Introduction

Winter isn’t just a season — it’s an experience. Across ski resorts and snowy destinations, families, thrill-seekers, and leisure travelers flock to the slopes for skiing, snowboarding, tubing, and cozy après-ski evenings. Newspapers can capture this excitement by sponsoring a Winter Fun Challenge, blending editorial storytelling with advertiser promotions. This creates a seasonal showcase that entertains readers while driving business for local and national sponsors.

🏔️ Contest & Engagement Ideas

• Photo & Story Contest: Invite readers to submit their best skiing, snowboarding, or winter resort photos and stories. Categories could include Best Downhill Run, Family Ski Adventure, Snowboard Trick Shot, and Winter Resort Experience.

• Video Submissions: Encourage short clips of ski tricks or family fun on the slopes, shared via social media with a branded hashtag.

• Grand Prize: A luxury ski weekend getaway, premium ski/snowboard equipment, or a full winter apparel package.

• Judging Panel: Blend editorial staff with local ski instructors, resort reps, and even celebrity athletes for credibility and buzz.

• Reader’s Choice Award: Online voting drives digital traffic and keeps readers engaged throughout the contest period.

🎿 Sponsorship Opportunities

• Winter Equipment Retailers: Ski shops, snowboard brands, outdoor gear suppliers.

• Resorts & Lodges: Ski resorts, winter cabins, luxury lodges offering getaway packages.

• Apparel Brands: Jackets, boots, gloves, goggles, helmets — perfect for showcasing seasonal collections.

• Local Businesses: Restaurants, cafés, breweries, and hot chocolate brands near ski areas.

• Travel Partners: Airlines, bus lines, car rental companies promoting winter travel deals.

• Insurance Companies: Ski trip coverage or travel insurance tie-ins.

• Banks & Financial Services: Sponsoring “family vacation financing” or “travel rewards” promotions.

📰 Newspaper Coverage Strategy

• Launch Spread: A full-page announcement with sponsor logos, contest details, and resort features.

• Weekly Features: Skiing tips, resort spotlights, gear reviews, and advertiser promotions.

• Winner Showcase: Dedicated section with photos of winners, their stories, and sponsor highlights.

• Digital Extension: Social media reels of ski tricks, downloadable “Winter Fun Guide,” and interactive resort maps.

• Evergreen Content: Recipes for après-ski meals, winter safety tips, and gear maintenance guides.

🎯 Why This Works

• Seasonal Tie-In: Perfectly aligned with winter holidays, New Year, and family vacation planning.

• Visual Appeal: Skiing and snowboarding photos create dynamic, eye-catching spreads.

• Broader Advertiser Base: Resorts, gear brands, apparel, and travel companies expand beyond traditional sponsors.

• Community Engagement: Reader voting and social media sharing extend reach beyond print.

• Recurring Feature: Can become an annual “Winter Fun Challenge” that builds tradition and brand loyalty.

Example Editorial Angle

Imagine a Sunday feature titled “Snowbound Adventures: Families Take to the Slopes”. The article could highlight:

• A local family’s ski trip story.

• A spotlight on regional resorts offering special packages.

• Gear reviews sponsored by local ski shops.

• A sidebar with contest entry details and sponsor coupons.

This way, the story feels authentic and engaging, while advertisers are seamlessly integrated into the narrative.

Each year thousands of high school students take part in team sports through their schools. These teams need community support for a successful season. Being a sports booster can increase your revenues all year long if you target all of the schools sports in your area.

Directions:

1) Feature your local high school sports team photo on a banner page. Title the page “Play On The Winning Team”. Place a team photo in the middle of the page and place a game schedule under the photo. Place ads under the schedule.

2) Sell the ad. Have your telemarketing department sell the page. Go through the yellow pages for prospective advertisers. Contact businesses, retailers and team supporters in your area to buy space on the page. Target local restaurants, sporting goods stores, insurance agents, sports doctors, attorneys, hospitals, and recreation centers.

3) Create a layout. This page can be sold for each sport the school sponsors. All you have to do is change the team photo to match the season. Many of the less publicized sports ( volleyball, wrestling, swimming, soccer, etc.) could be targeted with this idea. Don’t forget to include girl’s sports when planning your ads.)

Alternative:

1) Contact your local school district for a copy of the sports schedule for the upcoming year. Solicit advertisers to announce their support for the various sports teams during their season.

