Phil Davies Wins 2008 Dead Radio Contest

October 16, 2008

Phil Davies, a copywriter for Door Number 3, recently won the indie-popular Dead Radio contest, which looks to bring back to life radio spots previously killed by agency clients. Davies’ spot for Dallas-based Southwest(southwest.com), titled “paged”, beat out 800 international competitors.

The 60-second radio spot is set in an airport terminal and pokes fun at airline travel. Various announcers page passengers such as “Oliver Flightserful” and “Wilma Luggageshowup.” The voiceover meanwhile states that while traveling can be hard, Southwest makes it easier with kiosks and online ticketing.

Oink Ink Radio, the company behind the Dead Radio contest, solicits scripts each year from around the world and the entries are judged by a panel of industry professionals.

“For ad writers, winning the Dead Radio contest provides a certain level of street cred,” says Davies. “The contest has a cult-like following and it’s becoming more and more popular in the industry while maintaining its indie-roots. It’s pretty cool to be a part of that inner circle.”
The team at Oink Ink will produce Davies’ script and fly him to New York to participate in the production. Several recent Dead Radio winners have gone on to air by clients who had a change of heart once they heard the spot produced.

“The spot works because it stays true to the Southwest brand, and has clear messaging,” says Davies. “Whether the ad sees the light of day is anyone’s guess. I do know, though, that I had as much fun producing it as I did writing it.”