Snapple wants consumers’ attention as summer kicks off, and will likely get it by offering radio listeners 40 consecutive days of commercial free radio, as well as carpeting several New England states with promotions and samples.
The deal between the WFNX Radio Network and Snapple began Friday, the start of Memorial Day weekend and the unofficial start of summer. Under its “Summer Free For All” promotion, Snapple purchased every minute of WFNX’s advertising time for the six-week period at alternative radio stations in Boston and Southern New Hampshire. The messaging runs through the Fourth of July weekend.
The deal calls for the two to create non-traditional on-air messaging that will engage listeners and tout the Snapple brand. Termed “brandcasting,” Snapple said this unique partnership will redefine how brands use radio for marketing.
The festivities began Friday as the Snapple/WFNX “Guitarmeter”— 10-foot tall, guitar-shaped thermometer— unveiled by Wendy “The Snapple Lady” at Store 24 in Copley Square in Boston. At the site, consumers will be offered Snapple samples whenever the temperature rises to 85 degrees.
Rainmaker Media Rainmaker Media will help develop short messages and event announcements that will be woven into WFNX’s music programming in the form of hundreds of recorded audio “collages,” live DJ reads, bumpers and sweepers, the companies said. EMCI, an entertainment marketing collective based in New York initiated the concept.
Both the radio station and Snapple are describing this initiative as commercial-free.
“This bold, ground-breaking initiative is a good reflection of Snapple’s history and mission,” said Holly Mensch, VP-marketing for Snapple, a Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages product. “We are excited to partner with WFNX to bring Bostonians commercial-free radio, free concerts and the best free stuff on earth.”
“We jumped at this commercial-free opportunity from Snapple and crafted it into a bold and innovative radio brandcasting experiment,” said Andy Kingston, WFNX Network general manager, in a statement.
Listeners will be treated to free concerts during the program. The first and largest will be headlined by Dashboard Confessional on June 1, at Boston’s City Hall Plaza. Another initiative calls for Snapple to host exclusive “Snapple Cap Shows” with popular alternative bands. Instead of purchasing tickets, fans must bring three Snapple bottle caps to gain entry. Once inside, they will be introduced to new Snapple products. The shows will take place at the premiere Boston venue, Axis, kicked off by Hawthorne Heights on June 23, followed by Yellowcard on June 28.
In a related promotion, consumers can text the message “SNAPPLE” via their mobile phones to 22122 to win prizes, receive concert tickets, sweepstakes entries, alerts, party invites and other promotions. G8wave.com, a Boston and London mobile media company, executes. A mobile storefront will offer ringtones, wallpapers and talking voicetones.
WFNX/Snapple street teams will be comb local beaches and retailers with sweepstakes, prizes, promotional giveaways, music and concert information, and, of course, Snapple samples. Snapple and WFNX will be spinning music and passing out samples at retail outlets around Boston, including Brooks Drugs, Tedeschi’s, Lil Peach and Store 24.
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