Oink Ink Radio, the country’s only bicoastal creative radio agency, has announced Manifest Communications of Toronto copywriter Joe O’Neill as this year’s Dead Radio Contest winner.
O’Neill’s script, “Rock & Roll Casualty” was selected as the winning script out of hundreds of entries from agency copywriters all vying for that top spot. O’Neill’s radio script promotes the Canadian Hearing Society, as over 3 million Canadians are affected by noise-induced hearing loss. The spot features a rock star who literally can not hear his cheering crowd.
“Hello Cleveland, are you ready to make some noise”, shouts the veteran rock star. Unfortunately he literally can’t hear the massive cheers of his excited crowd. He continues by asking for requests, which he won’t be able to fulfill. The announcer informs us that noise-induced hearing loose is one of the most common occupational diseases, and “you don’t have to be a rock star to have it.”
This is the 15th year of Oink Ink‘s Dead Radio Contest. The worldwide competition is meant to give a second chance to great radio scripts that for whatever reason were overlooked by the client. It could be anything from too provocative, to silly or just not received well. Oink Ink solicits submissions from writers around the world, and a panel of industry professionals judges the top spots. The grand prize winner chooses a trip to either Oink Ink‘s New York City or Santa Monica, California studios, where they enjoy a 2-night hotel stay and the experience of participating in the full casting and production of their winning script.
Several previous winners have seen clients change their minds about the rejected scripts upon hearing the produced spot—in some cases, actually deciding to air it. A handful of Dead Radio winners have even gone on to earn recognition at the Radio Mercury Awards and Cannes.
Winner Joe O’Neill and his brother in law traveled to New York all the way from Toronto, Canada to collaborate on the recording and production of “Rock and Roll Casualty.”
The spot features Lloyd Sherr as the hearing impaired veteran rock star and Roger Scott as the announcer, both from Los Angeles.
“For all these years, knowing the contest existed gave me a faint glimmer of hope for any good radio spot of mine that had been deep-sixed.” said O’Neill. “There was always the faint possibility that it would be the spot that the Dead Radio Contest would exhume from the grave, fill with the breath of life, and resurrect as a glorious, triumphant spot. And get me to New York for an unforgettable weekend.”
Oink Ink also recognized Matt Bull (Richards Group, Dallas; client Amstel Light) as the contest’s Silver winner. Tied for Bronze is Adam Greenhood (Esparza, Alburquerque; client New Mexico Department of Transportation) and Lee Veitch Jones (Phoenix Group, Canada; client Saskatchewan Government).
To hear “Rock and Roll Casualty,” and for more information about Oink Ink‘s Dead Radio contest, CLICK HERE.
About OINK INK
Oink Ink is an award-winning, bicoastal creative agency founded by veteran managing director and president Dan Price and his brother, executive creative director Jim Price. Oink Ink writes, produces, directs and manages radio and television advertising for ad agencies, client-direct accounts,
