Local Couple Wins Contest to Produce Radio Ad for Waste Less Food Campaign

waste less food
Thurston County Solid Waste launched a contest to create a radio commercial for their program.
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Submitted by Thurston County Solid Waste

waste less food
Thurston County Solid Waste launched a contest to create a radio commercial for their program.

The pressure is on as the ticking of the game clock grows louder. Mary has just a few slender moments to answer the final question to win the grand prize.

The announcer’s deep manly voice asks Mary, “How much food did your family waste last year?” Mary considers, then replies in a tense voice. “We wasted 477 pounds of food last year.”

“Mary, you’re a winner!” But what exactly is the grand prize, you ask? According to the new “Waste Not Want Not” public service announcement now playing on local radio stations, it’s “wasted natural resources, increased greenhouse gas emissions and a healthy bite out of your bank account.”

The new radio ad, designed and recorded by a local couple, was the winning entry in the Waste Less Food campaign’s radio contest. County residents were challenged to write a PSA for the Waste Less Food program last fall. The winner’s ad would be played on the local radio stations. The winning ad will be playing on local radio stations through July, and you can also listen to it at www.co.thurston.wa.us/solidwaste/wastedfood/food-data.html. Scroll down the web page and click on the “Listen Now” link.

The winner was Jeff Hirschberg and his girlfriend, Anita Pirkle. Jeff works at the local radio station Mixx 96.1, and he’s also been working the past four years as a voiceover artist—Deep Manly Voice. The couple wrote and recorded the humorous and engaging game show-style piece that’s both entertaining and educational. Listeners are then invited to visit www.WasteLessFood.com to learn more.

When asked how he came up with the idea of a game show, Hirschberg said, “Once I checked out the web site, I was thinking that wasting food is a serious subject. It’s not a game.”

Hirscherg continued, “Because I also have a strong belief that information has a stronger impact when it’s entertaining and interesting, as well as informative, a game show works well. We followed up by saying that wasting food is no game, and if we waste less food, we all win. It all ties together.”

The ad will air through the month of July on local radio stations. The website, www.WasteLessFood.com, provides additional information on the impacts of wasting food as well as easy ways for people to waste less food and save more money. There is a free downloadable tips packet available at the site, as well as information on how to get a free group presentation on the topic.

Staff at the Thurston County Solid Waste Division, which sponsors the Waste Less Food campaign, plan to hold the radio contest again next year. For anyone thinking they may want to try their luck at radio ad writing, Hirschberg offers this advice. “Do it! Put yourself out there! There are only so many opportunities in life. What have you got to lose?”

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