2) Sell the promotion. Go through the yellow pages for prospective advertisers. Contact businesses, retailers and team supporters in your area to buy space time. Target local restaurants, sporting goods stores, insurance agents, sports doctors, attorneys, hospitals, and recreation centers Each advertiser will have a favorite sport that will interest them.

3) Sign advertisers to a long term advertising commitment. have sponsors run spots letting your listeners know what sporting events the high school is having each week. Give the time and location of the event and if available a little history on how the team is doing this season.

4) Run the spots throughout the school year. Rotate the teams with the seasons. Supply team sponsors with a team photo and schedule to display in the place of business. Rotate sponsors.

Consider sponsoring a BBQ Recipe Contest. This type of promotion can be free standing or a part of a spring outdoor activity or foods section promotion.

Directions:

1) Sponsor a BBQ Recipe Contest, taking entries. Offer prizes in several categories (beef, pork, poultry, ethnic, regional tastes, etc.) with a grand prize overall (BBQ equipment, packages of meat, etc., depending on cosponsoring advertisers). Have your entertainment or editorial staff judge the entries.

2) Co-sponsors/advertisers for this promotion can range anywhere from grocery stores, grill and outdoor furniture retailers and/or distributors, meat specialty shops, gourmet cooking supply retailers, and even restaurants and delicatessens (they can feature the grand prize recipe after the contest). Encourage the advertiser/sponsor to offer special savings tied to the contest during the contest period.

3) Follow up with a complete page/section of winning recipes in each category with a picture of the winners displaying their entries.

Alternative:

1) Sponsor a BBQ Recipe Cookoff Contest. Offer prizes in several categories (beef, pork, poultry, ethnic, regional tastes, etc.) with a grand prize overall (BBQ equipment, packages of meat, etc., depending on cosponsoring advertisers). Have your news or weather staff judge the entries.

2) Co-sponsors/advertisers for this promotion can range anywhere from grocery stores, grill and outdoor furniture retailers and/or distributors, meat specialty shops, gourmet cooking supply retailers, and even restaurants and delicatessens (they can feature the grand prize recipe after the contest). Ag-related dealers like farm machinery dealers, fertilizer and chemical companies, seed dealers and companies, insurance companies, bulk fuel supply companies, banks, and farm organizations can be approached to support this type of contest. Encourage the advertiser/sponsor to offer special savings or premiums tied to the contest theme during the promotion period. Tag spots with contest information. Include co-op where possible.

3) Run the contest at the beginning of the month. Rotate sponsors.

Directions:

1) Feature a banner page/section spotlighting the nursing homes and assisted living facilities in your area.

2) Target your local nursing homes, insurance agents, investment firms, banks, and medical facilities that work in tandem with the homes, pharmacies, vendors, senior social associations, physical fitness facilities with senior classes, personal trainers, bus and transportation services, etc. Include co-op where possible. Include spot color.

We all know the millennium party scene will be big business this coming New Year’s Eve. Many places offering party packages have already been booked full, but there are many with vacancies to fill at the last minute, and there will be lots of walk-in celebrations going on in pubs throughout the area.

Directions:

Target all the restaurants, pubs, pizzerias, night clubs, theaters, travel agencies with millennium packages, community civic centers , hotels, inns, etc. Delis and groceries with delis will also be offering home party packages. Liquor stores and party supply retailers will have specials for the last-minute party-giver. Don’t forget limousine services. Malls and shopping centers may even want a page of their own with a special New year’s events, sale, free-non-alcoholic refreshments, shopping till midnight, etc.

Alternative:

Target all the restaurants, pubs, pizzerias, night clubs, theaters, travel agencies with millennium packages, community civic centers, hotels, inns, etc. Delis and groceries with delis will also be offering home party packages. Liquor stores and party supply retailers will have specials for the last-minute party-giver. Don’t forget limousine services. Malls and shopping centers may even want a page of their own with a special New year’s events, sale, free-non-alcoholic refreshments, shopping till midnight, etc.

You may want to offer to broadcast remote from a major advertiser on the evening’s festivities featuring a countdown to midnight and the beginning of the year. If there are drawings featured from the advertisers, do the winning drawings on-air.

Shopping traffic may be down January 1, 2000 while all the partygoers recover from the festivities of New Year’s Eve or are glued to the tube for a parade or football game. Those retailers and restaurants that will be open on January 1 may want to run special sales incentives, discounts, and events to bring in the consumers who are not too tired to shop on the first day of the new year. (Shopping is now our number one recreation.)

