CBS Radio Blocking My Company from Advertising

[SteveSmith]

CBS Radio has informed me that they will not run my ad for my e-cigarette company. They have not provided me with a reason yet, but I will update the post to let people know why. I have a meeting scheduled with Clear Channel this Friday, and hope they will let me advertise.

It was a really weak way to let me know, after phone calls, emails and in person meetings, and me signing a contract for a 3 month 204 slot comittment I get this

Hi Steve,
Unfortunately, CBS corporate will not allow us to air any commercials for VaporSmiths. I am truly sorry for any inconvenience. I was looking forward to working with you and Tracie. Once again, I apologize and I hope you understand. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks,

To me this is just insane. For those that don't know, there are so many barriers we suppliers face. Merchant accounts, shipping, etc... Now advertising is becoming incredibly difficult. If Clear Channel blocks me as well, I am effectively blocked out of the market place in radio, and will be pursuing a law suit, to test the issue and determine if it is from pressure from Pharmaceutical companies or if the gov't really considers a non tobacco product tobacco.

 

[SteveSmith]

Update -

Clear Channel has also declined my ads. Now I want to clarify, I was not writing the ad copy, making no statements of health or anything else about benefits, just wanted to advertise my product. I even said, hey just say anything you want to "VaporSmiths.com an alternative to smoking tobacco that saves you a hundred dollars or month or more over tobacco" - Clear Channel and CBS both declined.

Now I am not calling for a boycott or any such nonsense. I just want people to get the word out. It seems only the shady e-cigarette companies have found a way to advertise. I hear them on CBS and Clear Channel all the time -- You know the ones that give you a free starter kit (cheap) and then you find your self charged 70$ a month for 10 cartridges. I hear them all the time.

I have found a (Temporary I am sure) way around this buy advertising direct to the radio show instead of the station, but it is crazy being relegated to being treated like this as a business trying to give other business money.

 

[crashinbrn]

To me this is just insane. For those that don't know, there are so many barriers we suppliers face. Merchant accounts, shipping, etc... Now advertising is becoming incredibly difficult. If Clear Channel blocks me as well, I am effectively blocked out of the market place in radio, and will be pursuing a law suit, to test the issue and determine if it is from pressure from Pharmaceutical companies or if the gov't really considers a non tobacco product tobacco.

I have heard e-cig comercials on a clear channel station in my area. mind you it was for a "free trial", but it was the first place i had ever heard about e-cigs. it was not a local ad either it was a network ad.

i hope it works out for ya.

 

[LibertyValance]

I wouldn't deal with Clear Channel if they called me to offer me a million dollars. They are worse than scum. In 2004 they blocked Howard Stern from their radio stations in a (not so thinly disguised) attempt to throw the US presidential election. While claiming that it was because of Stern's language at the same time they were promoting Ozzy Osbourne concerts who yells expletives in every other sentence.

Nothing about Clear Channel would surprise me.

 

[bruiser]

I've also heard e-cig ads on Clear Channel. Within the last month.

 

[crashinbrn]

thinking out load,

the FDA is now going to regulate e-cig stuff like tobacco.
is'nt there a rule that states something like 'no tobacco ad's'
it could actually be the reason why.
now, if ANY radio station is still advertising them , after the ruling by the FDA, they could get in trouble with the FCC and the FDA.
just sayin.

ps........if they wont advertise for you, they shouldn't be able to do it for anybody

 

[Demarko]

"May start regulating them as.." and "Doing so currently" are 2 different things.

 

[Pamdane]

I suspect the e-cig company they have now is either an exclusive contract or, upon hearing a competator wants to advertise, decided to up the ante. If the existing customer has a good contract and agrees to extend it depending on letting a new guy advertise for a short, who do you think they would chose?

Its BS, but its life. Capitalism.

 

[SteveSmith]

Well we definitely weren't in it for short runs, I ahd signed a 204 spot over 6 week contract - On Pittsburgh's #1 music station. Was going to do the same with Pittsburgh's #1 Talk station.... We had already written a rather large check to CBS.

 

[hippiebrian]

If other p.v. companies are advertising, it may be a no competition clause in the contract and not a ban on p.v.'s in general. Not that I support that, but that's life in the big city...

 

[SteveSmith]

Hi hippiebrian,

No I asked, there is no "non compete clause" with the other companies. I am having Clear Channel look into this more. I will keep people updated as more info becomes available.

 

[bruiser]

American Blue Tip scammers is what's being advertised on the local Clear Channel outlet.

 

[Badgerangel]

Have you checked with GCN? I know they're not a huge network, but they are definitely running ads for the LCig. Check with them, they do have some stations in major markets.

 

[SteveSmith]

GCN - I am actually on a show that GCN does - Free Talk Live, Starting on July 11th, 1 30 second spot per show + 1 30 second live read per show.

Update -
Clear Channel has expressed that the reason they take American Blue Tip and Smoke Assist is that they do not contain nicotine.
Since my product contains nicotine, Clear Channel considers it a drug/tobacco and does not want to take the risk from FDA, FCC, etc.

So looks like Real E-Cig companies are out, until litigation, or an official legal stance from FDA. Apparently because of the nicotine they want us to be FDA certified. FDA certification takes 12 years on average. The cost to my company would be in the tens of millions (which we do not have), and in the end the consumer would have to pay for all that testing and the prices would skyrocket.

So that is where we stand, We are relegated to GCN, LRN, XM and Sirius, no terrestrial radio from Clear Channel and CBS at this time.

 

[Badgerangel]

Okay, try podcasts. I'm not kidding. There are thousands of podcasts out there that would love to have advertising dollars. Find a podcast you like, that's relevant to you, and might possibly have smokers as other listeners. I'd try gun podcasts, survivalist podcasts, fishing podcasts, hunting podcasts, paranormal podcasts, (those are hugely popular) horror film podcasts, just to name a few that I would think would have your target demographic.

 

[Badgerangel]

Okay, sorry, just as a fellow small business owner, I feel your pain, I really do. I just looked at your site, it looks pretty awesome. Next payday I may hit you up for something for my mom.

 

[Valsacar]

If you already signed a contract with CBS, might be something they can do there (depending on how it was worded).

The podcasts, or webtv, are a good way to go. Revision3 has a ton of techy shows (web shows), probably a good place to start.

 

[hairball]

Try your newpaper. I see ads in the classifieds from other states all the time. Also, we have a free "county" paper that goes out to the 4 counties but I still see nationwide ads in it also. Sorry, don't know much about how to go about advertising on the radio/TV. Craigslist.com advertisement in the major cities would also help you.