Stupid Disney World Trip Contest

[Christine]

One of our radio stations is offering a free trip to Disney World for 4 people. They are giving away about 3-4 trips a day since Monday and it is still going.

But the weird thing is they have a "special" number to call (not the station's number), the winners, when they are broadcast NEVER mention this radio's stations call letters like most other contests, and they never say what local town within the DC area that the caller is from like they normally do when someone wins concert tickets, etc.

Soooo, my suspicion is that this is some nationwide type contest that many radio stations are hooked into. The only requirement for winning is to call the specific number and be the 100th caller. Of course, I've been trying this for 3 days now and I don't even come close to getting through.

Have you ever heard of contest like this? It kind of ticks me off that radio station is trying to make it seem like it is a "local" thing. And if I knew I was competing with the whole nation, I probably wouldn't bother with wasting my time. I've just never seen this tactic before.

 

[agotta]

Lol, Hot 99.5?

 

[Christine]

Lol, Hot 99.5?

Yep.

 

[Equidae]

I've heard of it before, but usually for big cash prizes.

 

[RadioNate]

I'm positive it is a group contest. While you may not like it, group contesting allows stations to provide bigger and better prizes. This is really benificial for smaller markets (meaning markets outside of the top 10) who would never get the oppertunity to give away trips to WDW or anything similar.

Even in DC that station couldn't afford to give away 3-4 trips a day.

 

[Christine]

Even in DC that station couldn't afford to give away 3-4 trips a day.

Well, I'm just starting to have this sink in (I'm slow, okay?) I guess what ticked me off was the way the station presented it. Prior to the contest it was all hyped up and they made it sound like there was only going to be ONE DAY that the trips were given. In fact, on that one day, in the morning, they said that the trips would be given away at 10:00 a.m., 3 p.m., and 5 p.m. And then END of STORY. We are now going on day 3. They give you an idea of when to call in. Then they might not even let you know anyone won until 45 minutes later. It's just really weird how they are doing it this time.

 

[tarmand]

My local station is tied into this also. It is absolutely a national thing. I think they are owned by Clear Channel so it is probably being given away between most or all of their stations. Your chances are very slim.

 

[hiwaygal]

We have the same contest going on here too...but I did hear it was a "national" contest and not just a local one. Of course, the local station is more or less "promoting" it as THEIR contest.

At first when I heard about it, I was all excited!!

Only to be let down, yet again, by radio marketeers!

 

[Christine]

My local station is tied into this also. It is absolutely a national thing. I think they are owned by Clear Channel so it is probably being given away between most or all of their stations. Your chances are very slim.

Yep, so no more calling for me. I almost killed a few people on Monday when it was the 3:00 p.m. call. Do you know how hard it is to redial the cell phone for 30 minutes while commuting?

 

[RadioNate]

Here's the inside scoop. The station wants you to spend more time listening. That's why they don't tell you exactly when it is going to happen. Your DC station does want people from their station to win. The 'promo' pieces that you are hearing are being produced at a corportate level. So when you get a winner at 3pm, it is 3:10 before the company answering the calls has their info. Then they need to deal with voice and information releases, so it is now 315. Then corportate gets that info plus the audio to build into a promo. Creative services builds the promo, so now it is at least 330. Then they need to send the promo down the wan or email it too all the participating stations as an mp3. Then it needs to be loaded into the computer system at your station and scheduled to run 3:45.

While I"m sure they are trying to sound local, they are also trying to sound 'generic' so everyone can use the same thing.

 

[momof2inPA]

They should disclose that it's a national contest. I don't like dishonesty, like when the National Public Radio stations do those matching funds call-in drives. They tell you that if they can raise like 10k in the next four hours, a matching donation will be "released." What that means is they already have the money, and they, themselves, will "release" it or use it when they get 10k in pledges. In reality, they have always had the money and would use it, anyway. Deception makes me stay away from a business or radio station.

 

[RadioNate]

My local station is tied into this also. It is absolutely a national thing. I think they are owned by Clear Channel so it is probably being given away between most or all of their stations. Your chances are very slim.

Hot 99.5 is a ClearChannel station however don't let Howard Stern fool you into thinking that Infinity, ABC/, Cox, Entercom, Citadel and every other radio owner in the US doesn't do the same thing.

 

[corie161]

They should disclose that it's a national contest. I don't like dishonesty, like when the National Public Radio stations do those matching funds call-in drives. They tell you that if they can raise like 10k in the next four hours, a matching donation will be "released." What that means is they already have the money, and they, themselves, will "release" it or use it when they get 10k in pledges. In reality, they have always had the money and would use it, anyway. Deception makes me stay away from a business or radio station.

The local radio station here in MN is also doing this promo, but they do say "be the 100th NATIONWIDE caller". I actually got through one day, and was disappointed to here "Sorry you are not the correct number caller" They didn't specifically tell me what number I actually was. I continued to hit redial, but how long does it actually take to get 100 calls?

 

[Christine]

The local radio station here in MN is also doing this promo, but they do say "be the 100th NATIONWIDE caller".

Yes, I finally did hear them say that yesterday. I just wish they would have been more "open" about what is was. Don't make me ponder this stuff.

 

[jocon]

Same contest here in Boston.....

 

[Bravosntha2g]

All of the big contests are nationwide for the big brand radio stations like Clear Channel and Radio One are like this. You may find local and smaller brand stations have their own contests, but it is becoming much more rare. One of our local Clear Channel affiliates is included in this WDW contests.

 

[jcsbama]

Don't give up. A co-worker at my previous job won $20,000 in cash by being the 100th nationwide caller. It can happen.

 

[corie161]

Don't give up. A co-worker at my previous job won $20,000 in cash by being the 100th nationwide caller. It can happen.

They can give up....it just means better chances for me.

 

[mousiemom]

Me too! Litemix 99.9. I listen for that yetti call every day and I also try for a good 10min. and never get through. Forget that!

 

[Mermaid02]

I know a woman who won a trip to Tahiti from Clear Channel, so these people are local somewhere.... it's wrong of the station not to make it clear that it's a national contest though!