Directions:

1. Target all the retailers, restaurants, theaters, etc. that will be open for business January 1st. Encourage them to offer special buys or discounts for the day.

2. Run the page/section just prior to and/or on the morning of January 1.

There are many services and products available today that enable seniors and the disabled to stay in the comfort of their homes. Use this national recognition to gain some nontraditional advertisers during the month of November.

One of the fastest growing business categories in the economy today is home health care. People are living longer and healthier lives. They want to remain in their own homes as long as possible. This has provided a niche for products and services to help the senior citizen live independently. November has been named Home Care Month. Use this event to help local retailers and service providers promote what they have to offer.

Directions:

1) Sponsoring advertisers for this type of promotion include home health and visiting nurse services, medical equipment sales and rental dealers, hardware stores and building supply retailers with grab bars, hand railings, special bathroom fixtures, wheelchair ramps, etc., insurance companies, financial advisors, home meal delivery programs, special “door-to-door” transportation services, whirlpool and spa retailers, contractors offering retrofit and remodeling services, lawn and handyman services, alarm and medical alert services, retirement communities with assisted living arrangements, pharmacies, grocery stores with home delivery services, etc.

2) Run the page weekly throughout the month or a section at the beginning of the month of November.

Alternative:

1) Feature promotions with products and services that cater to those who need a little help remaining on their own. Many of these are nontraditional advertisers who may be willing to advertise on a special occasion such as this.

2) Sponsoring advertisers for this type of promotion include home health and visiting nurse services, medical equipment sales and rental dealers, hardware stores and building supply retailers with grab bars, hand railings, special bathroom fixtures, wheelchair ramps, etc., insurance companies, financial advisors, home meal delivery programs, special “door-to-door” transportation services, whirlpool and spa retailers, contractors offering retrofit and remodeling services, lawn and handyman services, alarm and medical alert services, retirement communities with assisted living arrangements, pharmacies, grocery stores with home delivery services, etc.

3) Run the promotion throughout the month of November. Include stories and interviews on your local news segments about the growth of the home health care industry and services, the problems faced by disabled and aged citizens of your community, and the measures that are being implemented to address those problems.

Directions:

1) Run a banner page featuring the anniversary.

2) Sell the page. Target businesses and organizations providing products and services that persons with arthritis may be able to use such as health care providers, therapy centers, whirlpool and spa dealers, drug stores and pharmacies, parks with recreation programs, gyms, swimming pools, sporting apparel retailers, shoe stores, exercise equipment dealers, etc. Encourage them to make special offers during this time period.

3) Sign the sponsoring businesses to a multiple ad commitment and run the page weekly in the month of May. This could be run in your weekend editions or lifestyles editions of your paper.

Alternative:

1) Run an informational promotion throughout the month of May with features and stories on the many types of arthritis, along with the advances in treatment and programs available in your community for the arthritis sufferer. You may want to include interviews with members of the Foundation or local medical specialists.

2) Sell the promotion to local sponsors. Target businesses and organizations providing products and services that persons with arthritis may be able to use such as health care providers, therapy centers, whirlpool and spa dealers, drug stores and pharmacies, parks with recreation programs, gyms, swimming pools, sporting apparel retailers, shoe stores, exercise equipment dealers, etc. Encourage them to make special offers during this time period. Rotate sponsors.

3) Sign the sponsoring businesses to a multiple spot commitment and run the promotion throughout the month of May. This could be run in conjunction with your local news or through local talk shows. You may want to run accompanying stories on the disease and your local chapter of the National Arthritis Foundation. Contact your Customer Service Representative for a list of local chapters. For further information on the disease, informational stories on the disease or the National Arthritis Foundation, call 1-(800) 283-7800 or visit their website at http://www.arthritis.org.

Use the event to run special advertising featuring tips on how to avoid accidental poisoning in the home and what to do if it occurs.

Directions:

1) Run a banner page/section devoted to Poison Prevention Month and/or Poison Prevention Week (March 19-25).

2) Advertising targets for this promotion should include doctors, clinics, pharmacies, home improvement centers with locks and cabinets, children’s clothing and equipment retailers, etc. You may want to include a pet supply retailer and/or veterinarians, as pets in our homes are at risk of accidental poisoning too. Include spot color in the ads.

