director, KIIS network, Australia, “The greatest radio promotions should be explained and understood in the title alone. The build and hype is everything.”