GCap partners with Norwich Union in free petrol promotion

by Emma Barnett, Media Week 05-Aug-08, 13:30

LONDON - GCap Media's One Network has teamed up with Norwich Union for an eight-week promotion inviting listeners to fill up their cars with petrol for free.

The One Network stations will start promoting "Free Fuel Friday" today (Tuesday), inviting listeners to collect their share of £500-worth of free petrol every Friday. A different petrol station in each of The One Network's 16 broadcasting areas nationwide will be chosen each week. Its location will be announced during the drive-time show, at which point listeners will be told which petrol station has been selected to take part in the promotion. The free petrol will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

The promotion will feature pre-promotion teasers on Wednesday and Thursday of each week.

The London market will be represented by Capital 95.8 fm, but instead of an announcement telling drivers which petrol station to head to, DJs will invite Londoners to text in every Friday, and 100 winners will be selected to each receive £50 worth of petrol.

It has been estimated that The One Network will give away £64,000-worth of fuel throughout the eight week – campaign, which Norwich Union will pay for.

The deal was negotiated by GCap Media's S&P account manager Lilly Tugwell, OMD UK's associate communication director, Anita Wilkins, direct communications planner, Ricardo Amboage and radio buyer, Nicole Blass.

Comments

Stuart Aplin - 05/08/2008

So isn't 16 areas over 8 weeks two petrol stations per week? They could have done something quite innovative to tie the radio promotion in with a digital element, like a data collection portal issuing mobile coupons ... but instead they're just going to cause huge traffic problems as thousands of hard up motorists descend on petrol stations to get their free tankful. I predict a riot ... nice work GCap & OMD, you must be very proud

Stuart Aplin - 05/08/2008

It seems my post wasn't well received somewhere in adland, so i'll take the opportunity to clarify my opinion that i see this as a missed opportunity for Norwich Union to have created a wider consumer engagement exercise across multiple channels rather than a simple 'freebie' givaway. As was also pointed out to me, the 'first one to the prize' is a tried and trusted idea ... which doesn't usually involve hundreds of 2 ton metal boxes. Sorry, but i stick by my opinion