3) Run the page/section any time during the month of March, or reserve it for Poison Prevention Week. Include information articles on accidental poisoning and how to prevent it.

Alternative:

1) Encourage advertisers to offer special discounts, etc. on products and services during the promotional period. Include prevention tips in the advertiser’s spots.

2) Advertising targets for this promotion should include doctors, clinics, pharmacies, home improvement centers with locks, cabinets, etc., children’s clothing and equipment retailers, etc. You may want to include pet supply retailers and/or veterinarians, as pets in our homes are at risk of accidental poisoning too. Rotate sponsors.

3) Run the promotion any time during the month of March, or reserve it for Poison Prevention Week. Include informative stories and interviews on accidental poisoning, how to prevent it, what facilities are available locally for treatment of accidental poisoning and how to get in touch with them, what supplies can be kept in the home to use if poisoning occurs, etc.

Sales for stores involved in the home decorating market make a large jump in March compared to the first two months of the year. Building material and supply stores did 8.1% of their annual business in March, that’s nearly 2% more than January or February.

Between hardware stores, floor covering stores, and building materials and supply stores the average household spent $98.00

in February. Multiply that number by the number of households in your subscriber area and that gives you the approximate retail sales potential in your market*. When you consider every type of business that can be involved in home decorating the sales potential can be enormous. Make sure you are getting your share of the advertising dollars that these sales generate with this sales idea.

Directions:

1.) Feature a banner page on home decorating.

2.) Sell the page. Solicit companies that have anything to do with home decorating/improvement to participate on the page. Target hardware stores, appliance dealers, roofers, contractors, painters, plumbers, flooring retailers, furniture stores, insurance agents, and cabinet makers. Don’t leave out even the most remote possibilities for advertisers. Cement and black top companies, landscapers and exterminators could even advertise on this page. Check your local yellow page directory for additional targets.

3.) Sign dealers to a multiple ad commitment.

4.) Run the page monthly during the spring home improvement season.

Alternative:

1.) Feature a home decorating promotion. Solicit companies that have anything to do with home decorating to participate. Target

hardware stores, appliance dealers, roofers, contractors, painters, plumbers, flooring retailers, furniture stores, insurance agents,

and cabinet makers. Don’t leave out even the most remote possibilities for advertisers. Cement and black top companies, landscapers

and exterminators could even advertise on this page. Check your local yellow page directory for additional targets.

2.) In the spots, tell listeners how even minor decorating & home repairs can increase their homes value. Insurance agents can remind your listeners to have an insurance update each year, so the won’t be underinsured; landscape companies can talk about how a simply

planting trees improve property values, etc.

3.) Sign dealers to a long term commitment.

4. Run the spots during the spring home improvement season. Rotate sponsors.

Graduation party time will begin the first week of May for many colleges and universities and run through the first week of June for secondary and grade school grads. More and more, we are turning to outside sources to arrange and supply our celebration parties. Be prepared yourself with a banner page/section devoted to businesses with products and services to offer to help plan the prefect party.

Directions:

1) Run a banner page or section in the weekend or food editions of your publication.

2) Target delicatessens, paper goods and party supply stores, bakeries, grocery stores with bakery and deli services, hotels, motels with banquet facilities, restaurants, limousine services, caterers, disc jockeys, local bands, photographers, video and audio services, etc.

3) Run the page/section several weeks prior to the start of graduations in your community. If you have colleges and/or universities starting graduation early in May, you may want to feature this type of promotion more than once. Follow up with the high school, grade school, and preschool features two or three weeks later.

Alternative:

1) Offer to give a graduation party package to the lucky winner who calls in when hearing a line from a particular song during the day (School’s out for the Summer) for example. Give a daily prize for a period of two weeks and enter daily winners in a grand prize drawing. Grand prize can range from a pizza party to a private banquet room with food for a given number of people, depending on number and type of advertisers cosponsoring the contest.

2) Target delicatessens, paper goods and party supply stores, bakeries, grocery stores with bakery and deli services, hotels, motels with banquet facilities, restaurants, limousine services, caterers, disc jockeys, local bands, photographers, video and audio services, etc

3) Run the contest several weeks prior to the start of graduations in your community. If you have colleges and/or universities starting graduation early in May, you may want to feature this type of promotion more than once. Follow up with the high school, grade school, and preschool features two or three weeks later.

