Advertising FAIL: Germanna Community College.

I was on my way to Richmond this morning on I-95S around 7:30 p.m. listening to the D.J. on 95.9FM (WGRQ). For those unfamiliar with the station, 95.9FM is the self-described “home for the SuperHits of The 60’s & 70’s”, which means this play the same oldies/classic rock every hour. I keep them preset on my radio since they do — on occasion — play some decent classic rock songs (remembering that I’m 21 years old here).

But to get to the point of this blog post, while the D.J. was going into weather or traffic he stated something to the effect of: “Sponsored by Germanna Community College. Inquire about our dual-enrollment program for high school students.”

Advertising a program targeted at high school students. On a oldies/classic rock station.

Do I have to explain how asinine that is? 99.9% of high school students would not voluntarily listen to that station in the first place (and I only tune to it if my other five stations come up with nothing decent). And if for some reason they are in a car with their parents who happen to listen to the station, the youths are going to be listening to music on their iPod or texting or their mobile: i.e., not listening to the ad.

In other words, no one that Germanna Community College is targeting with that advertisement is hearing it.

Advertising FAIL.

6 thoughts on “Advertising FAIL: Germanna Community College.”

  1. Well, at 21 you’re not that much older than the target demographic and you’re listening to the station. Besides, when I was in high school, I was all about classic rock – Zeppelin, Hendrix, the Dead, Pink Floyd – so maybe it isn’t so far-fetched after all.

  2. ahhh.. you’re showing your youth and inexperience.

    The PARENTS of said high school students probably love that kind of music – many interested in some cost-effective ways for their high-school age kids to continue their education without having to lay out 10-20K a year.

    Germanna has made this point very effectively when seeking support from the local counties….

    Germanna is the poor man’s alternative to high dollar college…

  3. Parent of a 10th grader here…although you’d never catch me me listening to that station. I’m the target for that ad, not the kid. A couple of years of dual enrollment means your kid graduates from high school with his Associates degree mostly done. Shaving 1-2 years off the time your kid spends at UVA or VA Tech is big bucks. I’m planning on my son starting at Germanna next year when he is 16.

  4. You logic is flawed: The majority of high school students are not going to be interested in something because their parents suggested it to them. They’re more likely to go along with it if they think they came up with it on their own (e.g., heard on the radio themselves).

    You would go more high students actually interested in the program if you advertised on 93.3FM (WFLS), 99.3FM (WVBX), or *shudder* 101.5FM (WBQB). Run an ad with some high school sounding kid saying something like, “Want to get the hell away from your parents quicker and have them pay for it?”, etc.

  5. well..I think when Dad “suggests” the cost issue… or even more likely Dad/Mom just don’t have the funds for the 4-year enchilada… and son/daughter might need to start learning the real facts of life.

    You see a lot more of this when Mom/Dad make an okay living and there are 3 kids – boom boom boom

    Now of course if the prodigal son/daughter has the bucks to do what they want – then sure… let them play Mr/Mrs Consumer.

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