What other kind is there?

Virgin Radio advertisement, Granville SkyTrain station, Vancouver, BC

Virgin Radio advertisement, Granville SkyTrain station, Vancouver, BC (Detail)

Who does not like money? From Monty Python to Cabaret, money has captured the public's imagination.

So it is not surprising that a radio station contest would given away money. Easy to carry, easy to spend, and one size fits all.

But what the heck is "free money"? According to this advertisement for Virgin Radio in Vancouver I can win "free money". Is there some other sort of money that I can win? Money that I have to pay for?

I'm just confused.

They've moved on

Z95.3 FM, Bus Shelter Poster, Vancouver

Z95.3 has moved on. No longer part of the Virgin Radio network, the first ads, "You can't stay a virgin forever" took a bit of a poke at the Virgin Radio brand controlled in Canada by Bell Media.

But Z95.3 has moved on with a new campaign.

From a strategic perspective, this is a much stronger campaign. It will be interesting to see how the listeners react to the changes.

A bit cheeky, but clever

Z95.3 ad, Metro, Vancouver, British Columbia

Broadcasting in Canada is a complicated and confusing business. And mergers and regulations make it even more so.

In 2013, the Competition Bureau granted Bell Media permission to buy Astral Media, the former operator of the Virgin Radio stations in Canada. One of the conditions was that a few stations had to be sold off. CKZZ, the station formerly known as Virgin Radio in Vancouver, was one of the stations. As Bell Media has the rights to the Virgin Radio brand in Canada, the station had to be re-branded.

And if you are going to re-brand why not take a swing at your old name, especially since Bell will likely re-brand one of its stations in Vancouver with the Virgin Radio name. I think this is brilliant.