Want to promote positive behavior in your community? How about a “Good Samaritan” concept. Going one step beyond the good news page/news item, this type of promotion can have the reader/listener/viewer nominate a monthly samaritan for special recognition and presented with a small reward of some type, with a “Good Samaritan of the Year” chosen at the end of the year, and given a larger award.

Directions:

1) Have readers submit their nomination of their “samaritan” in a limited number of words, how and why the person nominated is a hero to them. You many want to designate several categories, separated by age group and/or even animal samaritans.

2) Any retailer, service provider and/or civic organization can be a sponsor of this type of promotion. The layout can include display advertising as well as business card spaces and multiple dealer listings. If you are reserving a month for animal heroes, pet stores and/or pet food and supply distributors and manufacturer’s can be approached to sponsor that particular month.

3) Run the full page layout once. In following months, an abbreviated version may be run to remind readers to keep sending in nominations, or the monthly winner’s picture and information may be dropped into the layout with reminders to send new nominations on an ongoing basis. Accompany with stories of how personal positive behavior enriches everyone’s lives in the community.

Alternative:

1) Announce the Hero promotion on air. Have listeners/viewers submit their nomination of their “Good Samaritan” in a limited number of words, how and why the person nominated is a hero to them.

2) Any retailer, service provider and/or civic organization can be a sponsor of this type of promotion.

3) Use the hero promotion in conjunction with local news segments. Tag sponsors’ spots with “Proud Sponsor of Our Good Samaritan.” accompany with stories of how personal positive behavior enriches everyone’s lives in the community. Try to get well-known civic leaders to present the monthly prizes and further amplify the importance of positive personal behavior to our communities.

Research has shown that there is a trend to short get-aways for couples and families alike seeking to escape the everyday rat race, traffic and noise of city life. More and more rural communities are cashing in on the trend to offer a myriad of attractions to the consumer wishing for a few hours or days in the country. Here is a chance for you to cash in on the trend too by developing a page featuring the attractions your area provides.

Directions:

1.) Run a feature page in the travel section or weekend entertainment section of your paper. You may consider featuring the page on a monthly or semi-monthly basis, depending on the season and attractions offered in the countryside at that particilar time.

2.) Target rural bed and breakfasts, restaurants, riding stables, small town diners and pubs, country theaters, antique malls, farmers’ markets, plant nurseries, golf courses, campgrounds, bicycle rentals,country lodges and any other business in your area that the urban consumer would consider as an interesting diversion.

3.) Place the ads on the outer edge of the graphic so the whole page can be a clip-and-save piece. You may choose to offer a different listing weekly or monthly.

Benefits: Increased Revenues; Non-traditional Advertisers; Periodical feature; Clip-and-Save piece

Alternative:

1.) Run the spots during or around your weekly entertainment segment, the “what’s going on” portion of your local news or your farm market reports. You may consider spotlighting one of the advertisers each week. Play to the community pride of taking advantage of what is offered in the nearby area instead of traveling a great distance. Print up a directory of the sponsoring businesses and offer them to your viewers if they send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to the station.

2.) Target rural bed and breakfasts, restaurants, riding stables, small diners and pubs, country theaters, antique malls, plant nurseries, golf courses, campgrounds, bicycle rentals, country lodges and any other business in your area that the urban consumer would consider as an interesting diversion. Sign the advertisers to a multiple spot commitment. Rotate sponsors. Include co-op if possible.

Benefits: Increased Revenues; Non-traditional Advertisers; Periodical promotion

Feeding and watching wild birds has increased in popularity so much in recent years that it is second only to gardening as personal hobbies. This translates into lots of money being spent by the consumer. Get in on the trend and feed your co-op revenue fund with some bird-feeding promotions.

Directions:

1.) Run a banner page/section devoted to wild bird-feeding products and the retailers that carry them.

2.) Target all retailers carrying products pertaining to bird-watching and bird-feeding. This will include specialty “for the birds” retailers, hardware stores, seed and feed dealers, mass merchandisers, farm supply retailers, nature center gift shops, lawn and garden retail centers, book stores with “Bird” books in stock, home centers with bird baths (heated water systems), etc. Encourage the retailers to offer special savings during this time period. Any time from the onset of winter is a good time to promote feeding the birds.

3.) Run the page/promotion any time throughout the winter. Encourage your local retailers to plan special promotions and advertising during the month.

