Atlanta’s WKHX-FM, also know as KICKS 1015 FM, has learned that the way to reach listeners is through the mobile phone. The Citadel Broadcasting-owned station just wrapped up its first major mobile contest, which kicked off the radio station’s ongoing weekly mobile marketing efforts.
The campaign reached out to high school students in the Atlanta area. It called the students to text in “Kellie” and the name of their high school to win a private concert by Sony BMG artist Kellie Pickler at their school. The promotion, meant to grow a younger audience, ran on the radio from April 14-23.
The campaign was powered by mobile marketing services firm MSnap, which has worked on mobile campaigns for more than 650 radio stations across the US including many others under the Citadel Broadcasting brand.
“People often listen to the radio when they are on the go, often in their cars,” said Martin Kirsteseter, founder of MSnap. “So it makes sense to have consumers vote by [mobile] phone rather than online.”
By texting in, the students also signed up to receive weekly mobile messages from the station, which promote various items including free movie tickets and concert tickets. The campaign received 2 million responses. The reply messages were sponsored by Wendy’s, which pushed its Atlanta regional campaign, “Eat better, way later.” Etowah High School in Woodstock, GA, won the concert, which was performed last week.
The MSnap brand has done a number of similar free concert contests for various Citadel stations nationwide, usually for alternative rock or hip-hop stations.
“We didn’t think that country would be as popular with the demographic, but this campaign was a home run,” Kirsteseter said.
