FM players go all out to celebrate the bond of friendship

While no particular day is required to celebrate the bond of friendship, what began as a special day to honour friends in the US in 1935, has today become a global phenomenon called ‘Friendship Day’. Amid the marketing frenzy around this day, media too has jumped on to the Friendship bandwagon. exchange4media takes a look at how various FM players are planning to celebrate Friendship Day.

For the uninitiated, Friendship Day is observed on the first Sunday of August every year, which this year falls on August 3. However, celebrations have already begun on some FM stations.

Big FM Delhi has embarked on an on-air initiative, wherein RJs Sujata and Ravi have created a ‘Friends Club’ that invites listeners to share funny memories and incidents related to their group of friends. Listeners are being asked to identify the ‘Pappus’, ‘Rotlus’ and ‘Heps’ amid of their circle of friends.

Manisha Tripathi, the newly-appointed Station Director - Delhi, Big FM, said, “Big FM has always conceptualised activities that entertain people, and keeping the same in mind the ‘Friends Club’ has been created. I am sure this activity will be a great hit amongst the youth and will give a true ‘Life Banao’ moment to our listeners.”

Rana Barua, Executive Vice-President & National Head - Programming and Marketing, Radio City, said, “It’s the simpler things in life that allow us to make a difference. As an FM station, we are constantly bridging distances and bringing people together by taking their messages across the city. This Friendship Day, we’re bringing our listeners innovative programming like ‘Radio Card’ and ‘City Ka Dost’, among many others, to further spice their celebrations for the occasion. We’ve always endeavoured to enhance our bond with our listeners through these simple gestures and the feedback to each has been remarkable every time.”

Radio City Mumbai is observing Friendship Day with the ‘City ka Dost’ contest. Its Chennai station is featuring an innovative capsule called ‘Radio Card’ with RJ Archana on ‘Endrendrum Punnagai’ (2-5 pm) throughout the week from July 28 to August 1. Radio City Pune is celebrating the spirit of friendship by throwing a party for 50 lucky winners on August 3, organised by Centurion Hotels and Resorts. Radio City Lucknow is holding a ‘Yaari Dosti Gang War’ contest, while the Coimbatore station is holding the ‘Whatte Friend’ contest. Radio City Bangalore will bridge the geography of the nation by creating the longest chain of friends.

Radio Choklate is celebrating Friendship Day in a ‘hatke andaaz’, wherein the station’s RJs would talk about friendship in a different manner and also conduct an on-air message contest.

Reefat Rasool, Programme Coordinator, Radio Choklate Orissa, said, “We will have a contests on the best message sent on ‘friendship with nature’. ‘Choklate Madam’, a show for ladies, will have a contest on ‘wife as your best friend’. Similarly, we will be having contests on ‘music as friend’, ‘knowledge as your friend’, and ‘Radio Choklate as your friend’. The winners of these contests will be invited to a grand gala dinner and dance party with Choklate jockeys, sponsored by Hotel Crown.”

“We also have a programme, ‘Bachcha party’, where our hit Chota Choklate or seven young RJs will invite listeners to send SMSes on friendship, and the lucky winners can look forward to some dhamaal,” Rasool added.

From July 28 till August 1, Fever FM RJs have been playing a fun movie-based trivia on-air contest that asks questions revolving around friendship. Six winners are declared every day, who win a special Fever Hotbox that includes a collection of movie DVDs based on friendship.

Anjali Paul, Station Head- Bangalore, Fever FM, said, “On August 2, one winner from each of the aforementioned days will also get dinner vouchers, movie tickets and a chance to participate in our Fever Friendship Rally. The Rally will be flagged off in open-air, chauffeur driven, Fever FM branded jeeps that would go around the city on pre-designated routes. The flag-off will happen twice, once at noon and once at 3:00 pm in Formula 1 style with a Fever FM chequered flag-off. Family, we are blessed to be born into, but friends are those who we choose and, if lucky, we keep for life.”

Radio Dhoom is celebrating Friendship Day with several special shows on August 1 and 2. The station will run a contest where listeners can send their friendship messages. The best message would be announced on Friendship Day and its sender would be invited to the studio.

Sanjeev Kumar Singh, Chief Administrator, Radio Dhoom, said, “Outdoor broadcast activity will be held where listeners will be invited on a certain spot like popular parks, college campuses, etc., to interact with the RJs to celebrate Friendship Day.”

My FM is out to the break the ice by giving its listeners a chance to make friends with strangers in an absolutely bizarre way.

Harrish M Bhatia, COO, My FM, said, “Friendship is an example of one of the greatest human relationships which is solely based on sacrifice and dedication. There can be no better medium than radio to promote friendship as it is both a mass media and a personal friend. The promotion of the spirit of friendship becomes all the more important in the context of recent happenings, where a deliberate attempt is being made to spread hatred and suspicion among the citizens. My FM has always strived for social harmony and national integration and Friendship Day is another big opportunity to spread this message.”

Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)