Alternative:

1.) Have a contest offering birding-relating prizes (free bird food, feeders, binoculars, bird books, etc.) to the first caller that can identify a specific bird call. These can range from the easiest and most recognizable (blue jays, cardinals, crows, etc. to some of the more exotic and rarer breeds in your area). Tag contest segments with your advertisers’ spots.

2.) Target all retailers carrying products pertaining to bird-watching and bird-feeding. This will include specialty “for the birds” retailers, hardware stores, seed and feed dealers, mass merchandisers, farm supply retailers, nature center gift shops, lawn and garden retail centers, book stores with “Bird” books in stock, home centers with bird baths (heated water systems), etc.. Encourage the retailers to offer special savings during this time period. Any time from the onset of winter is a good time to promote feeding the birds.

3.) Run the promotion any time throughout the winter. Encourage your local retailers to plan special promotions and advertising during the month.

Great strides have been made in matters of the heart, heart health, that is. February has been named as American Heart Month. Use it to promote advertising of product…

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What better time to let Dad know that we really did listen, and some of what he said actually did sink in! Feature a “How My Dad Has Helped Me” contest for your readers to win prizes by submitting a written example of something their own father has said to them that has made an impression or lasting difference in their life. Specify age groups and topic categories like humor, money related, love advice, etc.

Directions:

1.) Feature a “How My Dad Has Helped Me” promotion. Offer prizes from the sponsoring advertisers to entrants submitting an example of their own father’s “Words of wisdom,” submitted in 50 words or less to your newspaper. Select winners on a specific day by random drawing in each of the stated age or topic categories.

2.) Run this layout daily for two weeks. Rotate the names of the sponsors of the page to include a greater number of sponsoring advertisers. Target clothing stores, restaurants, sporting goods stores, shoe retailers, auto supply dealers, theaters, video rentals, motorcycle and RV dealers, hardware stores, theaters, automobile service dealers, golf courses, music stores, electronics dealers, barbers, hair care salons, florists, etc..

3.) On Father’s Day, feature the special edition of “ow My Dad Has Helped Me” highlighting the sayings that have been submitted by your readers. Include a list of the drawing winners in each category. Benefits: Added income, Fun for the reader, Good PR for advertisers, non-traditional advertisers

Alternative:

1.) Feature a “ow My Dad Has Helped Me” promotion. Announce the promotion 3 weeks prior to Father’s Day. Offer prizes from the sponsoring advertisers to entrants submitting an example of their own father’s “Words of wisdom,” submitted in 50 words or less to your station. Select winners on a specific day by random drawing in each of the stated age or topic categories.

2.) Target clothing stores, restaurants, sporting goods stores, shoe retailers, auto supply dealers, theaters, video rentals, motorcycle and RV dealers, hardware stores, theaters, automobile service dealers, golf courses, music stores, electronics dealers, barbers, haircare salons, florists, etc.. Solicit gift certificates from the sponsors.

3.) During the weeks preceding Father’s Day, read the best entries of “How My Dad Has Helped Me” that have been submitted by your listeners in conjunction with spots from sponsoring advertisers. Include an announcement of the winners of the drawings in each category at the end of the promotion period.

Benefits: Added income, Fun for the listener, Good PR for advertisers, Non-traditional advertisers.

Harvest is one of the most dangerous times on the farm, as the farmer hurries to get his year’s crop out of the fields, often with very little rest until it is done. Harvest machinery can be very unforgiving to the careless moments, from the combines to the augers, and dangers of smothering in grain wagons and bins. Most farm-related businesses are open to advertising and promotions urging their farm customers to be careful during this dangerous time.

Directions:

1) Plan a special page/section sponsored by your regional farm businesses and organizations.

2) Sponsoring targets include all farm machinery dealers, fuel, fertilizer, seed dealers, truck and tire dealers, insurance agents, banks and lending institutions, grain elevators, trucking firms, farm building contractors, farm organizations, and any other business in rural areas (restaurants frequented by local farmers, clothing stores, farm and sporting goods stores, plumbers, heating & cooling, electricians, power companies, doctors, hospitals, clinics, etc.).

3) Run the page/section on the weekend beginning at the designated time. Farms make use of a widely varied list of products and services.

Alternative:

1) Sell a themed safety promotion.

