CFRB

Toronto is a big city with big issues. Polite Torontonians prefer to ignore the city’s underbelly rather than talk about it, let alone voice their opinions in a public forum like CFRB 1010 Talk Radio. And if they do want to discuss issues, they head to the web. Most non-listeners don’t know how the issues of the day are dissected on CFRB, and would never think to tune in. Zig’s challenge was two-fold: resonate with current listeners and raise awareness amidst potential listeners – and talkers.

Zig wanted to inspire discussion that would take on a life of its own. The media had to be in-your-face enough to stop people in their tracks, draw crowds, drive word of mouth and force everyone - the person on the street, mainstream media, bloggers and social network junkies - to take note and get involved in the debate around CFRB.

So the agency turned the issues themselves into media: prostitutes held signs questioning the legalization of prostitution, beggar sat under posters pondering the ethics of panhandling, chalk body-outlines appeared on streets questioning crime rates and smokers were called out for puffing away their healthcare benefits.

People talked, specifically young people, immediately pushing up CFRB’s rating points by 1.9. Passionate callers ranged from the amused to the outraged, from first-timers to those who hadn’t been inspired to pick up the phone in years. The resulting fervent debates examined the motivation behind the campaign and drove the message home.

The press also weighed in, resulting in over $100,000 of free additional media and exposure to nearly four million people in the Greater Toronto Area. A talk radio station that had been perceived as outdated and irrelevant became the controversial talk of the town.