Where do radio stations get iPad 2s to give away?

[Cutwolf]

A local radio station is giving away 5 iPad 2s a day (not sure for how many days, but it's been going on for at least 3).

Where do they get these iPad 2s? Does Apple allocate a certain # of the initial batch to giveaways such as this? Or do the winners just basically get an IOU for an iPad 2 for when the radio gets some? Do they buy them on the grey market and chalk it up as a marketing expense?

Might be an obvious answer, but something I was curious about when I was driving home yesterday.

 

[qbcall11]

They don't actually have an iPad 2. They will give you an apple store gift card to buy one. As far as I know, the radio business has been doing that for years.

 

[Charlie Sheen]

They don't actually have an iPad 2. They will give you an apple store gift card to buy one. As far as I know, the radio business has been doing that for years.

Uhh thats cheap in a way. If you know what i mean.

 

[Cutwolf]

They don't actually have an iPad 2. They will give you an apple store gift card to buy one. As far as I know, the radio business has been doing that for years.

Ah that makes sense. It's a bit misleading the way it's phrased though.

The station has been advertising "iPad 2s are hitting shelves, but you don't have to wait in line to get one. We're giving away 5 iPad 2s per day..." blah blah blah.

Seems like it should be illegal for them to give you something other than an iPad 2. Is this not regulated under any deceptive advertising laws?

 

[poloponies]

Ah that makes sense. It's a bit misleading the way it's phrased though.

The station has been advertising "iPad 2s are hitting shelves, but you don't have to wait in line to get one. We're giving away 5 iPad 2s per day..." blah blah blah.

Seems like it should be illegal for them to give you something other than an iPad 2. Is this not regulated under any deceptive advertising laws?

Not if it's equivalent cash value (read the fine print - I pretty much guarantee it's in there). Nearly every such promotion includes a disclaimer such as "go to our website for full details." Announcing a promotion is not a contract.

 

[darngooddesign]

Ah that makes sense. It's a bit misleading the way it's phrased though.

The station has been advertising "iPad 2s are hitting shelves, but you don't have to wait in line to get one. We're giving away 5 iPad 2s per day..." blah blah blah.

Seems like it should be illegal for them to give you something other than an iPad 2. Is this not regulated under any deceptive advertising laws?

Its remarkable that in the face of being given $500 there is still something to complain about.

 

[ConnorTurnbull]

I'd prefer a $500 gift card. You'd have more free choice in buying, it's not deceptive. It's better.

 

[v66jack]

I'd prefer a $500 gift card. You'd have more free choice in buying, it's not deceptive. It's better.

I'd rather $500 cash. Why don't they just give that away?

 

[MTI]

Very rarely do radio stations give away anything that wasn't provided by an advertiser or promoter, either locally or nationally, in return for promotional consideration. So, if the station is part of a big network, like Clear Channel, there could have been a give and get from Best Buy, Target, WalMart, Verizon or AT&T.

 

[Cutwolf]

Not if it's equivalent cash value (read the fine print - I pretty much guarantee it's in there). Nearly every such promotion includes a disclaimer such as "go to our website for full details." Announcing a promotion is not a contract.

There's no fine print on the radio, and listening to it again, they really make it seem like they have them. For example, the host saying "iPad 2s are sold out everywhere...but we have them to give away...5 chances to win today."

Obviously, there's no contract involved here, but they are advertising a promotion for a product that will get word of mouth, listeners, callers, etc. It sounds like it meets all of the requirements of fraud, although proving any damages would be a tall task.

http://fresh1027.radio.com/2011/03/14/weve-got-your-chance-to-win-a-ipad2/

There's the contest.

Its remarkable that in the face of being given $500 there is still something to complain about.

I'd be happy with $500. But I'd be a tiny bit annoyed at winning a "sold out iPad 2" only to be given money and told to go buy a sold out iPad 2. The money here isn't the problem, it's the availability.

Very rarely do radio stations give away anything that wasn't provided by an advertiser or promoter, either locally or nationally, in return for promotional consideration. So, if the station is part of a big network, like Clear Channel, there could have been a give and get from Best Buy, Target, WalMart, Verizon or AT&T.

That's what I'm wondering. I want to know how they get them and what the process entails. How would one go about trying to get a few for, say, a college radio station?