Every time the survey results are released, we’re reminded that the radio industry has a wildly competitive streak. ‘Number one’ quickly becomes a flexible term, effortlessly applied across increasingly specific demographic segments as every station looks to stake its claim as the best on the airwaves.
Now, Bauer’s Woman’s Day magazine is looking to extend this competitive banter beyond survey season with a nationwide search for the hottest hunk in radio.
Woman’s Day editor-in-chief Sido Kitchin says the cheeky campaign specifically targets the radio industry because there’s such a wide array of interesting characters working across the industry.
“Forget the old adage ‘a face for radio,’” she says. “There are some gorgeous men we adore behind the radio mics, from Kaitaia to Bluff, and they’re about to get some special attention from fans. It doesn’t matter whether listeners are into young pop DJs, shock jocks, silver foxes or thinking-women’s crumpets of the industry, we want nominations.”
Kitchin adds that that definition of ‘hunk’ shouldn’t be limited to looks, and encourages the radio industry and voting public to be creative with their interpretations of the word.
She points to Sir Paul Holmes as an example of a presenter who may not have been an Adonis but was still adored.
“What makes a radio announcer hot in a woman’s eyes is totally subjective, and I’ll be interested to see how readers and listeners vote and comment, because unlike TV, radio isn’t about classic good looks,” Kitchin says
The Bauer marketing team spread word of the campaign through the delivery of Radio Hunks goodie bags, replete with spray-on tan, face masks, moisturiser and whitening toothpaste.
It didn’t take long for few radio jocks to pick up the story and by noon over 100 presenters from across the country had already been nominated for the competition on the Nowtolove.co.nz website.
After nominations close on 14 August, this hefty list will be whittled down to ten finalists, from which the voting public will select a single winner.
“I anticipate widespread debate, sabotage and skulduggery in our hunt,” jokes Kitchin, in reference to the mischievousness that will no doubt ensue as presenters start to vie for votes.
The idea for the campaign from Woman’s Day sister publication across the ditch, Take 5, which launched a similar competition in Australia.
Former Woman’s Day marketing manager Georgia Bews (who is set to return to the magazine as a commercial brand manager) alerted Kitchin of the campaign, saying that it would be a good fit for her title on this side of the ditch.
The Australian competition was eventually won by WS-FM Brendan Jones, who agreed to a tongue-in-cheek centrefold-styled sexy shoot with the magazine.
“I think we could convince someone like Dom Harvey, Leigh Hart or Jeremy Wells to do something like that if they won,” Kitchin says.
Woman’s Day has not secured a commercial sponsor for the competition, but Kitchin isn’t concerned about this.
She says the primary aim for the inaugural edition is to drive reader interest and set up an annual event that could attract a sponsor in the future.
Should the radio industry lend it support campaign, then this will obviously lead to decent exposure for Woman’s Day and perhaps help to drive magazine sales.
The question, however, is whether the presenters behind the mics decide to consistently lend a few minutes to the campaign over the next few weeks to keep the hype going.
Nominations close 9 August, voting closes 30 August and the winner will be announced 4 September.