2) Sponsoring targets include all farm machinery dealers, fuel, fertilizer, seed dealers, truck and tire dealers, insurance agents, banks and lending institutions, grain elevators, trucking firms, farm building contractors, farm organizations, and any other business in rural areas (restaurants frequented by local farmers, clothing stores, farm and sporting goods stores, plumbers, heating & cooling, electricians, power companies, doctors, hospitals, clinics, etc.).

3) Run the page /section on the weekend beginning the designated time. A remote broadcast at one of the major farm machinery dealers could be the cornerpost of the promotion. Highlight their service department and special safety equipment their machinery uses to protect the user. Contact your county farm organizations for persons to interview about farm safety and the special dangers present on the farm, especially during the harvest season. Use other businesses to complete the roster of advertisers. Farms make use of widely varied list of products and services.

With a long, hot summer to look forward to, parents everywhere are going to be looking for more family entertainment. The summer brings with it events and entertainment that many may not be available the rest of the year. Let the readers in your area know what is available locally for their weekend outings

Details:

1) Feature a banner page. Target local restaurants (drive-ins with curb service are still out there), travel agents, parks, swimming pools, theaters, YMCA/YWCA organizations, sports organizations, etc. to advertise on the page. Include companies that offer unusual entertainment. Don’t forget companies that offer bicycle and/or canoe rental, horse back riding, hot air balloon rides, helicopter rides, etc. Check with communities within a 50 mile radius to see if any local festivals or fairs are going take place this summer. Festivals are fund raisers for local charities and civic events and organizers would love to get out of town dollars into the community.

2) Target some of the specialty events that take place over the summer such as National Ice Cream Month, National Hot Dog Month, National Baked Bean Month, Book Lovers Day, etc. Businesses that would not normally advertise may place an ad during an event that markets their product.

3) Sign advertisers to a multiple ad commitment. Run the page weekly during the summer. Update ads as new events come to the area.

Alternative:

1) Feature family amusement spots on your station. Target local restaurants (drive-ins with curb service are still out there), travel agents, parks, swimming pools, theaters, YMCA/YWCA organizations, sports organizations, etc. to advertise on the page. Include companies that offer unusual entertainment. Don’t forget companies that offer bicycle and/or canoe rental, horse back riding, hot air balloon rides, helicopter rides, etc. Check with communities within a 50 mile radius to see if any local festivals or fairs are going take place this summer. Festivals are fund raisers for local charities and civic events and organizers would love to get out of town dollars into the community.

2) Have advertisers give listeners/viewers information on the family activities that they provide and any specials offers that are available. Include dates and times of special activities taking place during the summers.

3) Target some of the specialty events that take place over the summer such as National Ice Cream Month, National Hot Dog Month, National Baked Bean Month, Book Lovers Day, Etc. Businesses that would not normally advertise may place an ad during an event that markets their product.

4) Sign advertisers to a long term ad commitment. Update advertisements and advertisers as new events come to the area. Run the spots throughout the summer. Rotate Sponsors.

Good eyesight is a precious thing. There have been great strides made in product and treatment of eye problems. Any time of year is a good time for the consumer to take care of any problems they may have or to update their eyewear. Feature a page/section or educational news features about eye care today.

Directions:

1) This would be a good time for a major eye care clinic to spotlight their products and services. Interviews with eye care professionals are also a possibility.

2) Advertising targets for this category include all eye care professionals, clinics, pharmacies, sunglass concessions, etc.

3) The Eyewear category has traditionally been a good source of co-op funds, and deserves your attention throughout the year (and especially during special events periods like this).

Alternative:

1) This would be a good time for a major eye care clinic to spotlight their products and services. On-site remotes and interviews with eye care professionals are also a possibility.

2) Advertising targets for this category include all eye care professionals, clinics, pharmacies, sunglass concessions, etc.

3) The Eyewear category has traditionally been a good source of co-op funds, and deserves your attention throughout the year (and especially during special events periods like this).

It is a growing tradition for busy families to celebrate Easter with a family brunch or buffet meal following Easter Morning Services. Prepare a dining guide featuring area restaurants and their special Easter meals, times, and reservation requirements.

Directions:

1) Contact all of the restaurants in your area to participate in this special seasonal guide. Encourage the participating advertisers to offer special rates and menus for the event.

2) Run the guide the week preceding Easter Sunday. If you decide to use the tab format, include informational articles on Easter traditions, area services, a coloring page for the kids, etc.